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Thorgal
Cover of Le Barbare  (2002 Lombard Editions),
art by Grzegorz Rosiński
Created byJean Van Hamme
Grzegorz Rosiński
Publication information
PublisherLombard Editions (French)
Cinebook Ltd (English)
Lion Comics (Tamil)
FormatsOriginal material for the series has been published as a strip in the comics anthology(s) Tintin magazine and a set of graphic novels.
Original languageFrench
Genre
Publication date1977 – present
Reprints
Title(s)Full list
The series has been reprinted, at least in part, in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, and Turkish.

Thorgal is a science fantasy adventure series created in the Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées (BD) tradition by Belgian writer Jean Van Hamme and Polish graphic artist Grzegorz Rosiński. Debuting in 1977, it has incorporated elements of Norse mythology and the legend of Atlantis, as well as science fiction and horror.

In 2002, it was adapted as an adventure video game, Thorgal: Curse of Atlantis, by Cryo Interactive Entertainment.

Development

[edit]

The comic first appeared in serial form in Tintin magazine in 1977, with the story La Magicienne Trahie.[1] Originally a stand-alone 30-page project, its early success encouraged turning it into a longer series.[1]

It has subsequently been published in hardcover volumes by Le Lombard from 1980 on. Translations have appeared in among others, English, Dutch, German, Polish, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Tamil and Greek.[2]

Covers for all comic books, or rather comic albums c.q. BDs (in North-American understanding though, "graphic novel" is the more applicable terminology in this case, particularly where the physical properties of the book format are concerned, the distinction being otherwise a non-issue in native Francophone Europe) are drawn by Rosiński, even for the spin-off albums which sometimes are drawn by other artists.[3]

Reception and significance

[edit]

Thorgal is critically acclaimed and one of the most popular French language BDs, with more than 11 million Thorgal books in print.[4] There are currently three ongoing successful spin-off series, in addition to the continuation of the main Thorgal series.

It has been called the most popular series published by Le Lombard.[1]

D. Aviva Rothschild in her 1995 book Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-length Comics praised the series, stating that it is "better than an American swords-and-sorcery comic" when it comes to both art and stories. Commenting on The Archers volume, Rothschild described it as "one of the finest pieces of heroic fantasy I have ever set my eyes on".[5]

The series has also been credited with popularizing the BD in Poland.[5]

Main characters

[edit]
Thorgal Aegirsson, the main character of the series
  • Thorgal Aegirsson: Son of Varth and Haynee, grandson of Xargos – a captain of a spaceship on a way to Earth in search of energy. He is raised by Vikings after his ship crash-lands. He possesses character traits and morality that many Vikings consider a sign of weakness. Thorgal is still a courageous and skillful warrior and an archer of phenomenal skill. His life's goal is to find a place for his family to live in peace. For a time, he is stripped of his memory, and becomes the pirate lord Shaigan, though his compassion remained unaltered.
  • Aaricia: Thorgal's wife and the daughter of Gandalf the Mad, a Viking leader. She is bound to Thorgal from the moment of her birth by a magic object named Tjahzi's Tears. Aaricia is a spirited and strong-willed woman, who loves her family dearly despite all the mishaps Thorgal's fate brings to their lives.
  • Jolan: Thorgal's son. He possesses supernatural powers as the heritage of Thorgal's mysterious ancestry. For most of the series his power is limited to molecular agitation (usually the ability to disintegrate objects). He gradually learns to hone his ability.
  • Louve: Thorgal and Aaricia's daughter, who has the ability to communicate with animals.
  • Kriss of Valnor: A young, beautiful, unscrupulous and deadly warrior, and also a skilled archer. She first appears in Les Archers, and then intermittently in the following stories. She is in some ways Thorgal's greatest nemesis, and repeatedly tries to hurt him and his family, but occasionally shows hints of admiration and even secret love for Thorgal. When Thorgal loses his memory, she tricks him into believing that they are married, and convinces Thorgal that he is the ruthless pirate lord Shaigan. She becomes pregnant with his son Aniel, whom her father Kahaniel of Valnor wished to reincarnate himself, but Thorgal eventually regains his memory and leaves to find his true family. Later, she ends up as a slave in Byzantium and apparently sacrifices her life to help Thorgal's family escape from the same slave pits, but is later revealed to be alive and queen in the northern lands.
  • Aniel: the young son of Thorgal and Kriss of Valnor, conceived while Thorgal lived as the pirate lord Shaigan. He and his mother fall prey to Byzantian slavers, and his vocal cords are cut to forestall crying, leaving him mute. Later, Kriss and Aniel escape the slave pits with Aaricia, Jolan and Louve, who had also been brought there. When Kriss is wounded by her pursuers and prepared to make her last stand, she asks Aaricia to take care of Aniel. Aaricia agrees and takes Aniel in as one of her own children. Aniel is later kidnapped to serve as a host body for Kahlim, grand master of the Red Mages of the oriental city of Bag Dadh (Le Feu écarlate). With the help of Armenos the Mage, both Kahaniel and Kahlim are exorcised from him, but having become hateful of Thorgal, he leaves with his mother.
Xargos (Tanatloc)
VilniaKahaniel of ValnorOlgavaVarth (Ogotai)HayneeGandalf the Mad
ManthorKriss of ValnorThorgal AegirssonAariciaBjorn Gandalfson
Aniel of ValnorJolanLouve

Other characters

[edit]
  • Ogotai (also known as Varth): the war-loving, merciless "god" brought by the sea into the land of Qâ (a presumably South American pre-Columbian civilization). He leads his people into countless conquests of the neighboring tribes and orders endless human sacrifices to himself. He has superior intelligence, knowledge of highly advanced technology, and supernatural powers, which he uses to trick people into believing he is a true god. In reality, he is a grief-stricken, crazed man, driven by the vengeance against the planet he believes responsible for the death of his beloved wife and son.
  • Tanatloc (also known as Xargos): another "god" living in the land of Qâ. He is the nemesis of Ogotai, with whom he shares a secret past. He is kept hidden from his people.
  • Darek and Lehla: brother and sister children of banished Vikings who met Aaricia and her family after they had been banished from their village following Shaigan's raids against their people. They joined Thorgal and his family on their journey, but after a few adventures they decided to stay behind on an island Thorgal and Louve had just liberated from a tyrant (Arachneà). However, Lehla later turns up a slave in the northern lands, where she is liberated by Thorgal and taken along for his search for Aniel (Le bateau-sabre). They later recover Darek from slavery in the jungle kingdom of Zhari (Aniel), and they subsequently join Thorgal's extended family.
  • The Key Guardian: a powerful magician, who is (or maybe just assumes the form of) a beautiful woman. The gods have entrusted her with the task of guarding the passages between worlds. She walks between the worlds, wearing nothing but a golden girdle that grants her powers and immortality. She has (like many other female characters appearing in the series) a crush on Thorgal, but she respects his loyalty to his family. Because of her love, she is eventually dismissed as a Guardian, cast out into the mortal world, and adopts the name Cleo (Louve #6: "La Reine des Alfes noirs").
  • Tjall (called by some people Tjall-The-Fiery): the young, hot-headed nephew of Treefoot and friend of Thorgal. An excellent archer with a good heart and a silly mind, who has a crush on Kriss. He later dies while accompanying Thorgal to the City of the Lost God (La Cité du Dieu Perdu), saving him from a raging mob.
  • Argun Treefoot: He's uncle of Tjall. He's a warrior past his prime and with a pegleg, but still an exceptional archer and bowmaker. One of Thorgal's few friends.
  • Solveig: she is a Viking who is the best friend of Aaricia. Devoted friend she will help the family Aegirsson.
  • Shaniah: a teenage girl from a village enamored in the adult and married Thorgal. Out of jealousy she causes a great tragedy in Thorgal's life, but later redeems herself by giving her own life to save Aaricia.
  • Gandalf the Mad: Aaricia's father and king of the Vikings of the North. He became the leader of his tribe after Thorgal's adoptive father's death. Greedy, cruel and mad, he makes repeated attempts at Thorgal's life, whom he perceives a threat to the legitimacy of his own rule.
  • Tiago and Ileniya: brother and sister descendants of a group of space-farers who had landed on Midgard and formed the fabled kingdom of Atlantis. They foiled their elders' plan to enslave the world and travelled together with Thorgal and his family. Soon afterwards, however, they were all taken as slaves to a Byzantinian governor and his sadistic son Heraclius, who made Ilyena his personal 'pet". When Tiago tried to stop Heraclius from abusing his sister, the nobleman murdered him; in revenge, Ileniya killed Heraclius later on and, facing imminent death, joined her brother by throwing herself off a cliff.
  • Snake Nidhogg: a powerful, mythological monster creature, which Thorgal dared to go against in his youth with the help of the goddess Frigg. Based on Níðhöggr from Norse mythology.
  • Volsung of Nichor: A cunning, treacherous schemer. He first appears as Thorgal's competitor in Three Elders of Aran, but apparently dies in the tests they have to face. Actually, Nidhogg saves him to be her servant; his mission is to gain the Girdle of Immortality from the Guardian of the Keys. For betraying her, she transforms Volsung into a toad and keeps him with her trapped in the neverness.
  • Muff: A dog that belongs to Jolan & Louve. He appears for the last time in "The Blue Sickness", when he stayed on the island of Our Ground, together with Darek de Svear and his sister Lehla, because he was too old to travel any further.
  • Alinoë: Appeared in the volume of the same name as a violent, primitive boy with green hair, later revealed to be part of Jolan's imagination. He vanished when Jolan's mysterious bracelet was removed by Thorgal.
  • Manthor: a Viking Half-God who cures Thorgal in "Sacrifice". He is the son of Kahaniel of Valnor and the half-brother of Kriss of Valnor.
  • Vigrid: One of the lesser Gods of Asgard who is indebted towards Aaricia for having helped him after having gone blind. He repays this debt by helping her husband reach Manthor and bringing her back to her ancestral home. However, his love for Aaricia eventually made him abandon a task set by the gods, compelling Frigg to banish him from Asgard to Svartalfheim (Louve #5: "Skald"). However, he finally earns his eventual pardon by taking the recalcitrant Niddhog's destined place as the guardian of Yggdrasil (Louve #7: "Niddhog").
  • The Kingdom of Zhar (first featured in Le Mal Bleu)
    • Zarkaj and Zajkar: The twin princes of Zhar. To avoid dynastic disputes, Zajkar was chosen to be killed right after birth, but survived and was taken in by the Myrms. After growing to manhood, and with Thorgal's help, he reclaims his rightful place and reconciles with his brother, with whom he rules the realm as a diarchy.
    • Armenos: A reclusive mage and inventor. He first saves Thorgal and his family from the Blue Death disease, and later Aniel from his dual possession (Aniel).
    • Zim: A member of the Myrms, Zharians afflicted with dwarfism and made outcast swamp-dwellers. Zim falls in love with Thorgal upon his first visit, but respects his faithfulness to his family. When Thorgal returns to Zhar after completing his search for Aniel, Zim loses her life in the last decisive battle against a horde of Amazons.
  • Gilli and Ava: The children of Grimur from the village of Mikladalur, a henchman of the sysselmann of Kalsoy. While Gilli is a normal human boy, Ava is half selkie, the result of Grimur having captured himself one of the seal-folk as his wife. When Grimur kidnapped Louve to rear her as a new wife, Thorgar and Jolan went to her rescue, which set off a chain of events which lifted a curse bestowed on the islanders by the selkies; Grimur is killed in an uprising against the tyrannical sysselmann, while Ava's mother recovers her pelt and returns into the sea. With their parents gone, the two children are taken in as part of Thorgal's family (La selkie).

