Thorgal
| Thorgal | |
|---|---|
Cover of Le Barbare (2002 Lombard Editions).
Art by Grzegorz Rosiński. |
|
| Created by |
Jean Van Hamme Grzegorz Rosiński |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher |
Lombard Editions (French) Cinebook Ltd (English) |
| Formats | Original material for the series has been published as a strip in the comics anthology(s) Tintin magazine and a set of graphic novels. |
| Original language | French |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | 1977 – present |
| Creative team | |
| Creator(s) |
Jean Van Hamme Grzegorz Rosiński |
| Reprints | |
| Title(s) | See: Albums |
| The series has been reprinted, at least in part, in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, and Turkish. | |
Thorgal is a Belgian fantasy comic book series by the Belgian writer Jean Van Hamme and the Polish graphic artist Grzegorz Rosiński. It combines several themes and legends, ranging from Norse mythology and Atlantean fantasy to science fiction, and such genres as dark drama, horror and adventure stories.
The comic first appeared in serial form in Tintin magazine in 1977, and has been published in hardcover volumes by Le Lombard from 1980 on. Translations exist in English and many other languages. In 2002, it was adapted as a adventure video game, Thorgal: Curse of Atlantis, by Cryo Interactive Entertainment. Thorgal is critically acclaimedand one of the most popular French language comics, with more than 11 million Thorgal books in print. There are presently three ongoing successful spin-off series, in addition to the continuation of the main Thorgal adventures.
After of being lost at sea, the ship of Viking leader Leif Haraldson suddenly finds its way home, guided by a mysterious light in the fog. To the supersticious Vikings, the light is seen as a sign from the gods. Once on shore, they find a sort of capsule, which appears to be the source of the mysterious light. Leif opens the capsule and finds a newborn baby boy. He names the child Thor-gal Aegirs-son, after Thor, the Norse God of Thunder, and Aegir, the ruler of the sea, because he considers Thorgal to be a gift from the Gods. Leif takes Thorgal under his care as his adoptive son.
As Thorgal grows up, he is curious about his origins and often ostracized by his peers for not being a "real" Viking. On his sixth birthday, Leif gives him two strange artifacts taken from the capsule he was found in. One is a jewel made from "the metal that doesn't exist". The jewel brings Thorgal on his first adventure, and binds his fate forever with that of Aaricia (his future wife). When Thorgal is twelve, the other gift prompts him to visit an old wiseman, who reveals to Thorgal his origins and true identity. He tells him that he's one of the last survivors of a group of technologically advanced space-farers who came to the planet in search of new energy sources. His people have great supernatural powers like changing the molecular composition of matter with their mind; powers that Thorgal himself seems not to have. Thorgal learns about his real parents and grandfather, and the events that preceded his birth. The old man decides to erase Thorgal's memory of their encounter and the knowledge he just learned, believing that it will be better for Thorgal to grow up as a "normal" Viking boy with no supernatural powers. Thorgal, however, continues to grow up as curious and conflicted about his true identity as ever.
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Wikipedia