Collects the complete Slaine heroic fantasy saga of prehistoric Britain and Eire (before the flood) scripted by Pat Mills, in order, in multiple large-format volumes!
The 2000 AD Definitive Editions are available in two versions: in paperback (available everywhere) or in gorgeous WEBSHOP EXCLUSIVE limited-edition embossed HARDBACK (only available from shop.2000ad.com).
Inside this magnificent tome you will find the following stories:
THE TIME MONSTER (art: Angela Kincaid. In the realm of the Drune Lords (evil Priest-Kings of the Southern tribes), Slaine mac Roth (a Celtic berserker, a warped warrior of the Sessair tribe, named after Slaine mac Dela, an homage to Cu Chulainn and the fire axe wielded actor Jack Nicholson) and Ukko (a Karelian dwarf, named after the thunder god in Finnish mythology) commit a sacrilege by killing a time-displaced Tyrannosaur (a reference to Flesh by Pat Mills & Boix), they take its heart to Fand in Gabala (inspired by Bluegate Fields in 1872 by Gustave Doré). Skull-Swords (soldiers of the Drunes brandishing the triskele symbol of the three-legged Guledig) fail to arrest our subversive heroes.)
THE BEAST IN THE BROCH - part 1 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine thinks of northern Tir-nan-Og (the Land of the Young, remnants of the Atlantis continent) and his ladylove (Niamh, an homage to Deirdre of the Sorrows)... the bride of King Grudnew (the cuckold who killed Slaine's mother). Ukko buys a prison tower and Nudd the Servant from Scenb the Jailer.)
THE BEAST IN THE BROCH - part 2 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine and Bodb of the Black Axe (followers of Lug the Sun God & Danu) recall The Battle of Dun Barc where they fought the Fir Bolg (followers of Crom-Cruach (the Irish Worm God, Lord of the Mounds) & Carnun (Cernunnos The Horned God, Lord of the Beasts)) where a warp-spasm/ríastrad seized Slaine and transformed him into a hulking creature. "The Beast" apparently has sucked the souls of the prisoners (including Brega the Bloodspiller and Bodb)!)
THE BEAST IN THE BROCH - part 3 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. In the dungeon, Slaine finds Blathnaid the Thief (a 15-times bride-wealth scammer always assisted by Snorri the Sly) who has been taken over by a serpent from Hel.)
THE BEAST IN THE BROCH - part 4 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine kills the serpent. A vengeful mob appears, Slaine and Ukko flee. Slaine recalls exposing Gobhan Mac Tadg as a fraud and proving himself worthy of the Sessair Red Branch (from the Ulster Cycle).)
WARRIOR'S DAWN (art: Mick McMahon. Flashback! Slaine is taught how to use the Tathlum (brain balls flail) and the Gae Bolga (barbed spear), his rival (Cullen of the Wide Mouth, son of Conn of a Hundred Battles (not Conn Cetchathach)) tries to kill him. Slaine has his first warp-spasm, he kills Cullen... then Conn... and later seven of Conn's kin. Cathbad the chief druid (an homage to Conchobar mac Nessa) brings Slaine to the great cairn, Slaine survives his Red Branch initiation.)
THE BELTAIN GIANT (art: Mick McMahon. Flashback! The May Day festival in Albion (Great Britain), to make some money, filled with shame, a warped Slaine lifts a horse off the ground with his thighs. Urien (a rich man) wants Slaine to kidnap his daughter (Medb, a Druness, a warrior princess of the Badb, an homage to Queen Maev) who is to be sacrificed in Drunemeton (Drynemetum, a sacred grove).)
THE BRIDE OF CROM - part 1 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Flashback! Skull-Swords take Medb to The Lord Weird... Slough Feg (arch-drune/sorcerer, father of Slough Thruc)'s Cave of Beasts (a temple of magic based on the Cave of the Trois-Frères). Feg decides to make Medb a Druness.)