Fictional character biography

[edit]

After being lost at sea, the ship of Viking leader Leif Haraldson finds its way home, guided by a mysterious light in the fog. To the superstitious 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.

Soon after this event Leif Haraldson dies and Gandalf the Mad is chosen as his successor. Gandalf repeatedly tries to get rid of Thorgal, because -– as he constantly reminds everyone – Thorgal is an outsider and not of Viking blood. In reality, Gandalf feels threatened because Thorgal is Leif's heir. In the meantime, Thorgal's relationship with Aaricia, Gandalf's daughter, develops and strengthens. While her wishes do not have much influence on her father, she is able to save Thorgal from certain death (by her father's hand) through her determination and ingenuity.

The first album of the series starts some years later, when Thorgal is already an adult, and Gandalf devises a plan to kill him after realizing how deep the love his daughter has for Thorgal really is.

Collected French language editions

[edit]

The albums consist of several story arcs and many stand-alone stories.

Mainline series

[edit]

Jean Van Hamme (story) and Grzegorz Rosiński (art)

Le Lombard editions:

  • 1. La Magicienne Trahie (1980) - (ISBN 2-8036-0358-6)
  • 2. L'Ile des Mers gelées (1980) - (ISBN 2-8036-0359-4)
  • 3. Les Trois Vieillards du pays d'Aran (1981) - (ISBN 2-8036-0001-3)
  • 4. La Galère Noire (1982) (start of the Brek Zarith story arc) - (ISBN 2-8036-0026-9)
  • 5. Au-delà des Ombres (1983) - (ISBN 2-8036-0407-8)
  • 6. La chute de Brek Zarith (1984) (end of the Brek Zarith story arc) - (ISBN 2-8036-0451-5)
  • 7. L'enfant des étoiles (1984) (3 short stories from Thorgal's youth) - (ISBN 2-8036-0448-5)
  • 8. Alinoë (1985) - (ISBN 2-8036-0482-5)
  • 9. Les Archers (1986) - (ISBN 2-8036-0515-5)
  • 10. Le Pays Qâ (1986) (start of the Qâ story arc) - (ISBN 2-8036-0549-X)
  • 11. Les Yeux de Tanatloc (1986) - (ISBN 2-8036-0576-7)
  • 12. La Cité du Dieu Perdu (1987) - (ISBN 2-8036-0639-9)
  • 13. Entre Terre et Lumière (1988) (end of the Qâ story arc) - (ISBN 2-8036-0713-1)
  • 14. Aaricia (1989) (4 short stories from Aaricia's youth) - (ISBN 978-2-8036-0745-7)
  • 15. Le Maître des Montagnes (1989) - (ISBN 2-8036-0754-9)
  • 16. Louve (1990) - (ISBN 2-8036-0845-6)
  • 17. La Gardienne des Clés (1991) - (ISBN 2-8036-0932-0)
  • 18. L'épée-soleil (1992) - (ISBN 2-8036-0988-6)
  • 19. La Forteresse Invisible (1993) (start of the Shaigan story arc) - (ISBN 2-8036-1052-3)
  • 20. La Marque des Bannis (1994) - (ISBN 2-8036-1101-5)
  • 21. La Couronne d'Ogotaï (1995) - (ISBN 2-8036-1161-9)
  • 22. Géants (1996) - (ISBN 2-8036-1220-8)
  • 23. La Cage (1997) (end of the Shaigan story arc) - (ISBN 2-8036-1275-5)
  • 24. Arachnéa (1999) - (ISBN 2-8036-1362-X)
  • 25. Le Mal Bleu - (1999) - (ISBN 2-8036-1414-6)
  • 26. Le Royaume sous le Sable (2001) - (ISBN 2-8036-1665-3)
  • 27. Le Barbare (2002) - (ISBN 2-80361-775-7)
  • 28. Kriss de Valnor (2004) - (ISBN 2-8036-2003-0)
  • 29. Le Sacrifice (2006) - (ISBN 2-8036-2198-3)

Notes

The 29th volume, The Sacrifice, was the final volume scripted by Jean Van Hamme. Here, Thorgal escapes the curse of Odin. He finds peace in the only home he knows: the Viking village of his adopted father, but then must make a choice.

Danish translation of the series appeared in a different order, beginning with the chronicles of Thorgal's youth.[6] The first album in the series La Magicienne Trahie is number 22 in the Danish series.[6]

In Denmark numbers 22-23 (#1-2) were first published by the publisher Interpresse under the name "Cormak", probably to capitalize upon the popular series Conan.[citation needed] The name was soon changed back to "Thorgal" when Carlsen Comics took over the series.[6][7]

Yves Sente (story) and Grzegorz Rosiński (art)

  • 30. Moi, Jolan (2007)
  • 31. Le bouclier de Thor (2008)
  • 32. La bataille d'Asgard (2010)
  • 33. Le bateau-sabre (2011)
  • 34. Kah-Aniel (2013)

Notes

Following the 29th volume, the series was written by Yves Sente. These albums initially focussed on Jolan rather than Thorgal.

