"Den 5: Elements"
15(+3extra)+20+20+20 (series) pgs. Appeared first time [COLOR] in Den [III] #4 (1988) to #7 (1989). Reprinted [COLOR] in Den 5: Elements (1992) Album with three extra pages.
Story: Simon Revelstroke. Color/Art: Richard Corben (printed sign © 1989 Richard Corben). Lettering: printed (Corben).
France [FRA]: as "Le roi de l’air et de la nuit noire", as a 4 part serial in USA magazine [II] #47 to #51 (1990), and as "La maison du silence", as half of La saga de Den Tome 2 (1990) and as "Le monde englouti", as one of La saga de Den Tome 3 (1991). ("Den 4" and "Den 5" were printed in three parts)
Germany [GER]: as "Die versunkene Welt", as one in Die phantastische Welt des Richard Corben #4 (1992).
Italy [ITA]: as "Sogni e visioni", as a 4 part serial in L'Eternauta #91, #94, #96, #98, as "Elementi", as one in Best Comics #10 (1992).
The Netherlands [NL]: as "Heer der Bovenluchten", as one in Den [NL] 4 (1992).
Spain [SPA]: as "Elementos", as a 10 part serial around Zona 84 #60 to #73, and as one in Den [SPA] 5.
- Part 1(4): "The King of Air and Darkness". 18 pgs. Den [III] #4 (1988)
- Part 2(4): "Drowned Worlds". 20 pgs Den [III] #5 (1989)
- Part 3(4): "Giants Below". 20 pgs. Den [III] #6 (1989)
- Part 4(4): "The Phoenix Fallen". 20 pgs. Den [III] #7 (1989)
Style: Full color. Genre: SF/Fantasy. Time Span: Ancient fantasy. Nudity:Voluptuous females (extra Album pages: full frontal nudity, both male and female).
Keywords: Stones. Diving. Sorcerer. Fight. Earth. Water. Fire. Wind. Betrayal.
Synopsis: Scon has Loc-nar stones and Den with his troopers want to get them back, again. On the way seafaring people ("Denz") kidnap Den and Kath, but couple escape only to end up against ghouls and madman. Inside Scon's fortress Den faces again the queen, and ashes of volcano. Story goes on later 1992 in "DenSaga".
Comment: Corben changes his style of drawing completely: now he is drawing the fastest way, color on black line. It works much better than the conclusion of "Children of Fire" in the end of Den[III]. Reprinted Album has three totally new pages. You can also find all nudity from these pages; Corben draws only these three pages in full color (like in "Den 4"). Serial and Album versions are as equal as possible with esxception of Album's added three extra pages.
Humour: There is an inside joke in the story if you're sharp eyed: the space ship used by Scon (in part 1) is exactly the same one than was used in the story, "The Wreck of the Katerra-Dan" (i.e. the wreck). Mr. Corben must use the very same model for both stories.
Extras: Den's Legacy, a full length run through of entire Den's adventures (beware a major spoilers!).
Copyright © 1997 Heart-Attack-Series, Ink!,
Created: September 7, 1997. Modified: May 25, 2019.