Hawkmoon: Jewel in the Skull

by Gerry Conway (Adaptor), Michael Moorcock (Story), Rafael Kayanan (Ilustrator)

Reprinting the 4 issue series

Genres: Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels

134 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1988

About the author

Gerard Francis Conway (Gerard F. Conway) was an American writer of comic books and television shows. He was known for co-creating the Marvel Comics' vigilante the Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man. At DC Comics, he was known for co-creating the superhero Firestorm and others, and for writing the Justice League of America for eight years. Conway wrote the first major, modern-day intercompany crossover, Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man.

On April 27, 2026, Marvel Comics announced on its website and social media accounts that Conway had died at the age of 73.

News of Conway's death from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Juho Pohjalainen]

As adaptations go, it suffices. Art is the high point: really gets the fantastic post-apocalyptic feel down well.

Seventies and eighties were a high point in fantasy art. Genuinely imaginitive.

[Daniel]

I've moved, buying a house in a new place and I began going through a lot of my old books. I recently dug up this gem from 1988. Hawkmoon, Jewel in the Skull is a graphic novel adaptation of the Michael Moorcock Runestaff books. This tells the tale of Lord Dorian Hawkmoon, left orphaned by the Dark Empire, led by Baron Meliadus of Kroiden. The lands of Granbretan are where he comes from and he leads their armies. Hawkmoon becomes his unwitting slave after a failed attempt by the Baron himself to steal away the daughter, Yisselda from Count Brass of the Kamarg. Hawkmoon is sent there after a time with a foul jewel attached to his skull. Baron Meliadus assures Hawkmoon that the jewel will be commanded to destroy his brain should he fail. Count Brass uses a strange machine sorcery to make the jewel dormant and Hawkmoon allies himself with Kamarg and a war ensues as Granbretan moves to take Kamarg. Hawkmoon leads a guerilla army to terrorize Granbretans ships and small forces in their rear before the true battle begins. Kamarg sits on a high rocky cliff and has formidable defenses. Hawkmoon is informed about a sorcerer in the south who can render the jewel inert and after he realizes a strong love for Yisselda, he goes south, seeking a cure. Granbretan is far to the south as well and Hawkmoon finds himself in more battles before reaching the sorcerer Malagigi. He doesn't find him easily as Baron Meliadus is there and a battle ensues between him and Hawkmoon. He finds himself later in the care of the sorcerer and the jewel is indeed thwarted by Malagigi's power and devices. He is told the body of Baron Meliadus was not found on the battlefield and Hawkmoon knows there is deviltry afoot. SO ends this volume of Hawkmoon's story and the tale of the Runestaff.

This is a good and old book from my younger years as a collector. I think it still holds up very good by today's standards but then again I like the old stuff a lot. The Eternal Champion Cycles that Moorcoock writes are wonderful. Hawkmoon, Elric, Erekose, Corum. All these heroes are tragic and powerful servants of Law and Chaos and I have read most all of these books. This book is a wonderful read and a visual reminder of how good graphic novels can be.

Danny

[Rex Hurst]

A fun adaptation of the Moorcock science fantasy classic. We are introduced to Dorian Hawkmoon, one of the incarnations for the author's Eternal Champion - a way to connect all his worlds and stories together - who is fighting against the forces of the Dark Empire who are hellbent on conquering the known world. The setting is on Earth, but several thousand years into the future, where science and sorcery have fused. It is a wild ride, filled with buxom damsels, evil magic, and much derring-do.

It is a rather faithful adaptation of the series, though shunted through 1970s comic book sensibilities and is a fun ride over all with excellent art. Just remember this is the first of four books, so while it is a complete story, it is not the entire story.

[Jamie Connolly]

Great adaptation.