Xavier Dorison (story) and Grzegorz Rosiński (art)

  • 35. Le Feu écarlate (2016)

Yann (story) and Grzegorz Rosinski (art)

  • 36. Aniel (2018)

Yann (story) and Fred Vignaux (art)

  • 37. L'Ermite de Skellingar (2019)
  • 38. La Selkie (2020)
  • 39. Neokóra (2021)
  • 40. Tupilaks (2022)
  • 41. Mille yeux (2023)
  • 42. Özurr le Varègue (2024)
  • 43. La vengeance de la déesse Skædhi (2025)

Les Mondes de Thorgal - Kriss de Valnor ("The Worlds of Thorgal – Kriss of Valnor")

[edit]

Yves Sente (story) and Giulio De Vita (art)

  • 1. Je n'oublie rien! (I Forget Nothing!, 2010)
  • 2. La sentence des Walkyries (The Valkyries' Judgement, 2012)
  • 3. Digne d'une reine (Worthy of a Queen, 2012)
  • 4. Alliances (Alliances, 2013)
  • 5. Rouge comme le Raheborg (Red as the Raheborg, 2014)

Xavier Dorison and Mathieu Mariolle (story) and Roman Surzhenko (art)

  • 6. L'Île des enfants perdus (The Island of Lost Children, 2015)

Xavier Dorison and Mathieu Mariolle (story) and Fred Vignaux (art)

  • 7. La Montagne du temps (The Mountain of Time, 2017)
  • 8. Le Maître de justice (The Master of Justice, 2018)

Spin-off Les Mondes de Thorgal - Louve (Thorgal - Wolf)

[edit]

Yann Le Pennetier (story) and Roman Surzhenko (art)

  • 1. Raïssa (Raissa, 2011)
  • 2. La Main coupée du dieu Tyr (The Severed Hand of the God Tyr, 2012)
  • 3. Le Royaume du chaos (The Realm of Chaos, 2013)
  • 4. Crow (Crow, 2014)
  • 5. Skald (Skald, 2015)
  • 6. La Reine des Alfes noirs (The Queen of the Dark Elves, 2016)
  • 7. Nidhogg (Nidhogg, 2017)

Spin-off Les Mondes de Thorgal - La Jeunesse de Thorgal (Thorgal - The Youth of Thorgal)

[edit]

Yann Le Pennetier (story) and Roman Surzhenko (art)

  • 1. Les Trois Sœurs Minkelsönn (The Three Minkelsönn Sisters, 2013)
  • 2. L'Œil d'Odin (Odin's Eye, 2014)
  • 3. Runa (Runa, 2015)
  • 4. Berserkers (Berserkers, 2016)
  • 5. Slive (Slivia, 2017)
  • 6. Le Drakkar des glaces (The Frozen Drakkar, 2018)
  • 7. La dent bleue (2019)
  • 8. Les deux bâtards (2020)
  • 9. Les larmes de Hel (2021)
  • 10. Sydönia (2022)
  • 11. Grym (2024)

Thorgal Saga homage series

[edit]

In this series, started in 2023, other writers and artists create a separate story set in the Thorgal universe but outside the canonical series, and without the 48-page constraint the regular albums had, occasionally even exceeding the 100-page count.[8]

Supplementary print publications

[edit]

Source:[9]

  • Multimedia releases by publisher Seven Sept; concerns background information books elaborating on historical settings and characters of the Thorgal series, enhanced with artwork by Rosinski, interviews, and an included DVD showing the artist at work on the covers of the releases
    • Entre les faux dieux ("Amidst false gods", ISBN 295207528X, 2005) - dealing with The Land of Qa story-cycle
    • Dans les griffes de Kriss ("In the talons of Kriss", ISBN 2916394079, 2006) - dealing with the Kriss of Valnor story-cycle
  • Aux Origines des mondes ("Thorgal: Origins of worlds", ISBN 9782803631933, 2012) - a collection of interviews about the creation of spin-off Thorgal series, interviews by Patrick Gaumer [fr] with Grzegorz Rosiński, Giuliano de Vita, Yves Sente, Roman Surzhenko and Yann Le Pennetier.
  • Rosinski artbook - Thorgal 40 ans ("Rosinski artbook - 40 years of Thorgal", ISBN 9782803670901, 2017) - a 224-page art book that also features other Rosinski's BD artwork besides Thorgal alone.

English releases

[edit]

All English-language Thorgal album releases have to date adhered to the approximately standard European BD A4-format, a book format US and UK readerships have historically not been accustomed to, they instead being born and bred with the much smaller, standard US comic book format. The closest format resembling the European one, US and UK readership are traditionally familiar with, is that of the US graphic novel format, though it too is somewhat smaller.

Donning Company Publishers (US) had the earliest three English-language titles published in the 1980s

  1. Thorgal, Child of the Stars hardcover was published in 1986 with ISBN 0-89865-501-3
  2. The Archers hardcover was published in 1987 with ISBN 0-96178-850-X (a softcover version was a year later published under the company's "Schiffer Pub" imprint with ISBN 0-96178-852-6
  3. The Sorceress Betrayed a 96 page softcover omnibus collecting the series' first two volumes La Magicienne Trahie and L'Ile des Mers gelées, was published in 1988 with ISBN 0-96178-851-8 under the company's "Ink Publishing Company" imprint

Cinebook Ltd (UK) released the English-language (main) series up until volume 24[10] in the softcover print format starting with Child of the Stars and Aaricia in 2007. Europe Comics, partnered with Cinebook along with other publishers, took over the English language publications following their formation in 2015 and released the main series (including rereleases of older titles) plus the spin-off series in digital format only.[11] They started in 2019 with the digital release of the main series, starting with volume 21 which was as the only one released under the same ISBN for both formats. With volume 22 digital releases had from 2020 onward overtaken Cinebook's print releases, which from then on was lagging far behind with their print releases, aside from the circumstance that Cinebook did none of the spin-off series.

Mainline series

[edit]
Note: Where two ISBNs are mentioned, the first one concerns the digital release whereas the second one concerns the print release by Cinebook.
0. The Betrayed Sorceress (ISBN 9781849184434) - Collects La Magicienne Trahie and L'Ile des Mers gelées [1 and 2])
  1. Child of the Stars (ISBN 9781905460236) - (collects Child of the Stars and Aaricia [7 and 14])
  2. The Three Elders of Aran (ISBN 9781905460311) - (collects The Three Elders of Aran and The Black Galley [3 and 4])
  3. Beyond the Shadows (ISBN 9781905460458) - (collects Beyond the Shadows and The Fall of Brek Zarith [5 and 6])
  4. The Archers (ISBN 9781905460670) - (collects Alinoë and Les Archers [8 and 9])
  5. The Land of Qa (ISBN 9781905460809) - (collects Le Pays Qâ and Les Yeux de Tanatloc [10 and 11])
  6. City of the Lost God (ISBN 9781849180016) - (collects La Cité du Dieu Perdu and Entre Terre et Lumière [12 and 13])
  7. The Master of the Mountains (ISBN 9781849180238) - (contains Le Maître des Montagnes [15])
  8. Wolf Cub (ISBN 9781849180351) - (contains Louve [16])
  9. The Guardian of the Keys (ISBN 9781849180504) - (contains La Gardienne des Clés [17])
  10. The Sun Sword (ISBN 9781849180573) - (contains L'épée-soleil [18])
  11. The Invisible Fortress (ISBN 9781849181037) - (contains La Forteresse Invisible [19])
  12. The Brand of the Exiles (ISBN 9781849181365) - (contains La Marque des Bannis [20])
  13. Ogotai's Crown (ISBN 9781849181426) - (contains La Couronne d'Ogotaï [21])
  14. Giants (ISBN 9781849181563) - (Contains Géants [22])
  15. The Cage (ISBN 9781849181860) - (Contains La Cage [23])
  16. Arachnea (ISBN 9781849182478) - (Contains Arachnéa [24])
  17. The Blue Plague (ISBN 9781849182904) - (Contains Le Mal Bleu [25])
  18. The Kingdom Beneath the Sand (ISBN 9781849183451) - (Contains Le Royaume sous le Sable [26])
  19. The Barbarian (ISBN 9781849183994) - (Contains Le Barbare [27])
  20. Kriss of Valnor (ISBN 9781849184229) - (Contains Kriss de Valnor [28])
  21. The Sacrifice (ISBN 9781849184267) - (Contains Le Sacrifice [29])
  22. I, Jolan (ISBN 9791032807309, 9781849184441) - (Contains Moi, Jolan [30])
  23. Thor's Shield (ISBN 9791032807835, 9781849184458) - (Contains Le Bouclier de Thor [31])
  24. The Battle of Asgard (ISBN 9791032809181, 9781849184946 - (Contains La Bataille D'Asgard [32])
  25. The Blade Ship - (Contains Le Bateau Sabre [33])
  26. Kah-Aniel - (Contains Kah-Aniel [34])
  27. The Scarlet Fire - (Contains Le Feu écarlate [35])
  28. Aniel - (Contains Aniel [36])
  29. The Hermit of Skellingar - (Contains L'Ermite de Skellingar [37])
  30. The Selkie - (Contains La Selkie [38])
  31. Neokora - (Contains Neokóra [39])
  32. Tupilaqs - (Contains Tupilaks [40])

