FANTASY 203
three-issue limited series adapting Th e Hobbit , the precursor to Tolkien’s grand epic,
Th e Lord of the Rings , but the anticipated Lord of the Rings adaptation never materialized.
One of the most successful fantasy comics is Jeff Smith’s Bone , which ran from 1991
to 2004, published mostly through Smith’s own Cartoon Books. Early on, Bone is more
like a funny animal comic than fantasy, but as more of the back story is revealed, partly
in the spin-off miniseries Rose , the story becomes a darker fantasy with epic scope. Bone
was reissued by Scholastic Books in 2004 and has become a staple in school and public
libraries.
Quite a few comic books have used the classic fantasy setting of Frank L. Baum’s Oz.
From 1986 to 1993 Eric Shanower added new characters and adventures to the Oz
mythos in fi ve short graphic novels that involve suspense and many narrow escapes,
but there is also a charm to his work that makes the books suitable for all ages. In
Caliber Comics’ Oz , which ran from 1994 to1997, the familiar settings and characters
are adapted to a dark fantasy epic of the struggle between good and evil. In 1997, tales
of the Caliber version of Oz were continued in Arrow Comics’ aptly named Dark Oz.
Cartoonist Mark Oakley’s Th ieves and Kings , which began in 1994, seems to be a
fully conceived quest tale, but he has been meandering in the telling of the tale and he is
only about halfway through the planned 100 issues. In the late 1990s a number of high
fantasy titles were published through Image Comics. Th e would-be epic quest of Age of
Heroes had a short run from 1997 to 1999. Beginning in 1999, the heroes and rogues
in Te l l o s fi ght to thwart the plans of the evil Malesur and a stalwart band of heroes in
Wa r l a n d s contend with Malagen and his vampire army. Neither title lasted past 2002.
One of the most intriguing epic fantasies was CrossGen’s Scion , which began in
2000 and ended abruptly in 2004 with the demise of the publisher. Th e story com-
bines romance and politics, as a prince and princess from opposing dynasties fall in love
but also fi ght for the freedom of the “lesser races.” Drabel Brothers Productions has
shown a particular interest in fantasy literature and in recent years they have acquired
the rights to many of the major fantasy novel series. Th ey have partnered with a variety
of publishers to release comic book adaptation of titles such as George R. R. Martin’s
Th e Hedge Knight , Dragonlance: Th e Legend of Huma , and Raymond E. Feist’s Magician.
After an aborted 2005 adaptation of Jordan’s prequel novel New Spring , in 2009 writer
Chuck Dixon began adapting Robert Jordan’s massive “Wheel of Time” saga starting
with Eye of the World.
Historical fantasy is set in a fi ctionalized version of the real world that blends fantasy
elements with characteristics and events of a particular historical period.
Crusader Sir Richard of Warwick, dubbed Th e Golden Knight, battles sorcerers and
sea monsters in the pages of Fox’s Fantastic Comics (1939–41). In the pages of DC’s
Brave and Bold in the late 1950s, Th e Viking Prince and Th e Silent Knight progressed
from rather standard Norse and medieval adventures to facing sorcerers, dragons, and
witches. When Roy Th omas went to DC he created Arak, Son of Th under , featuring a
Native American warrior, as a substitute for the Conan the Barbarian title he had left
behind at Marvel. Arak roamed the world having tomahawk and sorcery adventures
