Alan McKee
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ortal, I am Mara, Queen of death. eared me since the beginning and will ur last hour. do you think you are alone d– masters of your fate and destiny? In ods oversee you. Though you cannot see e true masters of your pathetic lives. If lieve elieveme, me,read readon onififyou youdare, dare,and andlearn Learn the truth.
Created and printed in Canada by Hudson House Mysteries Strongheart Comics ©Alan McKee 2020 all rights reserved alanjmckee@gmail.com Instagram: strongheartcomics All characters, distinctive likenesses and related elements featured in this publication are trademarks belonging to Alan McKee. The stories, characters and incidents featured in this publication are entirely fictional. ISBN 978-1-9995354-2-1
The Elder: Origins A GRAPHIC NOVEL
ART AND STORY BY
Alan McKee 1st of 4 parts
Of course we don’t want to frighten him. Do we? Heh heh.
T
HE ELDER SETS OFF QUICKLY. FOR NOW HE IS IN A HURRY TO MEET A DEAR FRIEND, THE OTHER HERO OF OUR TALE.
...THE ELDERLY MAN SETS OFF AS CONFIDENTLY AS IF HE’D LIVED AMONG THE ALLEYS, THE GARBAGE AND THE SOMBER SHADOWS ALL HIS LIFE.
T
HE ELDER ROAMS THROUGH THE GHOSTLY STREETS UNTIL HIS PRETERNATURALLY ACUTE SENSES DETECT THE BREATH OF HIS NEARLY INVISIBLE FRIEND..
...METTA THE WISE, HUGE TIBETAN MASTIFF, UNFAILING FRIEND AND COMPANION TO THE ELDER.
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here, then, did this myster from And what part are t ou
rious, this uncanny pair, come they about to play in the life of ur world?
C
ENTURIES BEFORE THE ELDER MET THE THE THUGS IN A CITY ALLEY, A YOUNG MAN WHO HAD BEEN NAMED, DAWA, BY HIS EARTHLY PARENTS, SAT HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN TOP IN THE HIMALAYAS, THE ROOF OF THE WORLD. SINCE HIS EARLIEST YEARS HE HAD SHOWN AN INNATE ABILITY TO MASTER CERTAIN OCCULT PRACTICES PASSED DOWN BY TIBETAN MASTERS. WHILE STILL A CHILD, HE HAD learnED TUMMO, THE YOGA OF PSYCHIC HEAT. AT TWELVE HE COULD CONTROL THE EFFECT OF GRAVITY ON HIS BODY AND WAS A skilled LONG GOM PA WALKER, walking AS FAST AS A Running HORSE. But HE HUNGERED ONLY FOR THE BUDDHA’S pERFECT BLISS.
High on A MOUNTAIN TOP, THE ELDER AND MeTTA CONTEMPLATE THE HIMALAYAN VIEW.
YOU ARE SO RESTLESS, MeTTA, YOU ARE TOO WARM. LET US GO DOWN THROUGH THE RHODODENDRUM FOREST TO THE RIVER WHERE IT IS COOLER FOR YOU.
I’m sure the water is this way, Metta.
When they arrive at the waterfall...
But metta’s Canine instincts Are perfect!
A WATER SPIRIT, HUNGRY FOR HUMAN FLESH RISES FROM THE POOL WHERE THE WATERFALL SPLASHES...
...MITTA IS READY TO ANSWER THE CHALLENGE... but THEN...
YOU KNOW THE ANSWE YOUR own QUESTIONS, BUT YOU HAVE FORGOTT MANY LIFETIMES, I HAV YOUR GURU. AND TRAIN FOR A GREAT BATTLE...T MANY SENTIENT BEI
ERS TO , dawa, TEN. FOR VE BEEN NED YOU TO SAVE INGS.
A
nd so, ever since the fateful day at the waterfall, the Elder has known of his great task and waited for the time when he would be called upon to fight for us and our world.
e d l e e h t f o Tales #33
er
As he walks down one of TORONTO’S BUSY STREETS, THE ELDER IS ACCOSTED BY A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN.
Honored gentleman, may I ask something of you?
YES, ELDER DAUGHTER WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE from me?
I mean no offence. Please forgive me. I only wanted to please you, sir.
You think me such a fool as that?
But I shall win in the end. You will see, elder,
As she continues to Disappear....
Not a fool. But I did not think you would be so hard to trick.
In spite of her centuries of life, the ngagpa* is merely a selfish child. she cares for no one except herself and her foul mother.
*In Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, a Ngagpa is a nonmonastic practitioner of Dzogchen whose hair is the home of the dakinis and therefore can never be cut.
