Inconsistencies in Graham's Appearence (throughout original KQ series)

[TheReturnofDMD]

Ok

In KQ1, Graham is a little yellow lego man on the screen basically. In the KQ2 manual, he is shown as a man with long dark hair and a mustache. In KQ4, he has gray hair, and looks slightly like his KQV appearence: A muscular, gray haired man. However, from KQ5 to KQ6, his face changes as seen in the different character portraits. Same characteristics (gray hair, muscular) but different facial features. His appearence also changes from being cleanshaven, to having a mustache and finally to having stubble. The KQ5 novelisation in the KQ Companion describes his face as ''unshaven.'' The novels radically depart from the typical characterization of Graham: In the novels, he is described as having long blond hair and a thick beard.

Finally, in the opening intro of MoE, he is chunky with short light gray/white hair, other than that not that different  or much older looking from the original games. He looks young, albeit overweight and vibrant still except he cut his hair and it got a little lighter. In the ending sequence, however, he looks skinny and frail and elderly.
Than there's TSL, which adheres generally to the KQ5-KQ6 depiction of him: gray hair and muscular.

Graham has changed a lot over the years.

[Farquhar]

Indeed he has, though I must say that the interpretation of Graham that TSL uses (KQV-KQVI) is my favorite.

[atec123]

Indeed he has, though I must say that the interpretation of Graham that TSL uses (KQV-KQVI) is my favorite.

I agree.   And the one in the Kq 1 and 2 vga remakes was based on that so..... it's definitely the best

[PirateKingChris]

Agreed. I tend to think of Graham particularly how he looks in KQV.

[Haids1987]

He is RIPPED in KQV!  When he's walking into Madame Mushka's wagon, look at his arms.  They're as big around as his thighs!

But I agree, the way he looks in the fifth game is "how he looks."  Thankfully he seems to look like that in TSL as well.

[oberonqa]

Yea he has changed over the years... probably as a result of different artists interpretations of him.  Each artist gives a different interpretation of Graham, which is influenced by technological limitations as well as growing vision.  The Graham in KQ1 is a new character with little known about him... whereas in KQ5, there's a great deal known about him, both in terms of story and design.  It's evolution in practice.

Directly from Mobygames:

King's Quest: Quest for the Crown (1984)
Graphics by   Doug MacNeill, Greg Rowland

King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne (1985)
Graphics by   Doug MacNeill, Mark Crowe

King's Quest III: To Heir is Human (1986)
Graphics   Doug MacNeill, Mark Crowe

King'a Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella (1988)
Graphics / Artwork   William D. Skirvin

King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder (1990)
Artists:
Deena Benz, Ernie Chan, Jeff Crowe, Richard D. Zeigler-Martin, Tamra Dayton, Dana M. Dean, Roger Hardy, Douglas Herring, Eric Kasner, James Larsen, Cheryl Loyd, Hector Martinez, Harry McLaughlin, Gerald Moore, Maurice Morgan, Vasken N. Sayre, Jennifer Shontz, William D. Skirvin, Cheryl Sweeney, Barry T. Smith, Cindy Walker, Deanna Yhalkee

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (1992)
Art Designer   William D. Skirvin
Senior Artist   Michael Hutchison, John Shroades
Team Artist   Russell Truelove, Deanna Yhalkee
Additional Artists   
Darlou Gams, Tim Loucks, Richard Morgan, Jennifer Shontz, Cindy Walker, Karin Ann Young

King's Quest: Mask of Eternity (1998)
Graphics / 3D Programming   
Ray Bornstein, Robert Munsil, John Piel, Barry Sundt, William Todd Bryan, Marc Vulcano, Ethan Walker, Jason Zayas

You'll notice that in the beginning, there were only two artists for the first couple of games... who did every sprite and every background.  However, with KQ5, the team got expanded quite a bit.  This also plays a part in complexity of character design, as you can break the workload up between multiple artists so as to increase quality of each art asset created instead of having two artists creating every art asset in a game within a certain time-frame.

You'll also notice that Doug Macneill, who was an artist on the first 3 KQ games, disappeared from the credits after KQ3, being replaced by William D. Skirvin.  This change represents a major shift in art design and explains why Graham's appearance changes.  William D. Skirvin is the one responsible for Graham's KQ5 appearance, which is basically just a more detailed (read: more colors and bigger sprite) version of what he looked like in KQ4.  And since he was the one who did all the art for KQ4... well you get the picture.

[atec123]

Wow.  That's cool.  It makes sense, too.  DIfferent artists would change stuff a lot.  Plus graphics advancing.

[Baggins]

I'd have to check, but I'm pretty sure it was only Kingdom of Sorrow that described as having blond hair and the beard in an early chapter.  Guess he was bleaching his hair that year  .

Still the funny part is that the cover shows him clean shaven and with dark hair basically his "regular" appearance. However his clothing is completely different color.

Of course in the King's Quest Companion he is described as having long hair, and shown with long hair in the artwork. This is similar to his appearance in the KQ1 and 2 manuals.

You can find more variations of Graham here;

http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/Graham's_Wardrobe

[Haids1987]

Wow, thanks Baggins!  Interesting stuff.   

[Baggins]

Your're welcome, I aim to please.