Ring of the Nibelung

El Anillo de los Nibelungos #1-4

by Roy Thomas

Richard Wagner's operatic Ring Cycle is presented in full-color graphic novel form by artist Gil Kane and adapter Roy mortal hero Siegfried is sent to slay a dragon, reclaim the gods' stolen gold and rescue the Valkyriestet uppercase per Webster/rl Brunnhildeok from fiery doom.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Music, Mythology, Fiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

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

[Bill Coffin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Points for ambition here, but this take on Wagner's epic opera feels like a refugee from the Heavy Metal reject pile.

[S.S. Julian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read BOTH comic adaptations of the Wagner Ring Cycle so you don’t have to!
The two versions are:
• The Ring of the Nibelung by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane
• The Ring of the Nibelung by P. Craig Russell

For me, there is no contest.

The Thomas/Kane adaptation is shorter, and ultimately more rushed. There is very little tone or atmosphere framing of the scenes— the plot just moves forwards. The translation is perhaps more accurate to the original next, but a lot of the nuance and meaning of the words gets lost due to the aforementioned abbreviation.

Visually, Kane’s depiction of the world and characters is straight out of Sword and Sorcery. The men are either hulking hunks or cringing troglodytes. The women are all cut from the same supermodel cloth, with only their hairstyles to distinguish them from one another. It’s also extremely horny. Women are naked whenever possible. It all feels really dated, both socially and stylistically.

In contrast, P. Craig Russell’s adaptation takes more time to adapt the translation to modern english. I believe I was able to understand more of the nuance and the themes of the characters this way. Whereas the plot points in Thomas/Kane seemed to make no sense, reading the Russell illuminated for me the emotional and archetypal relationships that were being depicted.

Overall his adaptation is just more artful. He gives time to the moments in between plots, wordless sequences that set the setting and allow for a sense of time. In a theatrical production, this was accomplished via musical transitions as the sets were changed. There’s none of this in the Thomas/Kane, so seeing it in Russell’s version was refreshing.

Visually, Russell’s a lot more thoughtful with his character design. Each person seems to have been based off an actual human model, so they look like genuine individuals instead of cardboard cutouts of the same four He-man characters. He’s also significantly less lecherous! Overall the female characters shine through a lot more in Russell’s version, they’re given much more respect and agency. When considering they’re based off the same text, it really underlines how powerful adaptation and interpretation can be in influencing the focus, theme and emotional power of a work.

As for the text itself— it should be noted that the Ring of the Nibelung as a story is kind of nuts to begin with. Characters behave according to this elevated, magical logic that defies modern expectations. It’s a weird combination of epic legend and personal drama. Wagner was kind of creating a Nordic ‘expanded universe’ where he tied together a bunch of myths into a single 4-opera series with German national symbols. You might call him the first Marvel Studios. It was influenced and had influence on Aryan National Socialism, so that’s problematic, to say the least. And at the end you’re not really sure what to take out of it as a person living in the 21st century.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The theme that stands out for me in Wagner’s Ring Cycle is the doom of the gods and the passing away of the pagan state of Nature and the Romanticized ideal of the pre-Christian European world. There is a tragedy throughout including themes of environmental degradation and the seemingly irreversible shift of human values from Man as a part of the environment with value for his or her own sake, and value placed onto materialism and industry. Tolkien shamelessly (and brilliantly) borrow the same themes - though placing them in an imagined fantastical Anglo-Saxon context rather than a Germanic/Continental one as Wagner did. The story is melodramatic, characters theatrical even to the point of absurdity - but the reader or music lover experiencing the story will be very well served if they have some background in German and Norse mythology and legend. This allows the audience to fill in the blanks and recognize caricature.

In this graphic novel adaptation the writers and artists have done a brilliant job of bringing Wagner to life - the caveat I’ll give is that if one is not deeply familiar with the material, and not appreciative of Opera and over the top stylized characters then the story may feel ridiculous and the characters mostly one dimensional. The over stylized super hero looks of the gods and heroes may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but are perfectly consistent with the operatic spirit.


With the proper background though, this book succeeds brilliantly at summarizing and adapting this excellent dramatic work. Judging by many of the other reviews, this is not a book or a story for the person of modernity. Most of this will be lost on a modern reader taking the context of art and morality of the day as their lens. This story and this book, like Wagner’s work, belong to a spirit transcending time and the modern world. In my estimation this spirit, or resonant viewpoint if you will, can potentially be found in anyone, but it won’t be found in and certainly won’t be appreciated by everyone. A paragon of pagan dramatic spectacle.