THE BRIDE OF CROM - part 2 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. In the forest fortress of the Badb, Nemon tells Medb that it's time to go to the Wicker Man and lie in its head. Slaine kills twenty Skull-Swords. Slaine and Ukko get captured and thrown into the Wicker Man. Belardinelli appears top right in the Wicker Man on page 67.)
THE BRIDE OF CROM - part 3 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Inside the Wicker Man Slaine spots Blind Bran, Tamun the Stump, Senoll the Scavenger... and Roth Bellyshaker (Slaine's father). Flashback! Roth and his wife fight Fomorian Sea Devils (from Tory Island). Roth's boasting gets his wife (Macha, Slaine's mother, an homage to Cruinniuc's wife) killed in a chariot race.)
THE BRIDE OF CROM - part 4 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine and the prisoners populating the Wicker Man escape and take on the Drunes and the warrior-witches of the Badb (Fea the Hateful, Nemon the Venomous and Catha the Fury). Belardinelli appears bottom left in the Wicker Man on page 79.)
THE BRIDE OF CROM - part 5 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Trapped atop of the burning Wicker Man, Slaine warps-out and grabs Medb. Slough Feg raises the Half-Dead to stop the warped one. Tamun, Senoll and Roth die. Belardinelli appears bottom right in the swamp on page 85.)
THE BRIDE OF CROM - part 6 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Still a monstrous berserker, Slaine annihilates most of the Half-Dead, Slaine takes a cold shower to uncoil his warped body. Urien arrives. Medb, who wanted very much to be sacrificed... kills her father.)
THE CREEPING DEATH (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Infected by the bites of the Half-Dead, Slaine's wounds are festering, he's turning into the Half-Dead. Ukko heals Slaine and outwits Urien/Medb's guards.)
THE BULL DANCE (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Medb is back in Drunemeton. Slough Feg sends Slough Throt (Drune Lord) after Slaine. Warrior-Priestesses are taught to leap over bulls. Slough Feg wants Medb to marry a Barbarian King of the Northern tribes to create dissent and to have a spy among the tribes of Danu the Earth Goddess: the tribe of the Growling Shields, the tribe of the Shadows, the Sessair.)
HERO'S BLOOD - part 1 (art: Mick McMahon. Ukko has been secretly selling Slaine's blood to Domnall the Weaponsmith (a dwarf who worked for The last Titans of Albion). Slaine discovers that Domnall has been imprisoning warriors and bleeding them dry to quench his steel weapons.)
HERO'S BLOOD - part 2 (art: Mick McMahon. Domnall wants to use Slaine's blood to create a new Sword of the Titans (War-Flame). Blind Bran frees Slaine and Ukko from their prison. Skurge the Brainsplasher gets mentioned.)
HERO'S BLOOD - part 3 (art: Mick McMahon. Domnall tries to plunge War-Flame into Slaine, Slaine kills Domnall. Slaine and Ukko meet Ordulph of the Big Grip who mentions that the Drunes are aligning weirdstones (magical megaliths) at Carnac to generate spiral energy that is then sent to the Grand Menhir of Er Grah.)
THE SHOGGEY BEAST - part 1 (art: Mick McMahon. A Shoggey (a werewolf) attacks the slaves of Ordulph, Ordulph flees, Slaine chops off the left hand of the Shoggey. Ukko decides to keep the slaves.)
THE SHOGGEY BEAST - part 2 (art: Mick McMahon. Slough Throt and his Skull-Swords are almost upon our heroes. Gort the Gambler wins his freedom AND Ukko in dice games, Slaine wins back Ukko in a spear throwing game. Slaine frees the slaves.)
THE SHOGGEY BEAST - part 3 (art: Mick McMahon. Slaine and Ukko spend the night at the house of Medrawd the Quiet One, Medrawd turns into a Shoggey.)
