Cazenove - Larbier
MYTHS AND HEROES
Zeus: Lightning rod
© 2015 BAMBOO ÉDITION
© 2023 BRAINFOOD PUBLISHING
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TRANSLATION: Georgio Valentino
DESIGN ADAPTATION: Paris Koutsikos
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Nikos Chatzopoulos
BRAINFOOD PUBLISHING
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Tel.: (+30) 210 2514123
www.brainfood.gr
June 2023
• Email: contact@brainfood.gr
ISBN: 978-618-5427-85-6
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AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT OLYMPUS, IN MYTHICAL GREECE: A LAND ECHOING WITH THE EPIC SOUNDS OF LEGENDARY HEROES ACCOMPLISHING EXTRAORDINARY FEATS! BUT TODAY…
DON’T PUSH IT, TIMMY, THAT APPLE HASN’T BUDGED A HAIR ON A CENTAUR’S HOOF!…
… AND YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE ABOUT TO SPLIT YOUR SPLEEN!
TIMMY, ATLAS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT FRUIT?
WE’RE TRYING TO UNLOCK OUR SUPERPOWERS… BUT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE!
YEOW!
SPINNING…
SO FAR WE’VE FIGURED OUT THAT WE CAN’T MOVE THE APPLE WITH OUR MINDS, OR MELT IT, OR MAKE IT EXPLODE OR DISAPPEAR…
BUT… WHY BOTHER?
WHY?? HAVEN’T YOU HEARD, APHRODITE? ZEUS IS LOOKING FOR TWO HEROES TO JOIN THE TEAM AT MOUNT OLYMPUS!
THE PERFECT JOB FOR US!
THAT’S LITERALLY THE WORST SUPERPOWER EVER!!!
A H A H A H A H... H o u u HiHihi
…OR TO SET OFF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS AT THE SNAP OF OUR FINGERS LIKE ARES!
HOHOHO HOHOHOHOHOUHOU HOUHOUHOU HOU… ηαααααα
… OR EVEN TO FAITHFULLY IMITATE THE SOUND OF A ROWBOAT LIKE ODYSSEUS!
I’M DYIN’!
WHAT WE NEED IS HERCULEAN STRENGTH LIKE… DANG… WHAT’S HIS NAME AGAIN?…
HERCULES!
...FLOWERS!
… OR TO RUN SUPER FAST LIKE HERMES…
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING USEFUL? NOT JUST THE POWER TO MAKE…
HEY, GUYS! ZEUS WISHES TO INFORM YOU THAT HE’S GRANTING YOU AN AUDIENCE IN FIVE MINUTES AT THE OLD TREE TRUNK!
TIMMY… WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO IMPRESS HIM?…
NO IDEA! LEMME THINK!
LEMME THINK!
I KNOW!
WE’LL BET THE FARM ON INFLATION...
YOU SURE?
...LIKE THIS! WHOA!
DON’T BURST!!!
ACTUALLY, BOYS, BEFORE MEETING YOUR DESTINY, I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW MY SUPERPOWER WORKS ON MORE THAN JUST DEAD TWIGS…
I’M NOT BIG ON ECONOMICS! MAYBE SOCIOLOGY…
WOW! YOU EVEN SCARED ME! THIS’LL WORK FOR SURE! COME ON, LET’S GO!!!
TAKE THAT! I’M SURE WE’LL BOWL HIM OVER WITH OUR PUFFEDUP MACHO BODS! … QUIET! I HEAR HIM COMING!
WHAT’S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?
PFFFT... FOCUS ON INFLATING YOUR EGO!
HI, ATLAS! WAITING FOR SOMEONE?
YEAH, BUT HAD I KNOWN, I WOULD’VE TAKEN MY TIME! HAD YOU KNOWN WHAT?
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET ME THREE HOURS AGO! BUT NOOOO, THAT WOULD BE TOO EASY… WHY NOT MAKE ME WAIT? LIKE I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO DO!
WHATEVER, ATLAS! I TOLD YOU I WAS COMING!
QUIT YOUR GRUMBLING!
IF YOU THINK IT’S SO EASY…
WELL, IT WASN’T MY IDEA TO LIVE IN A LABYRINTH!
THAT MASTER TIMMY IS ALWAYS FASHIONABLY LATE!!!
‘CAUSE I THOUGHT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FEATS OF STRENGTH…
MIGHT… MUSCLE…
POWER…
YOU KNOW, STRENGTH!
SAY, HERCULES. IS THIS THE FAMOUS LIST OF LABORS YOU HAVE TO PERFORM? ?
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY?
I CAN DO THIS STUFF WITH MY EYES CLOSED AND MY HANDS TIED BEHIND MY BACK…
… WHILE RECITING EPIC POETRY! BE MY GUEST!
