Ireland was a very conservative country thirty years ago - insular and rather dull. Nobody reaching for their Sunday Independent newspaper one weekend in 1974 could have been prepared for a new comic strip that lurked within it, and many were deeply shocked. "Nuada Of The Silver Arm", based loosely on characters from ancient Irish mythology, featured a hero from a magical - and barbaric - pre-Christian past. Armed with a sword, some knowledge of magic and his own strength, Nuada searched for his woman, Amrann, stolen by the sub-human Fomorians. On the way he battled hideous beasts in forests that dripped with evil, fought a gigantic lizard and called up the soul of a dead monster to guide him in his quest.
"Nuada" was created by young Dublin artist Jim Fitzpatrick. Determined to create a uniquely Irish saga, his influences could still be seen: hints of Alphonse Mucha, Harry Clarke, Gustav Klimt and Aubrey Beardsley abounded in his hard, energetic, black inks. A comic collector, Fitzpatrick was also inspired by the seminal Conan drawings that British artist Barry Smith had recently done for Marvel.
Fitzpatrick was fascinated by the magical world of Celtic myth - vital, bloody, sexy and surreal. During 1972, he'd given up his job in an advertising company to become an artist. While known for having created the iconic Che Guevara poster (still familiar today), he found making a living very hard.
Two things saved him: a deal to distribute his work on posters and cards in the UK, and his friendship with Phil Lynott of rock group Thin Lizzy. Fitzpatrick's LP covers for the band made his name.
One night in 1973, he had a bizarre and life-changing experience. On the 1st of May, the ancient Celtic feast of Bealtaine, an overpowering apparition of terrifying forces suddenly manifested itself around him. Almost overcome with fear, he watched as Evil incarnate approached him, then was magically buried under the soil of Ireland. Afterwards, this otherworldly vision inspired him - as the months passed he created a huge quantity of work, illustrating mythological heroes and heroines in his distinctive style.
"Nuada" stirred up controversy from the beginning - there were complaints that its violence and occasional depiction of almost-undressed women were completely inappropriate for an Irish Sunday newspaper - but its fans loved it. Then, one day in 1975, it was gone. The plug had been pulled by the paper's editor, who denounced the strip as "prehistoric pornography".
Jim Fitzpatrick continues to work as an artist today - his books of illustrated Irish legends have sold in vast quantities, and you can find his website at http://www.jimfitzpatrick.ie
Number of posts : 4225 Registration date : 2007-08-28
Subject: Re: NUADA - Conan's Irish cousin Sat 7 Mar - 3:43
Very interesting :)
What you say, looks like this comic could have been a direct influence for SLAINE, do you know that one?
His art is really beautiful -and reminds me to Bill Stout, maybe becdause they both share a lot of influences (art nouveau over all)-.
http://www.puzzelspecialist.nl/images/nuada.jpg
this looks totally like Stout
Cromulus The Destroyer Vanir
Number of posts : 1395 Localisation : Brooklyn, New York Registration date : 2007-01-22
Subject: Re: NUADA - Conan's Irish cousin Sat 7 Mar - 10:44
Looks very marvel Conanish, even Ka-zar.
He didnt seem to have used real life mythological version: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuada
*HELLBOY 2 used this character though, in a much more straying way(Was an elf).
vzd963 Rider of Doom
Number of posts : 132 Registration date : 2009-02-07
Subject: Jim Fitzpatrick Sat 7 Mar - 10:57
Jim Fitzpatrick later published illustrated books retelling some of the actual Irish legends - look for The Book Of Conquests and The Silver Arm. He also issued an overview of all his mythological work called Erinsaga.
You can always find his stuff on ebay.com, ebay.ie (the Irish site) and ebay.co.uk (the British site).
Flaming Turd Vanir
Number of posts : 4225 Registration date : 2007-08-28
Subject: Re: NUADA - Conan's Irish cousin Sat 7 Mar - 19:42
SLAINE was also an Ireland barbarian born from Conan, then turned into something else -excellent scripts, IMO best scripts in the genre ever-. He was a member of the Tuatha de Danaan, first tribe in Ireland ever -who later were described as elves, though here they are pre-celts- and fights agains subhuman fomorians also. The "beast of the moon" also appears somehwere, and some other stuff you mentions about NUADA made me think about SLAINE, so NUADA is probably a strong reference.
Website 
Latest images 
Search 
Register 
Log in 
Subject: NUADA - Conan's Irish cousin 
