The Legend of Zelda (Valiant Comics)

"A long, long time ago, the world was in an age of chaos. There was a land called Hyrule, a legend called Zelda, an adventurer named Link, and evil known as Ganon, and three Triforces, with power over them all."

- Introduction

Valiant Publishing is the parent company that owned the Nintendo Comics System in 1990 and 1991. In those years, they published a number of Nintendo franchise comics, including The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Captain N: The Game Master. The Valiant Publishing line was founded in 1990 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. After 1991, Valiant ceased to publish Nintendo-related comics.

The Legend of Zelda issues ran February 1990 through August 1990, and sold at a newsstand price of $1.95 per issue. Each issue contained two 10-page stories, along with a handful of shorts, which were often times very humorous. There is some debate over how many Zelda issues were actually released, as there is cover art for issue #7, while issue number #6 was never cataloged. The matter became further convoluted when the comics were re-released in 1993 in book formats, where the issues were placed in different orders.

The comics are readily available on the Internet, as Zelda.com provided them as a free download for a time.

Issue #1
Originally released in February, 1990.

Issue #2
Originally released in March, 1990.

Issue #3
Originally released in April, 1990.

The Power
The story begins with Link and Zelda trapped in an underground battle in Ganon's Castle as they attempt to reobtain the Magic Trophy. As a group of Iron Knuckles pursues them, Link fears for the princess' safety, he warps her out of the lair by pushing her into a Wallmaster. Link then stumbles across the Triforce of Power, which burns his hand upon contact. The Triforce remains with him, and he is able to defeat the iron Knuckles with ease. He then exits the underground lair and meets with Zelda. However, he is pursued by Ganon. The two engage in a battle, of which Link emerges the victor after using his newfound strength to heave a large rock on top of his foe.

Several of Ganon's Goriya minions offer to serve Link, as they believe that he holds more power than their master, but Link refuses. Ganon then bursts out from under the rock pile in a desperate attempt to stop Link from taking the Triforce of Power, but Link gravely wounds him. Ganon is then barely able to crawl back to a place where he can teleport back into his castle to heal. After his escape, Link gets into an argument with Zelda over the Triforce of Wisdom, in which he storms off to finish Ganon for good.

The Price
The Price picks up where The Power left off. Following his defeat, Ganon flees to Parapa Palace, but his lust for the Triforce of Power consumes him, and is a giveaway of his location to Link. Link heads to the palace, and is greeted outside by the same group of Goriya that had offered to serve him. This time, he accepts their aid. He dons a robe similar in likeness to that of Ganon's, and feels that Ganon, who is watching him through a mirror, is close bye.

Princess Zelda seeks advice from the Triforce of Wisdom about Link's actions, and follows his trail to the palace. There, she is taken into captivity by Darknut Prime. At that moment, Ganon teleports to Link's location, where they engage in a short battle. Ganon attempts to reclaim the Triforce of Power, but the Triforce chooses to remain with Link.

Desperate, Ganon uses his last piece of leverage: Zelda. Darknut Prime brings her into the throne room, and Ganon threatens to kill her. Link plays what Ganon thinks to be a bluff, and says that she means nothing to him. Ganon orders his minion to kill her, but Darknut refuses to, and states that he has only one master. Enraged, Ganon attempts to use a spell on Zelda, but it is blocked by Link, who then casts him into a cage hanging over a bottomless pit.

Overjoyed, Zelda approaches Link, but Link demands that she turn over the Triforce of Wisdom which she brought along. When she refuses, and tells Link that she loves him, he attacks her, only to find that the Triforce of Courage has left him, and is protecting her. Zelda then reveals to Link what he has become, and that he has even taken on a physical likeness to that Ganon. He then realizes what the price of that power is, and chooses to throw to Triforce of Power into the bottomless pit, although he is aware that doing so will end his own life. Due to Link's loss of power, the cage that was holding Ganon disappears, and sends him tumbling down after the Triforce.

However, even as Link lays dying in Zelda's arms, the Triforce of Courage returns to him. He then wakes up in Hyrule Castle, virtually unharmed.

Issue #4
Originally released in May, 1990.

Issue #5
Originally released in June, 1990.

Issue #6
Likely released in July, 1990. Undocumented issue.

Issue #7
Originally released in August, 1990.