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The Black Axe is an all-ages graphic novel by David Petersen and the third volume in the Mouse Guard series.
Set in 1115, The Black Axe is a prequel to Fall 1152 and follows Celanawe, then a young Guardmouse, and his quest to the island of Ildur to retrieve the Black Axe, a legendary weapon, with companions Em of Appleloft and Conrad.
The series spans six issues which were released between October 2010 and January 2013. A hardcover book was released in July 2013, collecting all six issues, a prologue, an epilogue, and other assorted extras.
Development[]
Around 2007, when Petersen was beginning to draft Winter 1152, he committed to the idea that the third Mouse Guard volume would explore the history of Celanawe and of his finding of the Black Axe.[1]
Petersen originally planned to make this a shorter, four-issue anthology series with each issue documenting a different Celanawe adventure. However, when developing the outline for the series he found that Celenawe's history could be better told as a "quest" narrative. This longer character arc necessitated six issues of material.[1]
By early 2010, Petersen had completed the cover for the first issue, and he finished outlining this issue in April that year.[1]
Archaia published Issue 1 in October 2010. Issues 2 and 3 followed in April and September 2011, respectively, and Issues 4 and 5 in January and August 2012, respectively. The final issue was released in January 2013. As with Fall 1152 and Winter 1152, each issue was accompanied by a pin-up by a guest contributor(s): Alex Sheikman, Sean Rubin, Duncan Fegredo, Charles Paul Wilson III, Shane-Michael Vidaurri and Mike Mignola & Dave Stewart.
Petersen released a collected hardcover in July 2013, collecting all six issues as Chapters One through Six, the 2010 Free Comic Book Day one-shot Spring 1153 as a prologue, a short epilogue, a twenty-two page section of maps, guide pages, and cutaways, and a gallery of the aforementioned pin-ups.[2]
Contents[]
Prologue[]
Overview[]
- Main article: Mouse Guard: Spring 1153
The prologue collects Petersen's first Free Comic Book Day one-shot, Spring 1153, which was originally released on 1 May 2010. It follows an entry in the Matriarch Gwendolyn's journal and the doings of the Mouse Guard across the Mouse Territories. But for the exclusion of the cover, the prologue remains unchanged from the original version.[3]
Synopsis[]
Gwendolyn records the movements of the Guard in the spring of 1153.
Writing from her office at Lockhaven in the spring of 1153, six days before day and night are equal, Gwendolyn explains that the mice have experienced dangerous weather for the past eight days. Rivers and streams are overflowing, and she has sent out almost all her Guardmice to rebuild and bring order to the Territories.[3]
Annika and Cedric monitor a pack of wolves near Elmoss, while Gwendolyn narrates that predators are waking and breeding. We see Sela and Cerise protecting some harvesters at Rootwallow, and Gwendolyn wonders as to the fate of Lieam, who has been missing since the end of winter. While concerned for Lieam's fate, Gwendolyn writes that she cannot spare any of her mice to look for him.[3]
We see Ewing and Waldon gathering timber near Whitepine, and Saxon and Sienna assisting the apiary keeper with harvesting honey from the Lockhaven bees. Gwendolyn assures any later Matriarch reading this diary that she wishes for nothing but Lieam's safe return.[3]
Vinson, Elymis and Aeren mark the Scent Border, and Gwendolyn discusses the first seasonal summit between the leaders of the settlements, which is to occur in 10 days time. The leaders are to be escorted by the sons and daughters of their respective settlements who wish to become Guardmice — a "trial by rain" as Gwendolyn terms it.[3]
The Matriarch turns her mind toward the death of Celanawe, while we see Kenzie and Sadie fishing near Lillygrove and Oakgrove. We see Bastian and Delvin battling a rampaging snapping turtle near Grasslake, while Gwendolyn questions the ability to protect the Territories without the Black Axe. Then, Pearse, Erwynn and Feagan fight a badger attacking Dorgift and/or Gilpledge. Gwendolyn reflects briefly on her declaration of war against the Darkheather weasels in 1149.[3]
Finally, we see Isabel leading two hares towards a large, looming cave. The hares bear a cart laden with all the resources we have just seen the Guardmice gathering: berries and honey, and the corpses of the fish, the turtle and the badger. As Gwendolyn writes her parting thought — that the Guard can only placate these troubles until they have a new hero in which to believe — we see a giant bear emerge from the cave and consider the cart: a gift of placation for this largest of predators.[3]
Chapter 1[]
Overview[]
Chapter One collects The Black Axe Issue One, which was first released in October 2010. It follows Celanawe's meeting of Em at Frostic and his discovery of his lineage and connection to the Black Axe.
Synopsis[]
Celanawe constructs the new outpost at Frostic in the spring of 1115.
