Sword of Sorcery

From Hey Kids Comics

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
File:Sword of Sorcery Vol 1 1.jpg
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
Created by Denny O'Neil (writer)
Howard Chaykin (artist)

Sword of Sorcery was a sword-and-sorcery comic book featuring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, heroes and rogues created by Fritz Leiber. Published bi-monthly by National Periodical Publications, it ran for five issues in 1973, with a cover price of 20¢. The title was written by Denny O'Neil and featured art by Howard Chaykin,[1] Walt Simonson and Jim Starlin.

In June 2012, DC announced that the series would return with a revival of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld by writer Christy Marx and artist Aaron Lopresti. The title also features a backup feature starring Beowulf written by Tony Bedard and drawn by Jesus Saiz.[2]

Publishing history[edit | edit source]

Wonder Woman[edit | edit source]

A prequel to the series appears the Wonder Woman series, in the last panel of #201[3] and all of #202.[4] In this story, written by Samuel R. Delany, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser team up with Diana Prince (Wonder Woman minus her super-powers), her kung-fu mentor I Ching, and Catwoman, to defeat the dimension-spanning wizard Gahwron.

#1: March-April 1973[edit | edit source]

untitled story — "adapted from Fritz Leiber's story, 'The Price of Pain Ease'" (1970 Swords Against Death, coll.)

#2: May-June 1973[edit | edit source]

"Revenge of the Skull of Jewels" — "from Fritz Leiber's story, 'Thieves' House'" (1943 Unknown)

  • Writer: Denny O'Neil
  • Art: Howard Chaykin
  • Inks: The Crusty Bunkers (uncredited)
  • Cover: Howard Chaykin (pencils) and Berni Wrightson (inks) (uncredited)[6]

#3: July-August 1973[edit | edit source]

"Betrayal!" — original story by Denny O'Neil

  • Writer: Denny O'Neil (uncredited)
  • Pencils: Howard Chaykin (uncredited)
  • Inks: Michael Wm. Kaluta, Berni Wrightson (uncredited)
  • Cover: Howard Chaykin (pencils) and Vincente Alcazar (inks) (uncredited)[7]

#4: September-October 1973[edit | edit source]

"The Cloud of Hate!" — "adapted from a story by Fritz Leiber" ("The Cloud of Hate", 1963 Fantastic)

  • Writer: Denny O'Neil
  • Artists: Chaykin, Inc.

"The Prophecy!" — original story by Denny O'Neil — featuring "Young Fafhrd the Barbarian"

  • Cover: Howard Chaykin (pencils) and Walt Simonson (inks)[8]

#5: November-December 1973[edit | edit source]

"The Sunken Land" — adaptation of Leiber's story (1942 Unknown) — featuring a romantically inclined, but mute, bird woman

  • Story: Denny O'Neil, Fritz Leiber
  • Art: Walter Simonson, Al Milgrom

"The Mouse Alone" — original story by George Alec Effinger — exploring the Gray Mouser's introduction to thievery —

  • Story: George Alec Effinger
  • Art: Jim Starlin, Al Milgrom
  • Cover: Walter Simonson (pencils & inks)[9]

The New 52[edit | edit source]

The series was relaunched with issue #0 in September 2012 (cover dated November 2012, as part of DC's The New 52 line.[2] This series is written by Christy Marx with art by Aaron Lopresti and follows the adventures of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld.[10] A backup story written by Tony Bedard and drawn by Jesus Saiz tells the story of Beowulf.[11] DC has announced the cancellation of the new series as of the issue shipping in May 2013.[12]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Fantasy became a DC Comics reality when writer/editor Denny O'Neil and artist Howard Chaykin brought forth a new comic based on Fritz Leiber's adventurous and virtuous warriors of myth, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Rogers, Vaneta (June 8, 2012). "DC Adds Four to New 52, Including DiDio's Phantom Stranger". Newsarama. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012. This new series...will launch with the return of Amethyst to the New 52. Written by Christy Marx with art by Aaron Lopresti, the comic will show how Amethyst finds out she's the lost princess of Gemworld. 
  3. O'Neil, Dennis (w), Giordano, Dick (p), Giordano, Dick (i). "The Fist of Flame" Wonder Woman 201 (July-August 1972)
  4. Delany, Samuel R. (w), Giordano, Dick (p), Giordano, Dick (i). "Fangs of Fire" Wonder Woman 202 (September-October 1972)
  5. Sword of Sorcery #1 at the Grand Comics Database
  6. Sword of Sorcery #2 at the Grand Comics Database
  7. Sword of Sorcery #3 at the Grand Comics Database
  8. Sword of Sorcery #4 at the Grand Comics Database
  9. Sword of Sorcery #5 at the Grand Comics Database
  10. Marx, Christy (w), Lopresti, Aaron (p), Lopresti, Aaron (i). "Homecoming" Sword of Sorcery v2, 0 (November 2012)
  11. Bedard, Tony (w), Saiz, Jesus (p), Saiz, Jesus (i). "Chapter I: The Perfect Soldier" Sword of Sorcery v2, 0 (November 2012)
  12. Melrose, Kevin (February 7, 2013). "DC axes Deathstroke, Savage Hawkman and four other titles". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013. DC Comics this afternoon announced the May cancellations of six more series, a mix of first-, second- and third-wave New 52 titles: Deathstroke, The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man, The Ravagers, The Savage Hawkman, Sword of Sorcery and Team 7.