Kriss of Valnor

[edit]
  1. I Forget Nothing! - (Contains Je n'oublie rien!)
  2. The Valkyries' Judgement - (Contains La sentence des Walkyries)
  3. Worthy of a Queen - (Contains Digne d'une reine)
  4. Alliances - (Contains Alliances)
  5. Red as a Raheborg - (Contains Rouge comme le Raheborg)
  6. The Island of Lost Children - (Contains L'Île des enfants perdus)
  7. The Mountain of Time - (Contains La Montagne du temps)
  8. The Master of Justice - (Contains Le Maître de justice)

Wolfcub

[edit]
  1. Raissa - (Contains Raïssa)
  2. The Severed Hand of the God - (Contains Tyr La Main coupée du dieu Tyr)
  3. The Realm of Chaos - (Contains Le Royaume du chaos)
  4. Crow - (Contains Crow)
  5. Skald - (Contains Skald)
  6. The Queen of the Dark Elves - (Contains La Reine des Alfes noirs)
  7. Nidhogg - (Contains Nidhogg)

The early years

[edit]
  1. The Three Minkelson Sisters - (Contains Les Trois Sœurs Minkelsönn)
  2. Odin's Eye - (Contains L'Œil d'Odin)
  3. Runa - (Contains Runa)
  4. Berserkers - (Contains Berserkers)
  5. Slivia - (Contains Slive)
  6. The Frozen Drakkar - (Contains Le Drakkar des glaces)

In other media

[edit]

Source:[9]

  • A collectible card game based on the Thorgal intellectual property, Thorgal: Kolekcjonerska Gra Karciana, was released in Polish in 2002 by Egmont Polska.[12]
  • In 2002, Le Lombard published a video game for Microsoft Windows entitled Thorgal: Curse of Atlantis (La Malédiction d'Odin) and developed by Cryo Interactive Entertainment.[13]
  • In 2016, it was announced that the BD is going to be a series directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.[14] In 2018 von Donnersmarck said that the project is "at the top of his list".[15]
  • In 2022, Citel Games published Thorgal: Qâ – Le Jeu (in French only), a cooperative board game based on a specific Thorgal adventure.[16]
  • An elaborate and multi-lingual (English, French, German, Italian, Polish, and Spanish) board game was under development in 2023 by Portal Games. A crowd-funding drive was organized to finance the development of the game. The popularity of Thorgal was once again amply demonstrated when the crowd-funding netted the company nearly nine times the funding goal, which was reached within one-and-a-half hour after the start of the drive. The game was set for an April 2024 release and delivered in October of that year.[17][18]
  • In 2024, Polish game developer Mighty Koi announced that they were developing an action-adventure video game titled Thorgal for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.[19]
  • In August of 2025, a (non-collectible) card game (Thorgal: The Card Game, Thorgal: Gra karciana, Thorgal : Le Jeu de cartes in English, Polish, and French respectively) was released by Lucrum Games/Studio and Don't Panic Games.[20]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Thorgal is a long-running Franco-Belgian series of adventure and fantasy, created by Belgian writer and Polish illustrator Grzegorz Rosiński, which debuted as a serial in 1977 in Le Journal de Tintin magazine and has since become a bestseller with 43 volumes published in French by Le Lombard as of 2025. The series is set in a mythical 7th-century world blending Viking-era historical elements with , including gods, magic, and occasional motifs, following the titular protagonist Thorgal Aegirsson—a foundling warrior raised by who possesses exceptional skills and a mysterious origin tied to ancient stars—as he navigates perilous quests, battles tyrants, and protects his family while yearning for a peaceful life. Renowned for its epic storytelling, intricate plots, and Rosiński's detailed, atmospheric artwork, Thorgal explores themes of freedom, humanity, fate, and resistance against arbitrary power, earning critical acclaim as one of the most influential European series of its era and inspiring spin-offs like The World of Thorgal and international adaptations in languages including English via publisher Cinebook since 2007.

Creation and Development

Origins and Creators

, born in 1939 in , initially pursued a career in business after earning a degree in from the Solvay School of Commerce. He worked as a marketing consultant for companies including United States Steel Corporation and until 1976, when he transitioned to full-time writing. Van Hamme entered the comics industry in 1968, scripting the series for artist Paul Cuvelier, followed by episodes of Corentin and contributions to its animated adaptations. By the early 1970s, he was a regular contributor to Le Journal de Tintin, writing scripts for series such as Magellan (illustrated by Géri) and Domino (for André Chéret), establishing his reputation for intricate, adventure-driven narratives before creating Thorgal. Grzegorz Rosiński, born in 1941 in , , developed an interest in during his youth under the , discovering Western European works through smuggled copies of Vaillant magazine. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in from 1961 to 1967, creating his first in 1955, at the age of 14, and later serving as of a scouting magazine by 1957. In , Rosiński illustrated around 20 comic books for popular series like Kapitan Żbik and Pilot Śmigłowca between 1968 and 1972, and co-created bilingual adaptations of Polish legends with Barbara Seidler from 1974 to 1976. Amid growing political tensions, he moved to in 1976 on a , settling in where he met influential figures in the scene, including scriptwriter André-Paul Duchâteau, and began producing work for Belgian publications under the Rosek. In 1976, publisher Le Lombard commissioned Van Hamme to develop a Viking-themed series for serialization in Le Journal de Tintin, leading to his collaboration with Rosiński, whose detailed and realistic artistic style—characterized by intricate backgrounds and expressive characters—complemented Van Hamme's plot-heavy, mythological storytelling. The duo devised Thorgal as an epic fantasy blending Norse legends with elements, choosing the Viking setting partly to evade political sensitivities in Rosiński's homeland. The series debuted with the short story "La Magicienne trahie" in Le Journal de Tintin on , 1977, marking the first appearance of the titular . Serialization continued successfully until the magazine's later years, with the inaugural collected album, La Magicienne Trahie, published by Le Lombard in 1980 after the initial episodes garnered strong reader interest. This partnership defined the series' early success, with Van Hamme providing suspenseful, character-focused plots and Rosiński delivering visually immersive, historically inspired artwork.

Evolution of the Series

The Thorgal series began as a serialized story in the Franco-Belgian comic magazine Le Journal de Tintin in 1977, created by writer and artist Grzegorz Rosiński, but transitioned fully to standalone album format with the publication of the first volume, La Magicienne Trahie, by Le Lombard in 1980. This shift allowed for self-contained narratives in editions, aligning with the European bandes dessinées tradition, and established an annual release rhythm starting in 1981, enabling deeper exploration of the Viking-inspired . The creative team underwent significant changes in the late 2000s, reflecting the series' maturation and the need for fresh perspectives. Van Hamme scripted the mainline series up to album 29, Le Sacrifice, released in 2007, after which he stepped away to focus on other projects. Yann (Yann Le Pennetier) assumed scripting duties from album 30, Moi, Jolan Emraclire, in 2008, while Rosiński continued providing artwork until album 35, Le Feu Écarlate, in 2015. Roman Surżenko then took over as primary artist beginning with album 36, Aniel, in 2017, maintaining the series' detailed, atmospheric visual style under Rosiński's supervision. To expand the Thorgal universe without disrupting the core narrative, the "Les Mondes de Thorgal" imprint was introduced in 2010 by Le Lombard, focusing on side stories and peripheral characters. This led to three primary spin-off lines launched between 2010 and 2013: Kriss de Valnor (scripted by Yves Sente and others, art by Giulio De Vita, starting November 2010), Louve (scripted by Yann, art by Adrien Floch and others, debuting in 2011), and La Jeunesse de Thorgal (scripted by Yann, art by Roman Surżenko, beginning in 2013). These series delve into backstories and parallel adventures, enriching the lore while preserving the mainline's focus on Thorgal himself. Recent developments highlight ongoing evolution, with album 42, Özurr le Varègue, released on November 8, 2024, scripted by Xavier Dorison and illustrated by Roman Surżenko, and album 43, La vengeance de la déesse Skædhi, released on November 7, 2025, scripted by Yann and illustrated by Frédéric Vignaux, marking a collaborative shift to broaden narrative scope. As of November 2025, plans are underway for a convergence of the spin-off lines back into the main series, aiming to integrate their threads into Thorgal's central storyline. Publication formats have also diversified, incorporating prestige editions—such as deluxe hardcover versions with additional artwork and black-and-white variants—and integrated graphic novel collections, alongside the standard albums. By 2025, the franchise across all lines exceeds 50 albums, underscoring its enduring expansion.