The chapter opens at Frostic, in the spring of 1115, one moon cycle before the beginning of summer. Celanawe has spent the season constructing a new stone outpost in the shallow waters just off the shore. The Guardmouse's station at the outpost has now come to an end, and he is about to return to Lockhaven.[4]
Celenawe rows a pinecone back to the shore and enters the Frostic dwelling, reminiscing about his training of that season's tenderpaws. (One such tenderpaw, Loukas, is about to take over Celanawe's station at Frostic.) Celanawe exits the dwelling, pipe lit and fastening his travelling gear. He is intending to begin the three day journey to Lockhaven.[4]
However, Celanawe's departure from Frostic is interrupted by the arrival of an elder mouse, Em of Appleloft, landing on the beach on the back of a Crow. Celanawe remains hidden in the grasses at first, watching from a distance as Em dismounts, unsure whether she is friend or foe. What is more, he detects the scent of predators on the air. Em begins calling out towards the Frostic outpost, and Celanawe, sensing danger, abandons his cover and motions for Em to be silent.[4]
Celanawe attempts to lead Em back to the cover of the grasses, but she refuses to budge until Celanawe hears her out. She announces that she and Celanawe are kin, and that she has travelled from Appleloft, by way of Lockhaven, to speak with him. Celanawe interrupts Em, once more telling her to be quiet — for they are now being hunted.[4]
Em's crow, also sensing the danger, begins to shriek loudly back at the beach. The pair turn back to see see the crow being set upon by four fishers. Em sheds tears as the mustelids begin eating the crow alive, understanding each final word it screams. While the fishers are distracted with their kill, Celanawe and Em back away slowly and slip into the woods behind Frostic.[4]
One of the fishers catches the scent of mice, and peels away from the group to pursue the duo. Em and Celanawe barely evade detection by hiding under the roots of a gnarled tree; and the fisher rejoins its group — which by this stage is fighting internally over the spoils of a hunted Squirrel. But Celanawe, aware the fishers will not be occupied for long, pulls Em away and doubles back towards the ocean, hoping to lose the predators in the deep waters.[4]
The mice approach the water's edge and peruse the fallen leaves, hoping to find something waterproof enough to carry them across the water. Finding all the leaves to be rotten, Em instead casts her voice towards the water and quacks loudly, summoning a female duck to provide them passage. The pair jump atop the duck just as the fishers arrive on the scene, and the bird takes flight and soars away, narrowly avoiding the throwing spear of one of the fishers.[4]
Celanawe and Em barely escape a group of hunting fishers on the back of a duck, spring 1115.
The duck lands in the deep waters, out of the reach of the fishers, and the mice converse. Celanawe expresses his surprise that Em can talk to birds, and she explains that it can be learned over the course of many years of practice. The elder mouse then informs him she has authorisation from the Matriarch of the Mouse Guard, Bronwyn, to have Celanawe accompany her on a quest across the Northern Sea. Celanawe protests at first, but Em provides him with a sealed copy of a letter from Bronwyn, telling him to treat Em's words "like that of a Matriarch". Celanawe bows to Em.[4]
Em then explains to Celanawe the purpose of their journey. The mice are kin, and have a bloodline oath to fulfill across the sea — retrieving the legendary Black Axe. Celenawe then tells Em to direct the duck south towards the nearby settlement of Port Sumac, where they might find a craft worthy of their intended journey.[4]
Chapter 2[]
Overview[]
Chapter Two collects The Black Axe Issue Two, which was first released in April 2011. It follows Celanawe's and Em's meeting of Conrad at Port Sumac, their chartering of his ship, the Red Snapper, and the trio's voyage north across the North Sea.
Synopsis[]
Celanawe and Em enter the Mariner's Bell, spring 1115.
