A Link to the Past Comic Photo Gallery

In case some of you Zelda fans weren’t aware, earlier this week Viz Media released the new publication of  A Link to the Past comic that had originally appeared in Nintendo Power, over the span of a few month back in 1992. A few of us crazed fans here on the ZD staff already have our hands on it, and soon we’ll be discussing our opinions on the comic during one of our future ZD Talks. To gear up for that- and to make up for the absence of this week’s ZD Gallery piece- I’m going to take you through some of my favorite panels from the comic.

Make the jump to check it out!

Back in 1992, I was merely just a thought, so I never truly saw the original comic. However, A Link to the Past was my very first Zelda game. So when I heard about the new publication, I raced in to preorder it. Remaining true to the beginning of the game, we see Link awakened by Zelda’s voice on a stormy night as she begs for his help in her rescue. Throughout the comic I found that the story, for the most part, stayed true to the events of the game, but had it’s own additions and flares thrown in that I found very beneficial to something trying to tell a thorough story. This first page just brought back all of this nostalgia of the first few moments I was introduced into the Zelda universe and I absolutely love it.

I like this panel because we’re realizing right off the bat how much of a goof Link is. If you’ve ever read anything written by Tolkien, one of his main themes is that even the smallest and most unlikely of things can do something great and fundamentally change the fate of the world. For his world, there is a hobbit. For our world, there’s merely a seemingly simple young man. Link is the wielder of the Triforce of Courage, and throughout this comic, you can truly see his bravery. But you can also see his humility and modesty. He doesn’t know what it means to be a hero. He’s not even sure he is one, as you can see in the next strip where he proclaims “Maybe I am the legendary hero after all!” Just as in the games, throughout this story we see Link progress and grow stronger, becoming that hero he wasn’t so sure about in the beginning, but remaining that goofy young man throughout his quest.

Who doesn’t love that epic moment in most Zelda games when Link pulls the Master Sword from whichever pedestal it lay during that time? I highly doubt there is anyone. This is always that moment in which Link truly manifests the legendary hero. Not all games have this moment, but in A Link to the Past, I felt it was very substantial. The colors in this panel are awesome and we get a sense of just what Link is able to become.

I’d love to go on and on and read off each panel to you guys, but I decided while I was choosing my favorite pictures to only choose my top five. I can’t just give you the entire story, because it’s something you have to experience yourself, especially in collaboration with playing the corresponding game. My final panel is, of course, the opening to the chapter of The Final Battle. Facing off are ultimate foes Link and Ganon as Link holds nothing back into spoiling Ganon’s plans to get his hands on the Triforce. Just as crucial to Link’s development as a hero as wielding the Triforce of Courage and the Master Sword is his faceoff with Ganon(dorf) throughout the series. I love this panel because it sums up just about each encounter Link has had with Ganon up until this point, and each encounter he will have with the epitome of evil in the future. The coloring is vibrant and dark, Link is fierce and brave, and Ganon is towering and mighty. This was the perfect way to open up to, as cleverly titled, The Final Battle.

What do you guys think of the comic- or at least what you think of it so far? How many of you own it, or have read it already? Is anyone lucky enough to have the original from Nintendo Power in their possession? Which is your favorite panel? As always, feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comics below.