I can hide nothing from you, old friend. I expect Trouble of the worst kind, For she is not alone. Standing WITH her is HER MOTHER, Mara, Queen of Death. THAT IS WHY OUR VISITOR COULD NOT BE SEEN BY ANYONE ON THE STREET BUT US. I WONDERED... MARA!
HERE, THEN, HAS THEIR LOVELY OPPONENT GONE? WHEN WILL SHE RETURN AND HOW WILL SHE ATTEMPT TO DESTROY THE ELDER? AND WHO IS ‘MARA’ THAT MITTA IS SO CONCERNED ABOUT? THESE, LITERALLY, WORLD SHAKING QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED ONLY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE THE ELDER AND MITTA PONDER THE FATE OF THOSE THEY HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO PROTECT-The human race!
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In an abandoned theatre on the danforth, tanha prays to her mother, Mara--mankind’s nemisis.
Dearest mother who watches over me. Show me how to defeat my enemies.
HARDLY has Tanha
H
finished her plea when Mara, ancient queen of
death, humankind’s greatest terror, deathless herself, coalesces out of a cloud of flame in answer to her daughter’s fervent request.
But Eldest, if he has spent hundreds of years making himself proof against all weakness and faulty thinking. How shall I go about fulfilling your command to end this world?
S
uddenly Tanha starts to fade.
Oh, eldest, I forgot. My (tee hee)“master” awaits me at this hour. I see many more addicts wherever I look. How clever you are.
My fentanYL is what they deserve. How many wars did they fight over opium? Did they mind killing their enemies with that drug? All I am doing is carrying out karmic law. I promise you they will die by the thousands...no, millions. this is just the beginning. My overseas helpers are ramping up production. Soon You shall see. We have already started feeding THE drug to large crowds. The addiction spreads like fire. AND SAXEL’S HUNGER FOR MONEY IS INSATIABLE.
N THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, AN ANXIOUS LOVER AWAITS THE GIRL OF HIS DREAMS.
Where is she? I’m feeling really horny. She’s almost h an hour late! Doesn’t know I havE the power life and death over h Over anyone...And I want to fuck her now!!!
I KNOW THE REAL IMPORTANCE OF THOSE MISSILES. TEE-HEE
AN F L HA OUR ... H ER T LA
y half she r of her? I
NOW! NOW! NOW! I TELL YOU. I WANT HER NOW! HOW DARE SHE DEFY ME! SHE IS TOYING WITH ME! I’LL MAKE HER PAY. IF SHE ISN’T... I’LL...
S
uddenly, his dream girl seems to
emerge out of
nothing. BUT AT FIRST The “leader” does not appear to notice. BUT WE WILL LEAVE THEM TO THEIR “PLEASURES” FOR NOW...
You bad boy! I may have to spank you and we both know how much you like that!
M
eantime aN ENTIRE GENERATION DESTROYS ITSELF...
w
Hile those responsible gloat over their “victories.”
r e d l e e h t f Tales o #4
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ndeed, Fentynol use has become so prevalent in Toronto in such a short time, the elder decides to face Mara and talk to her.
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hy is she killing so many? What possible reason does she have? What wrong does she believe has been done by humanity?
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he elder vows to find out. He goes to the lair of mara’s daughter, the abandoned movie theatre on the Danforth. He makes this choice with little regard for his own safety. For He knows he is contending with the most feared goddess in the pantheon.
WHAT filth!
THIS IS A BAD IDEA!
Disaster!
THINK I’LL TRY UPSTAIRS.
A H A H
The elder feels a weird, sickening lurch and suddenly finds himself inside the main screening room of the theatre. His disorientation is amplified by loud, echoing laughter engulfing him on every side as Mara coalesces out of thin air.
A H
A H
YOU FOOL! YOU THINK YOURSELF WISE? I WILL TEACH YOU WHAT WISDOM AND POWER ARE. HOW DARE YOU.
A H
A H
TO THEIR MUTUAL ASTONISHMENT, THE ELDER’S AURA IS ABLE TO BLOCK MARA’S FIRST BLOW.
SEE IF YOU LIKE BEING DUST, FOOLISH MORTAL.
Then mara all her veno
pours forth om and...
...THE RESULTS ARE FATAL FOR MANY. NEARLY SO FOR MANY OTHERS...
TO BE CONTINUED...
Political cartoon meets Superhero with a guru... The elder is my attempt to tell an interesting action story while commenting on Things that I believe are wrong with our Society. The title, The Elder, was chosen Because it used to be a term of respect, which it still is among indigenous societies all over the world. Sadly, in our own culture it has increasingly become a term of derision. Alan McKee, (born Schwartz) literally Grew up plotting superman and Batman Stories with his father, Alvin Schwartz, Who wrote for DC during the Golden and Silver Ages of the comics. Sessions Also often included Bill Finger and Other writers in the DC stable of the Fifties.