THE SHOGGEY BEAST - part 4 (art: Mick McMahon. Slaine kills Medrawd and unchains Medrawd's mother.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 1 (art: Mick McMahon. Slaine bids adieu to Sabra, Ukko says goodbye to Tangwen, Cassir, Midir, Goneril, Gormlaith & Fay. Madog Stag-Shanks is the new headman (Morgant Greybeard has just passed away) of the village of Gavra. The sheep of Caw Sheaf-Hair (son of Madog) are dying and the crops are failing. Slaine offers his mammoth to the starving people of Gavra.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 2 (art: Mick McMahon. Madog mentions an upcoming Ragnorak (a great flood courtesy of the Drunes). Slough Throt orders his Skull-Swords to kill Caw. Skull-Swords kill Madog and his kin, a semi-warped Slaine crushes Skull-Swords with a table (an homage to Orlando Furioso: Canto XIII).)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 3 (art: Mick McMahon. Having other plans for Slaine, Slough Throt orders Slaine and Ukko to be captured, the Drune Lord needs a Battle-Smiter (a bodyguard), Slaine grudgingly agrees, they reach a dolmen that makes earth powered Cloud Currachs (Irish boats) levitate.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 4 (art: Mick McMahon. Flying over Lyonesse (the Isles of Scilly). Slaine goes into the cargo hold and finds old mercenary comrades that are now Half-Dead: Killer Styr, Sharvan the Surly and Bres Bloodspear. Slough Throt deals with an assassin by summoning crows (an homage to Orlando Furioso: Canto XXXII). Throt comes clean to Slaine and Ukko, Throt is disobeying Slough Feg.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 5 (art: Mick McMahon. Three Norse Skyblades (full of Norsemen from Midgard, followers of Lord Voden (god of rivers)) attack the Curragh.
1st Skyblade with Thorgrim Ironjaw, Hadric Hissing Blade & Bork the Brutal.
2nd Skyblade with Hengist the Strong but Stingy, Ralf Razoraxe & Hogni the Not-Normal.
3rd Skyblade with Skuld the Demented, Eirik Chiselspear & Herg the Hard.
Slaine kills Hadric.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 6 (art: Mick McMahon. To make it crash, Slaine dumps the Half-Dead of the merchant onto the 3rd Skyblade. Thorgrim and his men board the Curragh, Slaine terminates Thorgrim.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 7 (art: Mick McMahon. Slaine and Ukko kill the boarders, Ukko saves Slaine's life. To destroy the pursuing Skyblades, Slough Throt makes the nearby Mor-Alltach volcano erupt.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 8 (art: Mick McMahon. The Curragh crashes in the forest, Slaine, Ukko, the merchant and Slough Throt are the only survivors. SLOUGH FEG calls upon The Horned God to send beasts after Throt, Slaine saves Throt from a boar. Throt draws a mystic circle on the ground. The denizens of the forest gather around the circle.)
SKY CHARIOTS - part 9 (art: Mick McMahon. The traitorous Slough Throt wants to bring Slough Feg's secret plans for the Ragnorak (Ragnarok, the Day of Doom i.e. moving the glaciers to create the flood) to the Arch-Druids at Glastonbury (where major ley lines intersect). The merchant reaches outside the circle and gets eaten by the animals. Slough Feg calls upon Crom-Cruach... worms devour Throt AND the plans.)
DRAGONHEIST - part 1 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Silver Forest, Coed Arian, Cambria/Wales. A wild Red Dragon (The Mata, an homage to Y Ddraig Goch) sees (using thermal imaging vision, an homage to The Visible Man by Pat Mills & Carlos Trigo) and devours Gwawl the Youngest. In a Stagecoach (an homage to the 1939 film), we meet Cador the Dodman (a druid who designed the Great Mounds/Tumuli filled with time worm energy, including the Silbury Hill in Wiltshire) and Nest of the Speckled Face (a graduate of the Druid college in Durrington (northeast of Stonehenge) AND the owner of the Knucker (a Stud Dragon)). Art Treefoot, Lurc Longface and Naf the Ferry inform their mother (Kicva the Fish-Wifie) that Gwawl was gobbled up.)