Artistic and Narrative Style

Grzegorz Rosiński's artwork in Thorgal is renowned for its hyper-realistic style, characterized by meticulous attention to anatomical detail and lifelike portrayals of characters that blend human vulnerability with heroic stature. His illustrations employ a watercolor-like shading technique, achieved through original and watercolor applications, which imparts a soft, luminous quality to skin tones and fabrics while allowing for dramatic contrasts in light and shadow. Detailed backgrounds further enhance this realism, integrating historically accurate Viking elements—such as longships, runestones, and landscapes—with fantastical motifs like ethereal gods or alien artifacts, creating an immersive world that grounds the supernatural in tangible environments. Dynamic action panels, often composed with cinematic framing and sweeping perspectives, propel the narrative forward, emphasizing motion and tension in battles or pursuits. The narrative structure of Thorgal, crafted primarily by , unfolds as an epic serialized saga comprising self-contained albums that collectively form a cohesive overarching storyline spanning generations. Each volume presents a discrete adventure—ranging from quests against mythical beasts to explorations of lost civilizations—while advancing the protagonist's personal arc through recurring themes of fate, family, and redemption. Van Hamme's storytelling merges rooted in early medieval with mythology and , portraying as deceptive gods and weaving in elements like prophetic visions or technological relics disguised as magic. This hybrid approach employs cinematic pacing, building suspense through cliffhangers at album ends and introducing moral ambiguity in character motivations, where heroes grapple with ethical dilemmas rather than simplistic triumphs. Influences on Thorgal draw heavily from Norse sagas, which inform the series' heroic quests and fatalistic undertones, as well as the legend of and broader mythological traditions that Van Hamme adapts into a postmodern framework. Rosiński's visual style echoes the Franco-Belgian comic tradition, incorporating detailed environmental storytelling inspired by Western European illustration, while Van Hamme's scripts reflect Arthurian echoes in themes of exiled knights and chivalric bonds. Over the series' evolution, early albums maintain a grounded realism focused on Viking life, but later volumes, following Rosiński's departure after the 29th installment and the involvement of new writers like Yves Sente, introduce subtle digital enhancements in coloring and shading to preserve the hyper-realistic core amid more experimental layouts. Unique elements distinguish Thorgal's aesthetic, including multilingual inscriptions on artifacts that evoke ancient or celestial scripts, reinforcing the narrative's layers of hidden knowledge. Symbolic motifs, such as recurring star patterns symbolizing Thorgal's extraterrestrial origins, recur across panels to subtly interconnect albums without overt exposition. Environmental further enriches this, with landscapes and serving as devices—fog-shrouded forests peril or starlit skies hinting at cosmic heritage—integrating visual symbolism into the saga's mythic .

Publication History

Original French-Language Editions

The Thorgal series originated with in the Belgian magazine Le Journal de Tintin from 1977 to 1987, before transitioning to standalone album publications starting in 1980. The publisher, Éditions Le Lombard—established in 1946 and part of the Dargaud-Lombard s.a. entity under Média-Participations since 1986—has handled all primary French-language releases. As of November 2025, the mainline series comprises 43 albums, with the 43rd volume, La Vengeance de la déesse Skædhi, released on November 7, 2025. Albums are typically issued in hardcover format, ranging from 48 to 56 pages, featuring full-color artwork in the standard edition priced around €13.95. Deluxe and prestige editions offer enhanced features, such as larger formats, black-and-white versions, limited print runs (e.g., 2,000 copies for grand format variants), and supplementary cahiers graphiques with sketches and annotations. Spin-off series, including Les Mondes de Thorgal (encompassing subseries like Kriss de Valnor, Louve, and La Jeunesse de Thorgal) and the Thorgal Saga project, have added over 30 volumes since their inception, expanding the universe with parallel narratives. Supplementary materials enrich the French ecosystem, including art books such as Grzegorz Rosiński's Artbook Thorgal (2017, 224 pages), which showcases sketches and development artwork. Short stories appeared in anthologies like Tintin magazine during early serialization, while the Thorgal Saga initiative from 2014 features homage one-shots by guest creators, often in limited editions with exclusive content. Distribution focuses on Belgium and France, with annual album releases tied to promotions at events like the Angoulême International Comics Festival, where the series has been highlighted for its cultural impact.

Mainline Series Albums

The mainline Thorgal series consists of 43 albums published by Le Lombard since 1980, forming the core narrative arc of the Viking hero's adventures. Created initially by writer and artist Grzegorz Rosiński, the series transitioned through multiple creative teams while maintaining its focus on heroic fantasy elements rooted in Scandinavian mythology. The albums are listed below in chronological order, with key publication details. Early volumes (1–29) were written by Van Hamme and drawn by Rosiński, establishing the series' signature style; volumes 30–32 continued under Van Hamme, while volumes 33–36 shifted to writer Yves Sente with Rosiński on art. From volume 37 onward, writer Yann collaborated with artist Fred Vignaux, marking a significant stylistic evolution.
AlbumFrench TitlePublication DateWriterArtist
1La Magicienne trahieJanuary 1980Grzegorz Rosiński
2L'Île des mers geléesSeptember 1980Grzegorz Rosiński
3Les Trois vieillards d'AranJanuary 1981Grzegorz Rosiński
4La Galère noireSeptember 1981Grzegorz Rosiński
5Au-delà des ombresJanuary 1982Grzegorz Rosiński
6La Chute de Brek ZarithSeptember 1982Grzegorz Rosiński
7L'Enfant des étoilesApril 1984Grzegorz Rosiński
8AlinoëOctober 1985Grzegorz Rosiński
9Les ArchersOctober 1985Grzegorz Rosiński
10Le Pays QâApril 1986Grzegorz Rosiński
11Les Yeux de TanatlocOctober 1986Grzegorz Rosiński
12La Cité du dieu perduApril 1987Grzegorz Rosiński
13Entre terre et lumièreOctober 1987Grzegorz Rosiński
14AariciaApril 1988Grzegorz Rosiński
15Le Maître des montagnesOctober 1988Grzegorz Rosiński
16LouveApril 1990Grzegorz Rosiński
17La Gardienne des clésOctober 1990Grzegorz Rosiński
18L'Épée-SoleilOctober 1991Grzegorz Rosiński
19La Forteresse invisibleOctober 1992Grzegorz Rosiński
20La Marque des bannisOctober 1993Grzegorz Rosiński
21La Couronne d'OgotaïOctober 1994Grzegorz Rosiński
22GéantsOctober 1995Grzegorz Rosiński
23La CageOctober 1996Grzegorz Rosiński
24ArachnéaOctober 1998Grzegorz Rosiński
25Le Mal bleuOctober 1999Grzegorz Rosiński
26Le Royaume sous le sableOctober 2001Grzegorz Rosiński
27Le BarbareOctober 2002Grzegorz Rosiński
28Kriss de ValnorOctober 2004Grzegorz Rosiński
29Le SacrificeOctober 2006Grzegorz Rosiński
30Moi, JolanOctober 2007Grzegorz Rosiński
31Le Bouclier de ThorOctober 2008Grzegorz Rosiński
32La Bataille d'AsgardOctober 2010Grzegorz Rosiński
33Le Bateau-sabreOctober 2011Yves SenteGrzegorz Rosiński
34Kah-AnielOctober 2013Yves SenteGrzegorz Rosiński
35Le Feu écarlateOctober 2016Yves SenteGrzegorz Rosiński
36AnielNovember 2018Yves SenteGrzegorz Rosiński
37L'Ermite de SkellingarNovember 2019YannFred Vignaux
38La SelkieNovember 2020YannFred Vignaux
39NékoraNovember 2021YannFred Vignaux
40TupilaksNovember 2022YannFred Vignaux
41Mille yeuxNovember 2023YannFred Vignaux
42Özurr le VarègueNovember 2024YannFred Vignaux
43La Vengeance de la déesse SkædhiNovember 2025YannFred Vignaux
Rosiński's departure after volume 36 was influenced by health challenges, leading to a brief production gap before Vignaux assumed artistic duties; this transition, announced in 2018, allowed the series to continue without interruption beyond the typical annual release cycle. Le Lombard has issued various collected editions of the mainline series, including the Intégrale Thorgal sets that compile three albums per volume in color (e.g., volumes 1–10 covering albums 1–30) and black-and-white prestige editions for artistic appreciation. Additional formats include luxury hardcover reprints and limited collector's sets, such as 15-volume intégrales reprinting the early Hamme/Rosiński run. These editions facilitate access to the complete series without plot spoilers, emphasizing bibliographic completeness.