YOU’LL SEE! FIRST ON THE LIST. WELL, YOU CAN ALREADY START CROSSING IT OUT!
HEY, YOU! COME HERE A SEC!
...AND STOP STRUGGLING!
A A A A A RG H! aaarrrGlOUMPfff
MY… MY DEAR LEON…
A SWAN! IT’S LIKE A CHICKEN, BUT WAY MORE POSH! COOL!
I SWEAR IT’S NOT A JOKE, APHRODITE! IT REALLY HAPPENED IN THIS FOREST…
… THE WAY I HEARD IT, THE MIGHTY ZEUS TRANSFORMED INTO A SWAN TO SEDUCE LEDA!
WOW!… HOW ROMANTIC! DO YOU THINK WE’LL SEE HIM?…
I LOVE WATCHING MY FRIENDS USE THEIR SUPERPOWERS…
SEE THIS DEAD TWIG?
ARES CAN MAKE ANYTHING EXPLODE…
BOOM!
… AS FOR ARTEMIS, SHE CAN DO ANYTHING WITH HER BOW…
APHRODITE CAN MAKE ANYTHING BEAUTIFUL…
AND BAM! A SPRING BOUQUET!
APOLLO CAN LITERALLY… NOW IT’S NIGHT…
… SUMMON THE SUN! NOW IT’S DAY…
… MUST BE NICE… I WISH I HAD A SUPERPOWER, TOO!
WOW! HOW’D HE DO THAT?!?
AND…AND… WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING!
NOW THAT’S A REAL SUPER SUPERPOWER! MASTER, MASTER! TEACH ME HOW TO WORK THAT MIRACLE!
WELL, HERE WE ARE! IN FRONT OF YOUR THINGAMAJIG… GOOD GODS!
IT’S THE GATEs OF DELPHI!!! THE DOORWAY TO ALL KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM!
GREAT! WHAT COULD GO WRONG? IF I OPEN IT, I’LL BECOME ALLKNOWING, THE SMARTEST AND WISEST OF ALL THE GODS!
REALLY?
MAYBE… IF I PULL… A HARDER!LITTLE ARGH!
OUCH!
MUST BE A LITTLE RUSTY… JUST GOTTA… PUUUUUUSH…
IT’S THE KEY TO THE GATE!
GIMME! GIMME!
?
MY LUCKY DAY!
WOULD THIS HELP? IT WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE RUG!
THERE BETTER BE SOME SMARTS IN THERE, BECAUSE THERE’S NONE OUT HERE!
PUSH… IT’S STARTING TO GIVE!
YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES, TIMMY! HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAAY!
WHERE’S MY PRESENT?
THIS IS CIRCE, MY WIZARD FRIEND. SHE HAS THE POWER TO REARRANGE MATTER! SHE CAN TURN HUMANS INTO ANIMALS AND VICE VERSA…
CLOZUP THE ANCIENT TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING…
BUT WHERE’S MY PRESENT?
DO YOU WANT ME TO TRANSFORM THIS HALFBULL INTO A FULL HUMAN?
WHAT?!! YOU CAN DO THAT? SHE CAN DO THAT?
TECHNICALLY, YES! NOW STOP MOVING… … STOP BREATHING… STOP THINKING…
NO PROBLEM THERE!
IT WORKED, TIMMY!
APHRODITE MAY NOT BE A MAGICIAN, BUT SHE’S PRETTY GOOD AT REARRANGING MATTER, TOO!
YOU’RE HUMAN JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! YOUR DREAM HAS COME TRUE! YOU’RE THE PERFECT MAN! MOO...
MOO... MOO...
I TOLD HIM I LOVED HIM AND HE JUST SAID I HAVE A BIG NOOOOOOOOSE!!!
LOOK, ATLAS, I THINK IT’S AEOLA WHO BROUGHT UPON THIS STORM!
YOU’LL DESTROY ALL OF OLYMPUS IF YOU DON’T STOP THIS…
I DON’T CARE! SNIFF… IT’S ALL APOLLO’S FAULT…
APOLLO DOESN’T KNOW WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT! YOUR NOSE ISN’T BIG AT ALL!
I MEAN, ME, I’VE GOT A HUUUUGE ONE, BUT NOT YOU!
REALLY? MY NOSE ISN’T BIG?
OH, TIMMY, YOU’RE SO NICE! ALL I SAID WAS THE TRUTH!
SNIFF… DO YOU… SNIFF… HAPPEN TO HAVE A HANKIE?… SNIFF!
I’LL GO GET ONE!
SORRY I COULDN’T FIND A BIGGER ONE!
LET’S GO, COME ON! SHOOT!
COME ON! COME ON! SHOOT!
GO AHEAD! GO AHEAD!
