The Vanishing Tower

The Michael Moorcock Library: Elric #5

by Roy Thomas, Jan Duursema (Illustrations)

Bear witness to the story of Elric, Lord of Melnibone; his dark cousin - the evil Yyrkoon; their dark magics; and their terrible struggle for rule of the fabled Emerald Isle!

Collecting the first volume of the classic adaptation of Michael Moorcock's bestselling fantasy saga, Elric of Melnibone marks the perfect introduction to the series' iconic antihero, his fabled blade, Stormbringer, and his harrowing adventures across the Dragon Isle.

Adapted by former Marvel Comics editor, Roy Thomas, and beautifully rendered by longtime comics illustrator Michael T. Gilbert, and the multiple Harvey and Eisner award-winning P. Craig Russell, this definitive collection marks an essential read for all fans of sword and sorcery and brings Moorcock's epic tales to life with luxuriant imagination."

Genres: Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels, Sword and Sorcery

168 pages, Hardcover

First published January 26, 2016

About the author

Roy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.

Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice well done adaptation of the book. Good art and writing. Recommended

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Michael Moorcock Library - Elric, Vol. 5: The Vanishing Tower adapts the titular story of the same name. This is not my favorite Elric adaptation so far but once I forgave Jan Duursema for not being P. Craig Russell, it was still pretty good. I particularly like the way Duursema draws Elric, Rackhir, and Corum. I think the visual style feels enough like PCR and Michael T Gilbert that it isn't jarring. Not my favorite but still good.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really good adaptation of the novel, which is really 3 stories. Jan Duursema is excellent here. Some of the tighter pages remind me of Frank Miller.

There's a lot going on and Roy Thomas does a good job scripting everything to make sense in this format. Ultimately, its a pretty limited market. I think you have to be a fan of the novel and comics to get into this one.

[OmniBen · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 2.5/5
My enjoyment of and appreciation for this series has been growing with each volume, although rather sadly for me, this is the most disappointing of the series so far. A rambling and incoherent effort, which flitters around what could have been an interesting enough narrative, although never so much as gets out of third gear. Moonglum is about as bland as boiled rice sprinkled with cardboard. I'm never one for sidekicks at the best of times, although he has to go far away. Very far away
This really felt like a dogs breakfast of fantasy elements, with far too much thrown in, with the end result being convoluted and underwhelming. The central premise of the Vanishing Tower and the person within was fine, although far too little is done with this. That and Elric (who has never bene the most even keeled of chaps) is all over the place like shit in a monkey's house. He goes through more emotions in five minutes than a baby with diarrhoea does nappies.
Will keep it to complete the set, but will forever skip it on a re-read. Disappointing. 2.5/5


OmniBen.

[The_J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This actually reaches back through time to resurrect the First Comics adaptations. Strong work from Roy Thomas in adaptation managing to capture the strength of the novel and blend it with the power of the graphic novel.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely adaptation of what may be the most "filler" volume of the Elric saga, containing retconned battles against Theleb K'aarna, to fill out the storyline. But it works well in this short form, and of course has the big multi-Champion meeting of the eponymous Vanishing Tower.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great artwork. One step closer to the ultimate battle between Chaos and Law.

[Avi Alany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Duursema'sa art is wonderful and the story is strange. You get the sense that the story is simply a battle in a larger war involving multiple planes of existence.

[Carl Grider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more like a 4.5. probably my favorite so far of the Elric Adaptations.

[Andrew Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Issue 1 - There's swords, sorcery, and dragons. There's also "buddies" going against the odds. It's kind of hard to not like the general set up of such an adventure but Elric and Moonglum's dialogue is a bit out of sorts, especially in the heat of battle with the Chimeræ.
Still, it's my genre of entertainment, with dark magic, violence of some degree, and good art. Elric seeks vengeance against Theleb K'Aarna, and encounters chaos with the magical world in the form of Oonai shapeshifters, the unbothered "god", Arioch, and lady of the birds, Fileet.

Issue 2 - "If I could stand the torture of merely living, conjurer, what other pain could ever afright me?"
Elric serves Chaos, as pariah sorcerer king of Melniboné. Myshella serves the Law, as the Dark Lady of Kaneloon, Empress of Dawn, protector of Lormyr. Enchanted with a curse of sleep by Theleb K'Aarna, and making ready to combat the threat of Prince Umbda, Myshella and Elric find a common enemy even if their kingdoms are ever at odds.
With the slumbering castle, a boiling sea, emerald-eyed mechanical birds, guardians of agony, and the rock hard Kelmain army, the tale really does hold a degree of enchantment and high-fantasy.
The dialogue gets a bit B-rated in how Elric talks aloud but it's still my cuppa tea.

Issue 3 - I appreciate the art and the tale. There is a nostalgic feel about it in a magical, albeit dark, sword-and-sorcery way. Elric and the Dark Lady make for interesting characters in a dark landscape.

Issue 4 - Tanelorn is a city so opposite to the fetid Nadsokor city of filth, that beggar King Urish wants to attack it and its caravan. With the help of a sorcerer thought dead, they both also have a high hatred of Elric.
Elric will face off against filth and powerful demons, encounter the burning chaos god Checkalakh, and get unlikely help from law god Lord Dunblas the Justicemaker.

Issue 5 - Elric reunites with some interesting characters, warriors of Tanelorn: Rackhir, the red archer, Brut, warrior of Lashmar, and Carkan. A brutal seance and a savage battle takes place with the Elonoin she-demons and the abominably hairy Grahluk.
Tanelorn Eternal appears to be an endless city, where the lords of chaos and law cannot enter and the inhabitants want nothing to do with their war against each other. Elric's melancholy at serving both Chaos and Law, as well as his role in Cymoril's tragic death, pushes him to seek out death in the chaotic Sighing Desert. But hope may abound ...

Issue 6- Towers that vanish. Tigermen with scythes. Multidimensional heroes of Law and Chaos. Reptilian men on dinosaurs. Killer house cats. This may be the most trippy issue yet. I'm reminded of Tom Bombadil and the Lord of the Rings with this issue. The fantastical elements have been more grand and eternal, with Tanelorn coming off as the Gray Havens of Middle-Earth, or Heaven of reality. But reincarnation and immortality seem to be afoot too, I can't call it.

Spying Theleb K'Aarna 's attempt to call forth creatures from another plane (Reptile Men of Pio), Elric finds himself whisked to another plane, in Balwyn Moor, called to help Corum Jhaelen Irsei against the most powerful Sword Ruler, King Mabelode, and to be joined by the Champion Eternal, the Many-Named Hero, Erekosë. The Three Who Are One, incarnations from different planes. A glimpse into a multiverse of the 80's.
The Three quest to the once-in-a-lifetime vanishing tower to defeat Voilodion Ghagnasdiak and rescue Corum's guide, Jhary-A-Conel, a mysterious character of great knowledge (and the brother of Moonglum). With all the magic and coincidental happenings, Elric's life is accursed for tragedy.