Spin-Off Series

The spin-off series under the "Les Mondes de Thorgal" banner expand the universe of the main Thorgal series by exploring parallel stories and prequels, all published by Le Lombard. These series maintain the Viking-era fantasy setting while delving into supporting characters and Thorgal's early life, with varying creative teams contributing to the ongoing narrative arcs. Kriss de Valnor, launched in 2010, focuses on the backstory and independent adventures of the ambitious Viking warrior Kriss de Valnor, a recurring from the main series, as she navigates power struggles, betrayals, and mythical encounters in the Northlands. Written primarily by Yves Sente for the early volumes, with later scripts by Mathieu Mariolle, the artwork shifted from Giulio De Vita for the first five albums to Roman Surzhenko for volumes six through eight. By 2025, the series comprises eight volumes, concluding with Le Maître de justice in 2019, though reprints and collections continue to appear. Louve, initiated in 2011, centers on the supernatural abilities and perilous journeys of Thorgal's daughter Louve, who possesses a unique gift for communicating with animals, leading her into conflicts involving Norse gods, mythical beasts, and tribal wars. The series is scripted by Yann (pen name of Yves Pennac), with illustrations by Roman Surzhenko throughout its run. As of 2025, it includes seven volumes, ending with Nidhogg in 2017, and integrates elements that occasionally intersect with the main storyline's family dynamics. La Jeunesse de Thorgal, a series starting in 2013, chronicles the formative years of a teenage Thorgal from ages 15 to 20, highlighting his initiations, battles against Viking clans, and encounters with ancient mysteries that shape his destiny. Penned by Yann and drawn mainly by Roman Surzhenko, with contributions from other artists in later volumes, it spans eleven albums, finalized with Grym in 2023. This series provides backstory context for Thorgal's character without directly advancing the primary plot. Additional spin-offs include the Thorgal Saga, a collection of standalone one-shots launched in 2023 that pay homage to the original series through self-contained tales set within its universe, often revisiting themes of fate and mythology with guest creators. Featuring diverse artists such as Robin Recht and writers like Olivier Legrand, it has produced five volumes as of late 2025, including La Cité Mouvante (September 2025). These homages are designed for eventual convergence with the main series' ongoing arcs. Other artists, including Julien Hilly, have contributed to select volumes across the spin-offs, enhancing the visual continuity with the core Thorgal aesthetic.

Collected and Supplementary Publications

The Thorgal series has been compiled into several integral collections by publisher Le Lombard, with the "Intégrale Thorgal N/B" series offering black-and-white editions in large-format tomes to highlight Grzegorz Rosiński's detailed artwork. Each tome aggregates multiple albums, such as the first volume containing the initial three stories, while later volumes continue the sequence through the mainline saga. Hachette Collections has also issued a reprint series that systematically gathers the albums, making the full narrative accessible in sequential volumes. Behind-the-scenes materials include artbooks by Rosiński, such as the 2017 "Artbook Thorgal," which compiles sketches, character designs, and illustrations from across the series to provide insight into his creative process. Interviews with co-creator appear in select intégrale editions, where he discusses the development of Thorgal's mythological world and narrative arcs. The original stories debuted as serialized installments in the French-language Tintin magazine beginning in 1977, with episodes building the foundational Viking epic before album compilation. Supplementary print items encompass annual calendars and posters tied to the series; for example, large-format A2 wall calendars feature monthly panels of classic covers, while limited-edition offset posters reproduce key artwork like that from "L'Enfant des étoiles." Recent deluxe publications include the 2024 edition of album 42, "Özurr le Varègue," rendered in black and white at 295 x 365 mm with a beige cloth spine, augmented by a signed color ex-libris by Fred Vignaux for added collectible value. The homage series "," initiated in 2023, extends the universe through new tales by guest creators, with volumes like "La cité mouvante" offered in prestige formats including exclusive graphic booklets on production details.

International Releases

English-Language Editions

The English-language editions of Thorgal were first introduced in the 1980s by Donning Company Publishers in the United States, which released three incomplete volumes: Child of the Stars (1986), The Archers (1987), and The Land of Qâ (1988). These early translations were hardcover editions but did not continue beyond the initial albums due to limited commercial success. Cinebook Ltd, a UK-based publisher specializing in European , began a comprehensive of the main Thorgal series in 2007, starting with the double volume The Betrayed Sorceress (retroactively numbered as volume 0, combining the first two French albums) and followed by Child of the Stars (volume 1). As of November 2025, Cinebook had released 27 volumes of the main series in softcover format (volumes 0 through 26), with the latest being Kah-Aniel (volume 26), released in September 2025; volume 27 The Scarlet Fire was released in June 2021. These editions maintain the original artwork by Grzegorz Rosiński and scripts by and later writers, presented in full color with 48 pages per volume, priced around £7–£14. Cinebook has also translated select spin-off series under the "World of Thorgal" umbrella. The Kriss de Valnor series, focusing on the character Kriss, began in English in 2021 with I Forget Nothing! (volume 1), reaching at least 5 volumes by 2025, including The Valkyries' Judgement (volume 2). The Louve (translated as Wolf) spin-off, centered on Thorgal's daughter, started in 2018 and includes at least 8 volumes by 2025, such as The Voice of the Stars (volume 1). Additionally, The World of Thorgal: The Early Years (also known as Youth), exploring prequels to the main story, commenced in 2019 with The Three Minkelsönn Sisters (volume 1) and has reached 6 volumes by 2025. In , Lion Comics has published partial English editions of Thorgal volumes since the , adapting select albums like Oru Azhagiya Agathi alongside their primary Tamil releases, though coverage remains incomplete compared to Cinebook's full catalog. Cinebook's ongoing releases, including collected editions and digital formats, have made the series more accessible, with spin-off translations occasionally delayed to prioritize mainline volumes amid growing popularity in English-speaking markets.

Releases in Other Languages

Thorgal has been translated into over 20 languages, achieving widespread international distribution beyond its original French and English editions. In , the birthplace of illustrator Grzegorz Rosiński, the series gained early popularity with the first hardcover volume published in 1988 by Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, followed by comprehensive releases from Egmont covering the full mainline series and spin-offs such as Thorgal Saga and The Youth of Thorgal since the . Major European markets include , where Carlsen Comics has issued the complete series in translation since the late . In , Norma handles publications, offering mainline albums, integrals, and spin-offs like Kriss de Valnor in Spanish. The Dutch editions are published by Le Lombard, providing access to the core storyline and related series in the and . Notable early expansions occurred in Scandinavian countries, with the first Danish album released in 1982 by Carlsen, marking one of the initial non-French translations and adapting the narrative for local audiences through reordered volumes. Digital platforms have further broadened availability, with services like Izneo offering Thorgal volumes in multiple languages including German, Spanish, and Dutch since the . While the mainline series enjoys broad coverage, some spin-offs remain untranslated in smaller markets as of 2025, limiting access in regions like certain Eastern European or Asian countries.

