General discussion about Usagi Yojimbo, the comics, the stories, the characters, collectibles, TV appearances, Stan Sakai, Space Usagi, Nilson & Hermy, and all other related topics.
Escape Comics #1 - Fall 1972 (FCX Publications) Scott Paauw: editor
Scott Paauw (in his introduction) wrote:
We also have a strip by Stanley Sakai, a talented artist, well known in fandom for his sword and sorcery tales. The lead character in this story is Niord, who is the younger brother of Valka, another of Stanley’s creations. Valka’s adventures can be found in several fanzines, one of which is Equinox.
Niord in "The Tomb of Gar-Sagoth"
Stan Sakai wrote:HA! I remember this. I think I was still in high school when I did that. I contributed to a lot of fanzines at that time. I guess the most professional of them was George Breo's Chronicle, which also published a young John Byrne.
This was a time when there were still "fanzines" around. Nowadays, they are called "independent comics".
Interesting Well, a typical heroic fantasy story. I know somebody who must have read Roger Zelazny, Robert E. Howard, Lyon Sprague De Camp and others.
Anyway, a very different style from what we read today. Even from the earliest Usagi stories. Except... this use of the word "scum" which rings a bell, somehow.
I remember this one in particular, because I was under a very tight deadline. Scott had to have the art in a week, and so I did this particular story in 3 days--and it shows.