Graphic myths and legends

Famous for his superhuman strength, Hercules is the most popular hero in Greek mythology. The son of Zeus king of the gods and a mortal mother, Hercules faces the wrath of Zeus' wife Hera, who resents her illegitimate stepson and vows to bring him misery. With her magical powers, she tricks Hercules into performing a series of twelve seemingly impossible labors, each one a test of his strength, courage, cunning, and fighting skill. Is Hercules strong...

Young Arthur spends his days toiling as a squire--feeding the horses and hauling his big brother's armor. Around him, England is in turmoil, left without a king. But all that changes in one day, with one pull on the mysterious sword in the stone. Guided by Merlin the Magician, Arthur takes his place as the rightful heir to England's throne. He receives the sword Excalibur and wins the loyalty of the Knights of the Round Table. But can the young king...

This graphic novel tells the story of Amaterasu, the Japanese Shinto goddess of the sun. Amaterasu's parents create the first eight islands of Japan. Amaterasu's father later puts his children in charge of parts of the natural world. Beautiful and kindly Amaterasu is made the goddess of the sun. But her brother, Susano, god of the sea and storms, is jealous of his sister's position. In fear of Susano's temper, Amaterasu hides in a cave, plunging the...

This graphic novel tells the story of Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest, and her daughter, Persephone. Demeter rules over a perpetual summer on earth, where crops, trees, and flowers grow in abundance. Persephone, young and beautiful, unknowingly attracts the attention of the lonely god of the Underworld, Hades. Hades kidnaps Persephone, and a frantic Demeter searches in vain for her daughter. Finally, Demeter retreats to her temple in mourning....

From an ancient legend comes a love story for all time. Strong and brave, Tristan is the nephew of King Mark of Cornwall and one of his finest English knights. Mark sends Tristan to Ireland to bring home the king's bride, the princess Isolde. While in Ireland, Tristan slays a dragon and wins Isolde's hand for his uncle. But through a twist of fate, Tristan and Isolde fall in love on the voyage back to Cornwall. Will Tristan and Isolde each do their...

This graphic novel tells the legend of Yu the Great, a Chinese hero from the twenty-first century B.C. Some scholars believe Yu actually existed and that he founded the Xia Dynasty, the first Chinese empire described in historical records. Some later Chinese texts describe Yu as a kind and strong emperor whose engineering projects saved China from frequent floods. But in Chinese legend, as in this book, Yu is descended from the gods and born from...

King Arthur rules his realm from the shining castle of Camelot. Arthur relies on the wisdom of his wife, Guinivere, and on the bravery of his Knights of the Round Table. But dark forces are at work in Camelot. Enemies in Arthur's midst seek to take his throne. Rumors about Guinivere and Arthur's best knight and friend, Lancelot, set in motion a terrible conflict. Will Arthur fight to restore the peace in his kingdom, or is this the end of Camelot?...

From one of China's most famous epics comes a righteous hero and god of war. Guan Yu, an ancient Chinese warrior, fights side by side with his blood brothers Liu Bei and Zhang Fei to squash the menacing Yellow Scarves. He defends his country and his honor, but his troubles are just beginning. All over China, opponents pose grave challenges, each one more trying than the next. Will Guan Yu prevail against the forces that threaten him? Or will the obstacles...

Could a monster whose very look turns men to stone be a challenge too perilous even for the son of Zeus? King Polydectes has designs on Perseus' mother, Danaë. But first the king must get rid of young Perseus once and for all. So Polydectes hatches a plan to trick the young hero into performing an impossible task-slay the snake-haired Gorgon monster Medusa, whose very look turns men to stone. Yet, as the son of Zeus, king of the gods, Perseus has...

From the ancient legends of the Aztecs, comes the story of a love as enduring as a mountain: The Aztec Emperor has many children, but Princess Izta is dearest to his heart. The Emperor has enemies as well, but he also has brave warriors, and Popo is one of the best. Popo cares only about battle... until he meets Izta. To prove his worth he accepts a difficult task, but he promises Izta he will come back to her and watch over her-always. With jealous...

Raised by his mother and tutor, young Theseus finally learns the truth of his birth: he is the son of King Aegeus, ruler of Athens. Armed with his father's shield, he sets out to claim his birthright and face his greatest challenge-the Minotaur, a savage beast who is half-man, half-bull. To defeat the Minotaur, Theseus must enter the Labyrinth, a bewildering maze from which no one has ever escaped alive. Will Theseus succeed in his quest? Or will...

From a life filled with heartache and hardship, comes an unmatched beauty destined for a fairy-tale ending: Pear Blossom, a young Korean girl, leads a happy life with her parents-until her mother dies and her father remarries. Her new wicked stepmother and stepsister make Pear Blossom the victim of their cruelty. They give her the nickname Pigling, or little pig, and do everything they can to torture her. But soon, magical creatures come to Pear Blossom's...

He wanted nothing more than to live in peace, until a petty tyrant forced him into a cruel choice: Swiss hunter William Tell is famous for his great skill with a crossbow. A mild-mannered husband and father, he just wants a quiet life for his family. Yet his homeland's brutal foreign rulers are making such an existence impossible. Then, one day, a ruthless official forces Tell into a terrible choice: Shoot an apple off his son's head-or be killed...