Game of Death!

 

Originally published in: Critters Special #1

Published: January 1988

Story and Art by Stan Sakai

"Game of Death"

In Brief: Nilson and Hermy face the inhuman cruelty of the death penalty.

Summary:

Nilson and Hermy are still in prison.

Nilson is starting to lose hope, but Hermy comforts him by saying that if he’s going to die at least it’s with his friend.

 

The tender moment is interrupted by the jailer who brings news from King Kilbun. The King has decided the pair didn’t steal his treasure, but they did play some part in the debacle. So the king will free only one of them….which will be decided tomorrow by a fight to the death!

The jailer leaves them to a last meal of stale bread and sour wine. While Hermy eats Nilson considers his options. He could easily win but that would mean killing his friend, and refusing to fight would no doubt see them both put to death.

The next morning the two are forced into the arena and given their swords.

Nilson whispers to Hermy to try and just hit his sword. If they can give the king a good show he might release them both.

And so the dual begins. Nilson pretends to attack Hermy, before Hermy takes his turn. But Kilbun realizes their plan and orders his archer to kill them.

Nilson panics and in the confusion Hermy accidentally stabs his friend!

 

 

Nilson collapses into Hemry's hands and quietly says he's glad his friend won. The king pardons Hermy and leaves him to mourn over Nilson's body.

Hemry tearfully wishes his friend had won instead...until Nilson asks him to stop squeezing him so hard. Yes everything went according to plan. He hid the wineskin under his shirt, so that it would only look like Hermy had killed him. He couldn't risk telling Hermy in case he gave accidentally gave the scheme away.

The pair quietly leave the arena, glad to be alive, planning to leave the city and find their fortunes elsewhere.

 

Notes:

•  The story continues from Albedo #5 the story continues in (the earlier published) Critters #5
• Critters Special #1 also republished We're Not Lost...Just Misplaced, and Slipknot.
• Nilson says that he's never taken a life before. This holds true throughout the series until the very last story were he's forced to kill.
• On the last page you can see the lady adventurer who appeared in the previous story. She has a crown in her saddlebag, implying that she's actually the one who stole King Kilbun's treasure.
  

 

Review:

And so the series opening (and only) ongoing story comes to an end.  

 

Sakai set out to planning to tell a fantasy epic, but that only lasted two stories before shifting to comedic back-up stories. It's like a reverse Cerebus the Aardvark (that probably would have worked out better for everyone involved). So this story contains the only dramatic moment these characters will even have when it looks like Hermy's killed his friend.

That was a well done moment and it works even if you know there's no way Nilson is really going to die. Sakai treat the whole situation pretty seriously and the pairs friendship feels genuine to me. It makes me wonder what a world where Nilson and Hermy got to actually evolve and grow as characters would be like.

Ah well, that didn't happen.

Slipknot

 

 

Originally published in Albedo #5

Publication Date: October 1985

Written and Drawn by Stan Sakai 

'Slipknot'

In Brief: Nilson and Hermy meet Slipknot the man who can climb anything!

Summary:

Hermy and Nilson have reached the City of a Thousand Toads, ready to start their new lives as adventurers. After Nilson steps in the….muck left by an ox-cart he sends Hermy to get the cape off a nearby scarecrow so he can clean his shoes. But he decides its good enough to keep and takes it as a sign of good fortune and soon they’ll be hired by a rich merchant…..

Five weeks later they still haven’t had a single job offer.

 

Suddenly from an alleyway a shadowy figure offers them a job. Taking them back to his hideout he introduces himself as Slipknot….master thief.

After making sure he can trust them, he begins explaining his plan to rob the treasure vault of King Kilbun (while plotting to let them take the fall for the crime). Nilson goes to hang up his coat, quietly telling Hermy how they’ll turn Slipknot in for a reward once they know his plan.

Once he’s explained his elaborate scheme Hermy asks if it’s time to turn him in?

Slipknot attacks, but Nilson is able to fight him of, until he slips on Hermy’s discarded candy apple, hits his head on the coat rack and drops his sword.

With Slipknot’s dagger at his throat all seems hopeless….until Nilson offers the thief his cape of invisibility. When the thief tries it and demands to know why he’s still visible, Nilson hastily explains that everyone knows that invisible eyes can see other invisible things and therefore his visibility is a sign that he’s invisible.

Convinced, Slipknot leaves the pair to begin his reign of terror against the city.

And so our heroes go to explain their story to King Kilbun, and graciously accept any reward for Slipknot’s capture. Sadly as the king’s vault has just been robbed by a phantom thief their only reward is a trip to the palace dungeon.

