Viking Prince

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Viking Prince is a DC Comics comic which featured in the comic book The Brave and the Bold. It was a historic adventure story about a Viking named Jon. The story was written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Joe Kubert.

In The Brave and the Bold #1, the main character is found amnesiac, on a beach by 10th century Scandinavian fishermen, who named him "Jon" after a legendary prince. His enemy, Thorvald, knew his true identity, and wanted to kill him before he regained his memory, or met someone else who recognised him. This set-up was ignored by later writers, some of whom made no mention of his background, while others portrayed him as an actual prince, the son of King Rikk.

He continued to appear in The Brave and the Bold until #26 (Jul 1959).

[edit] Later appearances

In Our Army at War #162 {Jan 1966) Sergeant Rock found the Viking Prince in a glacier. He was defrosted, and fought alongside Rock in World War II. Jon had a deathwish, because he had fallen in love with a valkyrie, and was banished from Valhalla by Odin, who said he could only return to his love if he died a heroic death. However, Odin also made the Viking Prince invunerable to all known weapons. He is killed by plastique explosive, an unknown weapon at the time the curse was made. (In current continuity, Jon was still killed in World War II, but made his way to this period through a time warp, rather than being frozen.)

In Legends of the Dark Knight #35 (early Aug 1992) Batman encounters Jon Rikkson, a modern day descendent of the Prince who has become an environmental crusader. The story also features a legend describing Prince Jon's encounter with a Viking Batman.

In Birds of Prey #29 (Jul 2001) Black Canary, having been sent back in time to 12th century America, meets Jon Haraldson, the Viking Prince, who is one of the Viking explorers who have discovered Vinland, and they have a brief relationship before she returns to the 21st century. Jon takes a bullet intended for Dinah, but apparently survives, later being described as mourning "a love lost to time".

[edit] Other media

Jon appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode To Another Shore. Although his actual appearance in the story is as a corpse, the episode also features an account of his love for Valkyrior, and subsequent immortality, in the form of a legendary scroll.

Jon sailed as far as he could, eventually dying of cold, and becoming frozen in a glacier. When the Legion of Doom attempt to steal his body to gain the secret of immortality, the Justice League fights them off, and ensures he gets a proper Viking funeral.