Sláine (comics)

Sláine MacRoth
Sláine graphic novel cover by Mike McMahon 1986; Sláine copyright Rebellion A/S 2005.
Publication information
Publisher	originally IPC Media (Fleetway) to 1999, thereafter Rebellion Developments
First appearance	2000 AD No. 330 (1983)
Created by	Pat Mills Angela Kincaid
In-story information
Alter ego	Sláine mac Roth
Team affiliations	Tribes of the Earth Goddess
Abilities	Warp-spasm

Sláine (Irish pronunciation: [ˈslɑnʲə]) is a comic hero published for the first time in British magazine 2000 AD.

Sláine is a barbarian fantasy adventure series based on Celtic myths and stories which first appeared in 1983, written by Pat Mills and initially drawn by his then wife, Angela Kincaid. Most of the early stories were drawn by Massimo Belardinelli and Mike McMahon. Other notable artists to have worked on the character include Glenn Fabry and Simon Bisley. The current artist is Simon Davis.

Sláine's favourite weapon is an axe called "Brainbiter". He has the power of the "warp spasm", based on the ríastrad or body-distorting battle frenzy of the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, in which earth power "warps" through his body, turning him into a terrifying, monstrously powerful figure. He is a devotee of the earth goddess Danu.

At the start of the series Sláine was a wanderer, banished from his tribe, the Sessair. He explored the Land of the Young (Irish Tír na nÓg) in the company of an unscrupulous dwarf called Ukko (Finnish for "old man", and the name of the Finnish Thunder god), fighting monsters and mercenaries in the fantasy tradition. In one early adventure he rescued a maiden, Medb (named after the Irish mythological queen Medb) from being sacrificed in a Wicker Man, only to earn her enmity – she was a devotee of Crom Cruach, the god to whom she was to be sacrificed, and was looking forward to the experience. Her master and mentor, the ancient, rotting and insane Lord Weird Slough Feg, became the series' main villain.