DRAGONHEIST - part 2 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine saves the life of Nest from Hevey the Blacksmith, Bov the Builder, and the grown children of Kicva. The Mata ice-age Dragon of Gower in South-West Wales has awakened from its slumber (because the Drunes are altering the weather).
DRAGONHEIST - part 3 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine and Ukko start working at Worm's Head Farm (Nest's dragon farm) which is run by Crug of the Brawny Arm (Nest's fratricidal uncle). The valuable dragonhoard is kept in the fogou... with the Knucker. Nest reads the grim poem about Cyndylan (Cynddylan from Canu Heledd).)
DRAGONHEIST - part 4 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Crumlin, Caerphilly. The Mata hypnotizes and devours Gwawl's widow (La). The Knucker gasses itself on its own fumes, Slaine and Ukko try to unchain it.)
DRAGONHEIST - part 5 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Kicva kidnaps Nest and offers Nest to The Mata. Slaine finally masters how to fly the Knucker.)
DRAGONHEIST - part 6 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. The Mata incinerates Art and Naf. The dragons start fighting to the death. The Mata stuns the Knucker, Slaine breaks his war axe (the mighty, yet problematic Brainbiter) on The Mata's diamond skull.)
DRAGONHEIST - part 7 (art: Massimo Belardinelli. Slaine throws an anchor (an homage to Orlando Furioso: Canto XI) into The Mata's mouth, the dragon explodes. Nest avenges the death of her father. Nest mentions Dinas Emrys in Eryri/Snowdonia and explains that the dragons evolved from pterosaurs (Quetzalcoatlus). Cave of Beasts. Slough Feg is back! Fea, Nemon and Catha update their master on Slaine and Medb; General Melga informs Feg that the new booster stones are moving the glaciers and that their new allies... the Fomorian sea demons... have started a "nose tax". Slough Feg mentions that Slaine's tribe is now under the heel of the Fomorians.)
Zarjaz/Excellent Extras:
Slaine versus a Time Monster by Mike McMahon in color
19-year-old Slaine full-page teaser advert by Angie Kincaid
Slaine: A Guide to his World
Slaine: A Guide to Dragonheist
A map of the Land of the Young in Slaine's Time in color
The Ogham alphabet (also a Tic-tac sign language)
Slaine: The Origins (Gaelic Legends, The Earth Goddess, The Warp-Spasm (to tap Earth energy which pours into your body), Finn, The Red Branch (the greatest warriors of Slaine's tribe), Druids/Priests of the Northern tribes, Slough Feg, Earth Power/the Earth Serpent)
Pin-up of Slaine & Ukko by Massimo Belardinelli in color
10 original covers by Angie Kincaid, Massimo Belardinelli, Mick McMahon, Cam Kennedy and Ian Gibson from the 2000AD Progs (330, 332, 334, 336, 341, 355, 357, 358, 361, 367) in color
What I did not like:
The Slaine covers for The Best of 2000 AD Monthly (#19, #22) are missing!
I give it a 10/10. Well-researched, wonderful and witty! The best way to experience the Celtic anti-hero known as Slaine (created by Pat Mills and Angela Kincaid)! A classic British barbarian comic that must be read! Fans of Sword and Sorcery, Irish mythology, Mên-an-Tol, the Strettweg cult wagon, the Cerne Abbas Giant, Kinuba from GUNNM Battle Angel Alita, the fantasy art of Jim Fitzpatrick, Thomas Kinsella's translation of The Tain, John Sharkey's Celtic Mysteries, the books of Jean Markale, Armies by Jean-Pierre Dionnet & Jean-Claude Gal, The Incredible Hulk, Conan the Barbarian, Excalibur (1981) and/or The Wicker Man (1973), are sure to be powerfully thrilled!
Also available in Spanish from Dolmen Editorial (Sláine: El Amanecer del Guerrero - 9791388074059)!