Characters

Main Characters

Thorgal Aegirsson is the titular protagonist of the series, a foundling discovered by adrift in a metallic during a storm and adopted by the chief Haraldson, who named him after the gods Thor and Aegir. In truth, he is of Atlantean descent, the son of interstellar travelers Haynée and Varth, who were abandoned on by their people in pursuit of energy sources, and the grandson of Xargos, a leader who suppressed his innate powers and memories. Raised among , Thorgal becomes an exceptional archer and skilled warrior, yet he harbors pacifist inclinations, preferring a life on the margins of society over conquest, and possesses a mystical talisman that aids him in perilous quests. His arc evolves from a solitary adventurer confronting gods, monsters, and his cosmic heritage to a devoted family man, married to Aaricia and father to Jolan, Louve, and the adopted Aniel, often torn between the call of destiny and the desire for peace with his loved ones. Aaricia serves as Thorgal's steadfast wife and the emotional anchor of the family, born as the daughter of Gandalf-le-fou, the Viking chief of the Northlands, and marked at birth by the with tear-shaped pearls symbolizing her destined trials. Orphaned of her mother early and raised with scant affection from her father, she falls in love with Thorgal in childhood and willingly forsakes her noble status and people to follow him into exile and hardship. Portrayed as dreamy yet fiercely determined, courageous, and proud in her Viking heritage, Aaricia demonstrates resourcefulness and magical intuition, such as aiding the Asgardian Vigrid during captivity. Throughout the series, her role centers on protecting their children amid enslavements, betrayals, and separations, evolving from a sheltered princess to a resilient matriarch who embodies unwavering familial loyalty despite the perils drawn by Thorgal's fate. Kriss de Valnor emerges as a complex anti-heroine and recurring rival to Thorgal, an ambitious red-haired warrior raised in the harsh environment of Welgrund by her mother Olgave under the tyranny of the brute Ferkel, with her absent father Kahaniel de Valnor revealed as a mage and . Orphaned at age 12 following her mother's , she escapes captivity by slaying her oppressors, forging a path as a remorseless adventurer driven by desires for freedom, fortune, and power. Exceptionally skilled in , , and manipulation, Kriss is seductive, dangerous, and strategically cunning, blending cold amorality with rare glimpses of vulnerability and compassion. Her arc spans over 20 appearances in the main series and eight in her dedicated spin-off, oscillating between antagonism and uneasy alliance with Thorgal— including bearing his son Aniel—while her intricate backstory explores themes of survival and unfulfilled ambition, making her a pivotal force in disrupting and shaping the Aegirsson family's journeys. Louve, the youngest daughter of Thorgal and Aaricia, represents the next generation's mystical legacy, born dramatically in a wolf's den as her mother fled the tyrant Wor-le-magnifique, and later raised in a Viking village before familial exile due to Thorgal's past as the infamous Shaïgan-sans-merci. Endowed with the extraordinary ability to communicate telepathically with animals—forming bonds with wolves, birds, and others—she later acquires a feral enhancement through a pact, boosting her physical strength and endurance. Brave, empathetic, and resourceful, yet often isolated by her peers for her "unnatural" gifts, Louve grapples with her wild instincts and family dynamics as she matures. Central to her own spin-off series, her role involves aiding the family's survival in crises, such as rescuing companions or confronting threats like the sorceress Arachnéa, while her arc traces a path from vulnerable child to empowered young woman navigating her dual human-animal heritage. Jolan, the eldest son of Thorgal and Aaricia, inherits his parents' courage and resolve alongside potent abilities from his star-born lineage, born in the tyrannical city of Brek Zarith amid his mother's kidnapping and his father's absence, and later enduring enslavement and banishment with his family. His powers include atomic manipulation, , and prophetic insights, amplified by artifacts like a time-traveling staff and of Ogotaï, with training in from mentors such as Argun and development of and prowess. Curious and adventurous, yet marked by solitude, manipulation by figures like the mage Manthor, and a yearning for paternal guidance, Jolan evolves from a prophesied burdened by isolation to a formidable leader. In the series, he becomes known as "Hurukan" and later "King Healer," uniting Viking clans against invaders like , and his arc underscores the tension between embracing his extraordinary destiny and reclaiming a place within his fractured family.

Supporting and Recurring Characters

Supporting characters in the Thorgal series encompass a range of allies, antagonists, and mythical figures that provide contrast to the protagonist's struggles, often driving conflicts rooted in Viking society, personal loyalties, and forces. These characters frequently recur across albums, influencing Thorgal's quests for and family while highlighting themes of betrayal, redemption, and the clash between mortal and divine realms. Key allies include Leif Haraldson, the Viking king who discovers the infant Thorgal in a mysterious capsule and adopts him, raising him within the tribe despite his outsider status; Leif's natural death marks an early turning point, leaving Thorgal vulnerable to clan rivalries. Other recurring supporters from early Viking tales, such as the aged warriors who aid Thorgal during exiles, underscore his bonds with the community he was raised in. Mentors like Manthor, a half-god Viking figure introduced later, play pivotal roles by healing Thorgal from mortal wounds and guiding his son Jolan in magical arts, fulfilling a debt-bound alliance that spans multiple arcs. Companions such as the dwarf Tjazi and the storyteller Argun Treefoot (also known as Treefoot) return in several adventures, offering practical aid and comic relief while repaying past favors to Thorgal. Antagonists often embody tyrannical ambition or otherworldly malice, with Viking warlords like —son of the clan's leader and brother to Thorgal's wife—representing familial and tribal opposition through his aggressive pursuit of power, culminating in his dramatic death by trained eagles that intensifies clan divisions. The Master of the Keys, or Guardian of the Keys, emerges as a recurring magical adversary, an immortal sorceress ruling the Second World via her enchanted belt; she manipulates Thorgal through illusions and possessions, linking to broader mystical threats and betraying allies like the dwarf Volsung, whom she curses into form. Nidhogg, the dragon-like "Eater of the Dead" dwelling at Yggdrasil's roots, serves as a formidable godly foe, allying with dark forces to challenge Thorgal in confrontations and symbolizing inescapable fate. Mythical entities like the Norse gods and appear recurrently as enigmatic influencers, intervening in mortal affairs through prophecies, tricks, or divine judgments that test Thorgal's heritage and moral choices. In spin-off series such as The Youth of Thorgal, young Thorgal encounters exclusive companions like fellow skalds and outcasts, whose brief alliances explore his formative years without overlapping mainline narratives. Permanent losses among these figures, including Haraldson's passing and the violent ends of warlords like the Mad—who scars Thorgal and exiles him before his own demise—profoundly shape Thorgal's motivations, fueling his drive to protect his family amid recurring betrayals.

Plot and Themes

Fictional Biography and Plot Overview

Thorgal Aegirsson's story begins in infancy, when he is discovered as a newborn amid the wreckage of a mysterious spacecraft that crashes during a violent storm encountered by a Viking expedition led by Leif Haraldson. The Vikings, interpreting the event as a divine sign, name the child Thorgal after the gods Thor and Aegir, and raise him in their Northland village, where he grows into an exceptional archer and warrior despite his aversion to unnecessary violence and strong moral compass. As a young man, Thorgal falls in love with Aaricia, the daughter of the village chief Gandalf the Mad, leading to early adventures including perilous quests to win her hand, confrontations with treacherous sorceresses, and encounters with Norse gods that test his fate and force him into exile from his adopted home. These initial trials, spanning his adolescence and early adulthood, culminate in his marriage to Aaricia and their departure from the Viking life in search of peace. In the middle arcs of his life, Thorgal and Aaricia establish a family, welcoming their son Jolan and later daughter Louve, while repeatedly drawn into epic quests that disrupt their hard-won tranquility. They face exiles from Viking communities, voyages to mystical islands inhabited by ancient beings, and battles against tyrannical rulers in distant lands like the city-state of Brek Zarith and the opulent courts of . Supernatural elements intensify, including resurrections orchestrated by enigmatic mages and confrontations with god-like entities from Thorgal's extraterrestrial heritage, as the family navigates curses, sea voyages fraught with mythical creatures, and alliances formed under duress to protect their loved ones. Throughout these ordeals, Thorgal's unyielding commitment to justice and family drives him to overcome personal losses and betrayals, forging a legacy of resilience amid constant peril. As Thorgal enters later maturity, the narrative shifts toward themes of legacy and generational transition, with the hero showing signs of aging while grappling with inescapable destinies tied to his origins. Jolan, now a young man with emerging mystical abilities, asserts his independence by embarking on solitary journeys and apprenticeships under powerful figures, often pulling the into conflicts involving ancient prophecies and interstellar remnants. Thorgal and Aaricia contend with renewed threats to their village haven, including incursions from external forces and echoes of past adversaries, as their children navigate their own paths fraught with danger and self-discovery. The series incorporates non-linear storytelling through flashbacks to Thorgal's formative years, providing context for ongoing struggles, while recent installments subtly weave in connections to parallel sagas. In the 2024 volume Özurr le Varègue, a Varangian warrior's arrival at the village introduces new maritime threats, compelling the aging Thorgal to rally his against and sorcery once more. In the 2025 volume La vengeance de la déesse Skædhi, Thorgal and Boréale are captured by forces aligned with his Aniel and imprisoned amid palace intrigues, where a captain plots to overthrow young Valnor, forcing Thorgal to attempt an escape while Aniel becomes entangled in schemes of betrayal and poison.

