“Yesterday’s” Comic> The Legend Of Zelda #5

Valiant Comics Link really does need a haircut, doesn’t he?

The Legend Of Zelda #5

Valiant (1990)

While two separate stories, there is a common event between the two. Once every decade, all three Triforces mysteriously disappear. Nobody knows why or where they go but it affects Zelda, Link, and Ganon.

The first story is Zelda’s adventure. With the Triforce Of Power gone, Ganon is powerless so Zelda thinks they shouldn’t have any problems. Ganon, however, is sure Link and Zelda will take advantage of this weakness, even with the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage joining Power in the wherever. So he launches an attack to keep them distracted. Except that Link went to visit his homeland so it’s up to Zelda alone to free the village of Saria from Ganon’s forces. While she succeeds, Rus (the boy from issue #1) was bit by a rope snake and even his mother, the healer Cassiopia, is unable to restore him. While she wants to get a fairy to heal him, they insist her focus should be on Ganon. (Which means Ganon just caused the very event he tried to stop. Dummy.) When she finds Ganon she also finds Miff and decides that saving the boy is more important because innocent life is more important than revenge. It’s a good story that showcases Zelda’s compassion.

Link’s trip home is the source of the second story. When he comes to visit his parents his father decks him and kicks him out. Link is also in good with the queen so with the rest of Calatia treating him the same way he hopes to get some answers. Instead he finds a lookalike sitting on the throne who has Link imprisoned in the tower with the queen. Link’s doppleganger, who is actually the Shadow from the end of Zelda II, decides to put them both to death, until Queen Seline challenges him to the trial by combat, with Link as her champion. Shadow tries to trick Link into leaving to rescue Zelda, but his promise to the Queen takes precedence. (The same sense of honor we saw back in “He Also Serves…” from issue #2.) Then Ganon informs Shadow about the Day Of The Triforce, but even without the namesake Triforce, Link has enough courage to expose and defeat Shadow. I like this story. It enforces this Link’s sense of honor and is a good story, showing that the Triforce in his heart isn’t his greatest power.

I only have one complaint. The second story starts just before the Day Of The Triforce while the first one ends as the event ends. The two tales should have been in reverse: “Coming Home” should come before “The Day Of The Triforce”. There is also a reprinting of the history of the Triforces, a fake ad for Ambrosia Lite, a drink sold by his parents. There is also a beautiful map of Hyrule, including where it meets Calatia. This is a really good issue, like the other three I own. I only wish I owned the rest of the series, but these four are it. Again, if you didn’t like the cartoon but thought the basic concept was decent, check out these comics. It’s less comical and more serious and are some of the best Legend Of Zelda stories ever produced.

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