Arak / Son of Thunder #17
In "A Flame upon the Sea!", Arak / Son of Thunder finds himself caught between empires as he joins Haakon the barbarian and emissaries from White Cathay in Byzantium. With the fate of Greek Fire hanging in the balance, Arak must navigate betrayal, imperial deceit, and a deadly ambush that leaves him imprisoned as a royal ship burns at sea. Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated with vivid intensity by Adrian Gonzales, with inks by Alfredo Alcala and colors by Adrienne Roy, this issue’s cover by Gonzales and Alcala captures the moment’s escalating peril.
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While fleeing from Byzantine guards, Arak meets up with a group of emissaries from White Cathay, headed by Haakon the barbarian. Haakon has come to Byzantium to exchange the secret of firecrackers for the secret of Greek Fire, a flame that burns on water. Empress Irene plans to demonstrate Greek fire to the emissaries, then send them away in scorn, but her vizier betrays her and Arak has to kill him to protect the royal family. Nevertheless, Arak is taken prisoner by the traitors and has to watch as the ship containing the royals and his own friends is set aflame.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).