Notes:

• The story started in Albedo #1. It continues in Critters Special #1.(Though several other stories will be published in the meantime)
• Some orc looking creatures appear in this story. They might just be generic fantasy creatures, or they might be a remnant of the epic war between the goblins and the anthros that was meant to be the plot of the series.
• The City of a Thousand Toads is full of toads. I think that's neat.
   

Review:

After all the set up last time, our heroes careers as swords for hire is finally underway!

Not that it goes that well. We're currently in the comedic short story phases of Stan's 2500 page epic (which is also the only part he's actually finished at this stage), but we get to know the characters a little better. Nilson's willing to turn someone in for money, and Hermy likes apples. 

The art continues to be the main selling, point with the bustling cityscape's having lots of nice details and gags scattered throughout. And Sakai can stage a good sword fight.

Anyway on page nine our heroes walk past a brothel.

It's not that explicit, but it's more risque than anything you'll ever see again in Sakai's work.

Greetings traveler!

Four decades ago during the early days of the black and white indie boom, the comic industry was full of self-published comics.

Most of them faded away without a trace, but in the pages of  one Stan Sakai created a character who would stand the test of time.

A rabbit swordsman, a skilled warrior with a noble heart....

Nilson Groundthumper!

Yes, friends I created this blog to provide a comprehensive overview of thirty years worth of Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy stories, with all the background information I can find!

Hopefully readers old and new will enjoy reading about these classic tales. 

 

Nilson Meets Hermy, or We're Not Lost...Just Misplaced

 

Originally published in: Albedo #1

Publication date:June 1984

Art and Story by Stan Sakai

 "Nilson Meets Hermy, or We're Not Lost...Just Misplaced"

In Brief: The start of an epic journey that will span three decades and see one rabbit become a great king before being brought low by the armies of man.

Summary:

After years of preparation the adventurer Nilson Groundthumper is finally ready to face the Forest of Eldenwood. Sadly as his map is a useless fake he soon becomes hopelessly lost.

Suddenly hearing a cry, he looks up and sees a mole begin menaced  by a wolf. Nilson is able to drive the beast off with a rock.  Nilson introduces himself as a former blacksmith apprentice and explains his quest to find the legendary ‘Well of Ancients’ and bathe his hands in it's enchanted waters, becoming the greatest swordsman of all time! He will graciously allow the mole to services as a guide as payment for saving his life. The mole says his name is Hermy and happily accepts the promise of food, protection and more food.

And so the two begin their quest!

Suddenly the pair are attacked by a large purple creature! Nilson is able to fight off the ‘Mole Mangler’ with his staff, while Hermy finds a safe hiding spot.

Continuing their journey the two stop for supper. When asked  how long until they reach the well Hermy cheerfully admits he has no  idea! Nilson sulks off leaving Hermy to eat all their food.

Later Hermy is asking  for something to drink, when Nilson shushes him.  There’s a dragon nearby and the slightest sound will enrage the creature! Suddenly Hermy tries to get Nilson’s attention…..there’s some Face Flowers right there and he hasn’t seen any in years!

Nilson starts yelling at Hermy, continuing even when he tries to interrupt him. Suddenly Hermy runs away, and Nilson realizes the dragon is right behind him.

 

Five kilometer's later Hermy catches up to Nilson, who's hunched over a sign......pointing to the Well of Ancients!

A thirsty Hermy jumps into the well. And before Nilson can bathe his hands, the water flies into the air and disappears leaving nothing behind.

Nilson is aghast, Hermy apologizes but  says at least he isn't thirsty anymore. Realizing what this means Nilson drags Hemry behind some bushes.

 

After three years he can wait a few more hours.....

 

Notes:

• The story continues in Albedo #5.  (Nothing important happens in those other issues of Albedo)
  
• On page one you can see Stan Sakai's very first tokage! These little dinosaur-lizards are a beloved staple of Stan's art.
  
• Nilson offhandedly mentions that elves exist in this setting. None of them ever appear on screen.
• Hermy appears to refer to himself as a mole, when later stories will establish him as a guinea pig. He never was that bright.....
  

Review:

And so the epic journey of Nilson Groundthumper (and Hermy) gets off to a humble start.

It introduces our leads well enough, and a lot of the gags got a chuckle out of me. Nilson's more of a jerk than he'll be even three stories from now, but Hermy is here pretty much fully formed.

This is probably the earliest full story by Stan Sakai any of us will ever see. Perhaps unsurprisingly Sakai's work was a bit rougher forty years ago, but you can still see the craft that will define his more famous work. The brief action scenes are laid out fluid and clearly, and the character's faces help sell a lot of the humour.