Corum
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- This article is about Michael Moorcock's fantasy hero; for other meanings, see Corum (disambiguation).
Corum Jhaelen Irsei is the name of a fantasy hero in a series of books written by Michael Moorcock. Corum is an aspect of Moorcock's Eternal Champion and is, therefore, related to some of his other characters, such as Elric of Melniboné and Dorian Hawkmoon. His books also draw heavily on ancient Celtic mythology, especially the second trilogy. Corum himself is the last of an ancient race called the Vadhagh, who are slaughtered by the new race of Mabden (humans). He was a prince of his people - Corum Jhaelen Irsei, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe.
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[edit] Corum Novels
Corum is the protagonist of the following Moorcock novels:
- The Knight of the Swords (1971)
- The Queen of the Swords (1971)
- The King of the Swords (1971)
- The Bull and the Spear (1973)
- The Oak and the Ram (1973)
- The Sword and the Stallion (1974)
The first three novels have been published in the UK under the omnibus title Corum, and the second three under the omnibus title The Prince with the Silver Hand. In the US, the omnibus titles are The Swords Trilogy and The Chronicles of Corum, respectively.
The second Corum series (The Bull and the Spear, The Oak and the Ram, The Sword and the Stallion) are very much a fictionalized - and coherent - retelling of some stories from Irish mythology. Specifically Corum is a stand-in for Nuada (usually called Nuada of the Silver Hand), his adventures are related to the mythical history of the Tuatha Dé Danann and he fights Balor of the Evil Eye.
[edit] Other Appearances
[edit] Novels
Corum also appears in other books of the Eternal Champion cycle: The Vanishing Tower and The Sailor on the Seas of Fate with Elric, and The Quest for Tanelorn with Hawkmoon.
[edit] Comics
The character has appeared in comics a number of times. In 1987, First Comics The Chronicles of Corum, which ran for twelve issues (the first six of which were illustrated by Mike Mignola) and written by Mike Baron and Mark Shainblum. First followed this in 1989 with the four issue Corum: The Bull and the Spear written by Mark Shainblum and illustrated by Jill Thompson. These together adapted the first four books in the Corum series.
[edit] Games
In 2001 Darcsyde Productions produced a supplement for use with Chaosium's Stormbringer (aka Elric!) role-playing game adapting the Corum settings and characters for role-playing.
[edit] Music
- The Italian metal band Domine features Corum in their song Prince in the Scarlet Robe on their Emperor of the Black Runes album. They also feature many songs dealing with Michael Moorcock's Elric and Moorcock himself is also specifically thanked and noted as an influence in the liner notes for each of their albums.
- The German metal band Blind Guardian makes brief reference to Corum in their song Damned For All Time on their Follow the Blind album and also in the track Imaginations From the Other Side from the album of the same name.
- The Edu-Core band Bloodhag mention Corum in the first line of their song Michael Moorcock, a song about the author.
[edit] External links
- Moorcock's Miscellany (formerly Tanelorn, Multiverse.org & Moorcock's Weekly Miscellany)