The chapter opens at Port Sumac. Celanawe and Em disembark from their duck friend, in the lower city, and climb through the ramshackle docks and platforms towards the Mariner's Bell. The pair hope to find passage among the sailor mice there. Celanawe is particularly wary, knowing that the tavern has a reputation for catering "to the filthiest, crookedest, and greediest mice in the Territories"; and Em instructs him not to mention the Black Axe nor the purpose of their quest when bartering passage.[5]
Inside the tavern the pair witness an argument developing between a young sailor mouse, Conrad, an older one, Roarke. The context is that Conrad's father, who had previously held the position of Captain's Captain of Port Sumac, had recently died. Conrad believes that the title now comprises part of his inheritance. Roarke retorts that the title now belongs to him and tells Conrad to consider himself lucky he is being permitted to keep his father's ship, the Red Snapper.[5]
The argument escalates quickly, and soon enough Conrad is waving his harpoon threateningly in Roarke's face. But the older mouse is unfazed: his gang of sailor mice have now also drawn their swords and surrounded Conrad. Celanawe intercedes at this point. Sensing Conrad's keen sense of pride, Celanawe goads the young mouse into sailing him and Em to foreign soil in order to prove his worth to all the sailors of Port Sumac. The ploy works, and Conrad and Roarke then make a blood-pact: Roarke will surrender to Conrad the title of Captain's Captain if Conrad journeys with Em and Celanawe across the Northern Sea and returns with proof of same.[5]
The next morning, Em purchases supplies for the expedition, which Celanawe and Conrad load onto the Red Snapper. Em charms a dragonfly at Celanawe's request as the ship disembarks from Port Sumac, instructing it to deliver a return letter to Bronwyn at Lockhaven. Conrad suggests the group sails to Lillygrove, return to Port Sumac, and simply lie to Roarke that they had completed the journey north; however, Celanawe tells Conrad to honour his bargain. Conrad, who has no skill in map-reading, relies on his instincts and experience to guide the voyage north from the coast of the Mouse Territories.[5]
Celanawe, Em and Conrad depart Port Sumac aboard the Red Snapper, spring 1115.
The three mice spend a total of 56 days at sea, headed due north. During the journey Em takes detailed notes of constellations, using these to approximate their position. Celanawe attempts on many occasions to question Em about their quest and the Black Axe, but she is wary of saying anything in front of Conrad, who is totally oblivious to the true purpose of the journey.[5]
On the night of their thirty-second day at sea, Conrad passes out from the last of his spirits, providing Em the opportunity to explain to Celanawe some of the Black Axe's history. Em has tracked-down and studied the Adana Tapestry, which describes how Farrer forged the Black Axe, bestowed it upon a Guardmouse of Lockhaven, and secretly remarried. She reveals that she and Celanawe are Farrer's last living descendants. Since being forged in c. 915, the Axe has been secretly handed from wielder to wielder, until it went missing in 1086. Em's investigations with the beasts of the land—including deer, a blue jay and a butterfly—have revealed that the last known mouse to make contact with it was her brother Benn, on an island far to the north of the Northern Sea. Em's plan is to start their search on that island.[5]
The night of the Red Snapper's fifty-sixth day at sea is marked by a ferocious storm. The vessel is torn asunder and the three mice are separated, each rendered unconscious by the crashing waves. The chapter ends with Celanawe sinking below the water amid the debris of the Red Snapper.[5]
Chapter 3[]
Celanawe awakes on the beach of Ildur aching all over. He spends hours looking for Em, who has her book of note still intact due to the pages being made of birch wood. There is no sign of Conrad anywhere and they presume he died. As the two mice search the rocks, they find Benn's skeleton lying in a crevice. Em communicates with a murder of crows, who tell her about a mouse who tried to take over the land five years ago, then direct them to a hall on top of the hill.
Celanawe and Em journey up the hill towards a large hall built into the peak of the hill. They burrow under the door and find themselves faced with ferrets led by their king Luthebon. He tells them they are not hungry yet, but asks if they are here to slay him and then conquer and colonize the island. Celanawe refrains from using his sword and both he and the ferret king ease their tensions and Em asks about the conquering mouse. Luthebon had found out about him from the island's animals and this would-be conqueror Merek brandished the black axe inside the hall, but ended up killed and devoured by the king. He shows the two mice the black axe but refuses to hand it over even as Celanawe offers his services.
At that moment two ferret subjects Kiethazel and Garthazel return carrying Luthebon's now deceased son Aronebon. The prince was killed by the fox that threatens the ferret clan. As Luthebon mourns his son's death, Celanawe offers to slay the fox in return for the axe, but the king is skeptical about that, but accepts his proposition. As Aronebon's body is cremated in the brazier, Em suggests that Celanawe take the black axe to slay the fox. Luthebon assumes that they would run away with the axe without completing their task, but Em offers to stay as a token of security. This leaves Celanawe 48 hours to find the fox, kill it and return with proof of its demise, or Em becomes food for the ferrets.
Reluctantly Celanawe accepts those terms and trades his sword for the black axe, then sets off to start his task. He heads to the brambles in the dark of the night, noticing that the axe is heavier than his sword and is unsure how he will slaughter a cunning fox all by himself.
Chapter 4[]
Celanawe spends the night going through the thick bramble forest, suffering minor cuts and hunger along the way. To reduce his chances of being hunted, he digs and hides in a burrow not unlike a mink. By morning, he is surrounded by mist and becomes lost. Celanawe climbs the bramble branches for a better view and spots the fox he is looking for. His presence goes unnoticed by the fox as it walks past. Celanawe gets into some practice with hacking brambles with the axe and is met by a battered looking Conrad with his harpoon bent at the end. He briefly tells his friend about his situation, but also claims the title of Black Axe. Conrad agrees to fight the fox with Celanawe.