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roy Thomas and Gil Kane have achieved something truly remarkable with “The Ring of the Nibelung”, transforming Wagner's legendary operatic cycle into a gripping and visually stunning graphic novel. This adaptation captures the grandeur, drama, and mythic intensity of the original “Der Ring des Nibelungen”, making it accessible to both longtime Wagner enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Thomas' script remains faithful to the spirit of the libretto, preserving the poetic power and tragic depth of the story while streamlining it for the comic book format. He masterfully conveys the saga of gods, heroes, and doomed destinies without losing the essence of the operatic masterpiece.

Gil Kane's artwork is nothing short of breathtaking. His dynamic panel compositions, expressive character work, and sweeping battle scenes bring the world of Norse and Germanic mythology to life in a way that feels cinematic. The grandeur of Valhalla, the menace of Alberich, the nobility of Siegfried—every moment is rendered with an intensity that honors the source material.

For fans of Wagner, mythology, or classic comics, this adaptation is a must-read. It proves that opera and graphic storytelling are a perfect match, both relying on the interplay of image and narrative to create something unforgettable. “The Ring of the Nibelung” is an absolute triumph—one that deserves a place in the library of any lover of epic storytelling.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roy Thomas is a great adapter but the story is so bunk that I'm shamed by Wagner spending twenty years on a turd. Either way, the art isn't bad but drags the rating down none-the-less.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adequate is about all I can say here.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations reminiscent of progressive rock music. Muscle-bound heroes and scantily clad vixens that all look alike distract from a solid enough adaptation of a greater work.

[Joseph F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I'm not the biggest fan of the way Wagner has handled the mythology he used in his four opera Ring cycle. I have read the Saga of the Volsungs, the Eddas and the Song of the Nibelungs, and I don't agree with the writers of the preface that Wagner was the great "Homer" that gave us some sort of definitive version of these stories. Despite their inconsistencies and gaps, the Medieval stories are worth reading on their own. Wagner gave us a libretto that is sappy, long-winded and over the top. However, it is still one kick ass of a mythological story. And I do like his music. I used to listen to highlights of the Ring cycle many years ago. Then, around 1990, PBS aired all 4 operas. Yes, I sat and watched all 16 hours! Sometimes the music goes on and on...and on.
But this is not so much a review of Wagner, but a review of how his story was converted into comic book form, and I think these guys did a masterful job. Every page has lush art with that signature look that comics have. Gone is the verbose nature of the operas, replaced by a concise and intelligent dialogue. I think graphic novel collectors will enjoy it, whether or not they are into Wagner. It has all the trappings of superhero-like stuff in it; Gods, heroes, dragons, giants, dwarves and battles. Even the costumes are interesting: a combination of traditional and, well, a kind of scifi metallic look. Think of the illustrations of Arthur Rackham...only shinier!
A few little snags: I really like the heroines of this story, so I wanted them to be really well represented. I felt however that the artists made their faces a bit too similar looking. Also, a little of that good ole Wagnerian corniness crept in when Siegried and Brunehilde pledge their undying love for each other. Very romantic, but the old story tellers spared us of that! ; )

[Lucía · Rating 2 out of 5]

Our copy is in individual comic books, one per opera.

So… I thought that maybe reading these would help clarify the story in my mind, but no. Instead the comics added the confusion of the 1980s to the mix.

Why do all the female characters look exactly alike (like Malibu Barbies, if Barbies had prominent nipples)? You can't even rely on costumes to keep them straight, since they are mostly naked or in identical, spontaneously self-rending, filmy togas. At least when Brünnhilde is played by a corpulent soprano, it makes sense that Siegfried can fit into her armor…
If the women are going to be naked like that, you'd expect the men to be at least as scantily-clad as He-man. What kind of climate are they supposed to be living in?

Thanks for the extra plot holes, guys.

[Leanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up in order to prepare for (and hope to have a snowball's chance in hell of following) attending the Ring cycle. #InOverMyHead. I could quibble with why all the women looked alike/were naked, but hey, for my purposes, this was totally acceptable.

[bluetyson]

isbn,original

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had very high hopes for this, but it followed the Wagner story which I don't like so much. I don't know what I was hoping for, but this wasn't it. The art looks a bit dated.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic comic telling of the Norse myth. Great art through out. Very recommended

[Luke Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably a good pre-game for the full Wagner opera!