Mythological and Thematic Elements

The Thorgal series intricately blends elements of with origins rooted in the legend of , portraying the gods as flawed, anthropomorphic beings rather than infallible deities. Characters such as , Thor, Aegir, and Freya appear as manipulative figures driven by personal agendas, intervening in human affairs through artifacts like Freya's rings or prophecies of , which serve as plot catalysts but are ultimately subverted by the protagonist's actions. This hybridization draws from the Belgian cultural fascination with the mythe nordique, adapting Icelandic sagas into a serial comic format that mixes epic heroism with modern skepticism toward divine authority. Central themes revolve around the tension between free will and prophecy, as Thorgal, an "anti-mythological hero," repeatedly rejects predestined roles imposed by the gods, such as his marked fate as a chosen warrior, opting instead for a life of personal choice and family stability. The cost of heroism is depicted through his endless trials, where victories come at the expense of peace, underscoring the burdens of exceptional abilities in a chaotic world. Family serves as an emotional anchor amid these upheavals, with Thorgal's bonds to Aaricia and their children grounding his quests and highlighting themes of resilience and domestic harmony against external conquests. Symbolism permeates the narrative, with stars and eyes representing Thorgal's otherworldly Atlantean heritage as a survivor from a crashed , symbolizing lost knowledge and alien intervention in earthly affairs. Wolves evoke the primal, protective heritage of his daughter Louve, who inherits mystical wolf-like traits in spin-off stories, while Thorgal's arrows embody precision, , and his unyielding moral compass in resolving conflicts non-violently when possible. The series evolves from early albums emphasizing mythological purity and Viking adventures to later volumes delving into philosophical depth, exploring identity fluidity and the erosion of heroic archetypes in a postmodern context. Spin-offs like Kriss de Valnor expand on gender roles through the complex portrayal of a ruthless yet vulnerable antagonist, while Louve focuses on youthful coming-of-age amid supernatural heritage, broadening the thematic scope. This pioneering fusion of fantasy subgenres—Norse epic, Atlantean sci-fi, and introspective drama—has influenced the Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées tradition by establishing a model for serialized, genre-blending narratives that prioritize character-driven exploration over formulaic quests.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Reception

Upon its debut in the late and through the , Thorgal garnered acclaim for its blend of Viking adventure, mythological elements, and intricate storytelling, with particular praise directed at Jean van Hamme's scripts and Grzegorz Rosiński's detailed artwork. The series received the Prix Saint-Michel for Best Comic in 1983, recognizing its narrative depth and visual innovation in the Franco-Belgian tradition. Rosiński's contributions were further honored with the Audience Award at the in 1989 for his work on the related album Le Grand Pouvoir du Chninkel, highlighting his ability to fuse realism with fantastical scenes. Critics often lauded the early volumes for their epic scope, drawing comparisons to the adventurous spirit of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories due to Thorgal's warrior archetype and perilous quests. The series has maintained strong , with individual volumes frequently earning ratings above 4 out of 5 stars on platforms like , reflecting appreciation for its character development and thematic richness across more than 40 albums. However, reviews of later installments, particularly after van Hamme's departure in , have occasionally critiqued the pacing, noting a shift toward more convoluted plots and less tight progression compared to the original run. Despite these observations, the artwork remains a consistent highlight, with Rosiński's style praised for its atmospheric detail even in volumes illustrated by successors. Publications like Hollywood Metal have described Thorgal as an "excellent story" anchored by "full-fledged mythology," underscoring its rewarding complexity for readers. Commercially, Thorgal has been a enduring success in the French-language market, selling over 17 million copies worldwide by 2023 and over 20 million as of 2025, with approximately 200,000 albums moved annually. This figure includes translations into more than 20 languages, cementing its status as one of Europe's bestselling series. The 2024 album Özürr le Varègue has received positive feedback for its fluid storytelling and return to core themes, earning high user ratings around 4.6 stars on Amazon and praise for balancing multiple intrigues within its 48 pages. Spin-off series like Louve have further enhanced the franchise's appeal, contributing to sustained popularity and nominations in recent awards.

Cultural Significance and Influence

Thorgal has significantly elevated the status of adult-oriented fantasy within the Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées (BD) tradition, blending , , and adventure in a way that expanded the genre's narrative depth and visual sophistication. By introducing complex themes of identity, destiny, and familial bonds amid epic quests, the series influenced subsequent European comic works, inspiring spin-off series within its own universe and contributing to the maturation of fantasy storytelling in BD. The series has fostered a dedicated fandom and community, particularly through exhibitions, , and conventions that highlight its role in Polish-Belgian cultural exchange. Retrospective exhibitions, such as the 2024 display of over 400 works by artist Grzegorz Rosiński at Warsaw's —supported by Belgian and Swiss embassies—underscore this cross-cultural collaboration between Belgian writer and Polish illustrator Rosiński. In , where Thorgal popularized the BD genre, fan communities engage via online groups and artistic tributes, while broader European comic conventions often feature Thorgal panels and , reflecting its enduring appeal among enthusiasts. As icons of the BD world, Van Hamme and Rosiński's partnership on Thorgal established a benchmark for international collaboration, with the series demonstrating remarkable endurance even after the creators' semi-retirement; new volumes continue under successor teams, maintaining its mythological . This legacy is evident in academic analyses that examine Thorgal's reshaping of Scandinavian sagas into a serialized, anti-mythological narrative, as well as its structural complexity through network analysis of character interactions across volumes. Thorgal's global reach stems from its translations into more than 20 languages, including non-European ones like Tamil, introducing BD aesthetics and Viking-inspired eco-mythological themes—such as and —to diverse audiences beyond . These translations have facilitated cultural , with studies highlighting techniques that preserve the series' mythological resonance in new contexts. In 2025, the series maintains ongoing relevance through the release of tome 43 in November 2025, a Paris retrospective exhibition of Rosiński's work from April to May 2025, and a forthcoming action-adventure RPG by Mighty Koi Studio, alongside scholarly explorations of mythology in comics.

Adaptations and Media

Video Games

The first official adaptation of the Thorgal comic series was Curse of Atlantis: Thorgal's Quest, a point-and-click adventure game developed by Cryo Interactive Entertainment and published by The Adventure Company in 2002 for Microsoft Windows. In the game, players control Thorgal Aegirsson as he navigates through Norse mythological settings and time-travel elements to avert a threatening his family, featuring puzzle-solving, exploration, and interactions with characters from the comics. The title emphasized atmospheric 3D environments and cinematic storytelling, blending Viking lore with undertones drawn from the source material. Reception for Curse of Atlantis was mixed, with critics praising its immersive visuals and narrative fidelity to the but criticizing its short length—often completable in under five hours—and occasional puzzle design flaws. It holds an aggregate score of 59/100 on based on six reviews, reflecting a middling response in the genre at the time. The game remains available digitally through platforms like , where user feedback highlights its nostalgic appeal for fans of classic point-and-click adventures. An earlier attempt at a Thorgal adaptation, titled Thorgal: Odin's Curse, was announced for the around 2002 but was ultimately cancelled during development, with no further details on gameplay or reasons for cancellation publicly disclosed. In March 2024, Polish studio Mighty Koi announced a new simply titled Thorgal, set for release on PC via , , and Xbox Series X/S, with a planned launch in 2025. This RPG-infused title focuses on exploration and combat in the early arcs of the Thorgal universe, with Thorgal employing , melee weapons, and mythological abilities against human and divine foes, while striving to replicate the ' distinctive art style through detailed Viking-era landscapes. Developed in collaboration with series co-creator Grzegorz Rosiński, it aims to deliver a faithful adaptation emphasizing narrative depth and player agency. As of November 2025, the game remains in development and is scheduled for release in 2025, with no specific release date confirmed.

Other Adaptations

In addition to video games, the Thorgal series has seen adaptations in theater, animated media, and proposed live-action projects, alongside exhibitions celebrating its artwork and legacy. A notable stage production was the 2018 musical comedy Arachnéa, adapted from the comic album of the same name, which premiered at the Belgian festival L'Enfant des étoiles to mark the event's 20th anniversary. This production featured singers, narrators, and dancers portraying key scenes involving Thorgal's encounters with mythical creatures and moral dilemmas, emphasizing the series' blend of fantasy and . Animated adaptations include the 2005 short film Thorgal: Entre les Faux Dieux, directed by Sébastien Rost and based on elements from the early albums, which explores Thorgal's adventures among deceptive deities through by talents like Thierry Kazazian and Dorothée Pousséo. This video production, lasting approximately 26 minutes, served as a pilot-like showcase for the character's potential in motion, highlighting the visual style of Grzegorz Rosiński's illustrations in a fantastical . Live-action projects remain in development limbo. In 2018, German director , known for , announced plans to adapt Thorgal into a high-budget TV series described as evoking the epic scope of , focusing on the Viking hero's origins and quests; however, no production updates have materialized as of 2025. Merchandise expansions encompass limited sets featuring character illustrations and lore snippets for collectors. Official animated shorts have appeared on in the 2020s, including fan-supported but licensed clips recapping iconic battles, produced by European studios to engage younger audiences digitally. Exhibitions have highlighted Thorgal's artistic impact, such as the 2015 "The Universe of Thorgal" show at the in , displaying original Rosiński drawings, storyboards, and props from over 35 albums to illustrate the series' evolution from Viking saga to sci-fi epic. Annual features at the since the have included Thorgal panels, signings, and thematic installations, reinforcing its status in Franco-Belgian comics .

References

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