APOLLO, YOU REALLY MUST FIND SOMETHING OTHER THAN LIGHTNING BOLTS TO PLAY THIS NEW GAME…
WHAT CAN I SAY?… I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A BLAST!
ATLAS, WHY IS THAT GUY SITTING ALL ALONE?
THAT’S MIDAS! IS HE CONTAGIOUS?
HE TURNS EVERYTHING HE TOUCHES TO GOLD! NOBODY WANTS TO GO NEAR HIM!
WHATEVS, HE CAN HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH US, RIGHT?
HEY, DUDE, WANNA PARTY?
CATCH, TIMMY! WOW! THIS IS AWESOME! NOBODY EVER WANTS TO PLAY WITH ME!
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!
USUALLY PEOPLE AVOID ME! THEY EXCLUDE ME! THEY TELL ME TO SCRAM!
COME TO THINK OF IT, FEELS KINDA WEIRD TO BE ACCEPTED!
OH! OH! OH! BUT I LIKE IT!
IS THAT WHAT THEY MEAN BY SOLID GOLD?
YOUR TURN! bling!
THIS MOST EXCELLENT IDEA (MY OWN, OF COURSE) IS TO HIDE INSIDE, PARK IN FRONT OF THE FORTRESS, AND WAIT TO INVADE…
MAN! THAT’S A TOTALLY KILLER TOY, ODYSSEUS!
TOY?!! THIS IS THE ULTIMATE SECRET WEAPON, YOU LITTLE ATHENIAN IGNORAMUS!
IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY OPEN THE DOOR, THEY’RE DONE FOR!
… THEY CELEBRATE, THEY BOOZE IT UP AND ALL…
… THINKING IT A GIFT FROM THE GODS…
… OUR ENEMIES BRING THE HORSE INSIDE… THAT’S WHY IT HAS WHEELS!
THAT’S TOO COOL!
… AND WHEN NIGHT FALLS, WE EMERGE AND LAUNCH A SURPRISE ATTACK!
AND YOU, TIMMY, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY ULTIMATE SECRET WEAPON?
HE’S OUR ULTIMATE SECRET WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION!
WHA?…
STILL ASLEEP… WENT TO BED LATE… SNIFF
THAT’S … THAT’S JUST WRONG! HOW DO YOU EVEN?…
IT’S… …
… BRILLIANT!!!
IF THEY OPEN THE DOOR, THEY’RE DONE FOR!
HEH, HEH…
WELL… I’M DOING WHAT IT SAYS HERE ON THIS LIST OF 12 LABORS THAT I HAVE TO PERFORM, COACH!
1) CLEAN THE MINOTAUR’S LABYRINTH…
SHOW ME!
HERCULES!
WANNA TELL ME JUST WHAT YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING? COACH?!
… 2) COOK BREAKFAST FOR THE MINOTAUR… 3) FIND HIM A GIRLFRIEND…
… THEN SHINE HIS SHOES…
WHO DO YOU THINK WROTE THAT?!
SNAKES! SNAKES SNAKES SNAKES
SNAKES SNA... SNAKES STOP, TIMMY! STOP!
I TOLD YOU AT LEAST 20 TIMES THAT MY FRIEND MEDUSA HAS SNAKES INSTEAD OF HAIR!!!
MUST’VE SLIPPED MY MIND…
HAW HAW
CHECK IT OUT, BOYS! EVER SEEN A PUPPY WITH THREE HEADS?!! THIS THING’S A REAL FREAK OF NATURE!
BORROW MY LIGHTNING BOLT?!
YESSIR… ACTUALLY, IT’S JUST ‘CAUSE…
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TIMMY? THAT’S THE GREAT AND MIGHTY ZEUS! WE’RE NOT WORTHY ENOUGH TO SPEAK TO HIM!
THAT’S THE HEAD HONCHO!
RELAX, MY BOUNCY ATLAS! YOUR INSOLENT FRIEND’S GOT A LOTTA CHUTZPAH! I
BOING
LISTEN UP, LITTLE MINOTAUR… MY LIGHTNING BOLT HAS THE AWESOME POWER TO PUNISH, TO JUDGE, TO DESTROY AND CREATE… THAT’S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE HANDS OF A SINGLE PERSON…
BUT WHAT THE HECK! I TRUST YOU! HERE! USE IT WISELY AND YOUR GLORY WILL SHINE ON YOUR PEOPLE!
WOW! RIGHT ON!
BUT BE WARNED, IF IT’S NOT RETURNED TO ME WITHIN THE CENTURY, I’LL…
NO PROBLEMO! I’M ACTUALLY GONNA USE IT RIGHT NOW!
AHHHHHH... HOT DOG! THAT HITS THE SPOT!