As the two mice follow the fox's trail, they are suddenly attacked by the orange beast. They both scramble up a branch and Celanawe strikes the fox on the nose. Conrad jumps on the fox, getting his foot caught between its teeth for a moment but managing to get his harpoon through its muzzle. Celanawe climbs up for another attack throwing his whole weight against the axe in mid-air, but the fox moves and he accidentally cuts off Conrad's right leg. He quickly bandages the stump of Conrad's leg with a scrap of his cloak and ties it with his belt to stop the bleeding. In its pursuit of Celanawe the fox gets itself caught in the brambles. Taking advantage of this, Celanawe lands a fatal blow to the fox's forehead.
Celanawe extracts and wraps one of the fox's eyeballs in his cloak as proof of his success. The two mice are met by a couple of fox kits and Celanawe realizes he just killed their mother. He has no desire to kill them, seeing they are no current threat to Luthebon. Using crude imitations of fox noises to tell them to stay safe in the brambles. By sunset, Celanawe and Conrad make it to the Ildur Hall. As Celanawe presents the proof of his slaughter, Luthebon is looking troubled and Em lies dead on his throne.
Chapter 5[]
Celanawe assumes that Luthebon went back on his word, but the ferret king explains this folly was the fault of his healer Eberochre who handled her roughly in his cold curiosity to examine her. For that Luthebon killed him instantly and had his pelt removed. With regret, Luthebon offers Conrad and Celanawe the pelt, a decent funeral for Em and complete immunity from being hunted by his clan at all times. Luthebon leads his clan and the two mice to the stream of Bellisflod. Celanawe lays his aunt's body in the stream, clutching a crow feather, while the ferrets scatter flower petals to honor her death. Later Celanawe fashions new clothes from Eberochre's fur.
For the next six days, Celanawe reads Em's notes, while Conrad carves a wooden peg. In the book, Celanawe read that the axe was to be returned to Shorestone and speak with the Haven Guild. Celanawe decides the time is right to return home as he hopes to reunite with his beloved Bronwyn, while Conrad hopes to regain his father's position as Captain's captain. Twenty days of work and both Celanawe and the ferrets were able to build a crude, but effective boat to sail back to the Mouse Territories.
Thanks to the maps and star charts provided by Luthebon and coupled with Em's notes, the two mice have an easier time navigating. They stop at various small islands to replenish their food stocks. They chat heartily about their families. Celanawe suggests that Conrad start a better life elsewhere, but he is determined to reclaim his father's title. After an entire year of sailing, the two mice reach the coast just east of Dawnrock. As Celanawe parts ways with Conrad, he asks that his friend show the axe to Roarke as proof of their voyage, but Celanawe decides that its secrecy is important.
Two days later, Celanawe makes it back to Lockhaven. He takes a secret passage directly to the matriarch's rooms. Not finding his love anywhere, he goes to the Chamber of Matriarchs. His heartstrings tear as he reads in the open book on the pedestal that Bronwyn was killed by a wolf some months ago. A thorough examination shows that his name has been removed from all records except for the induction list. Now alone and having lost everything, Celanawe knocks over the pedestal, clutches the axe and weeps.
Chapter 6[]
Celanawe goes on a three day journey to Shorestone looking for the Haven Guild. He is directed to the archivist Arkin. Insisting that the Black Axe's existence be kept a secret, Arkin escorts Celanawe to concealed chamber, which contains the whole history of the legendary weapon. Celanawe breaks the bad news that Benn and Em are dead, making him the last surviving member of the Farrer family.[6]
After Arkin tells Celanawe about some of his past and dealings with his family, he urges him to find a suitable bearer of the axe, one who is willing to sacrifice much. Celanawe states that he needs time to find a suitable candidate. As he leaves, he considers certain tenderpaws to take the title of Black Axe including Loukas, Odell, Fabron and Orianna, then ultimately decides that Conrad is the one for the axe.[6]
When he arrives at the upper ledge of Port Sumac, he finds Conrad in a heavily inebriated. It turns out that Conrad lost his ship, no one believed his story about his voyage with Celanawe and Em and Roarke has placed a price on his head, should he try to sail out. Since then he has been stuck doing harvest work and trying to drown his sorrows.[6]
As Celanawe tries to bring some sense into Conrad, the drunken mouse grows angry and blames his friend for everything he lost. The scene attracts the attention of patrons inside. Seeing that Celanawe does not have the Black Axe with him, he decides to throw punches on him. Celanawe realises that Conrad is not worthy of the title and feigns falling off a cliff to fake his death and take upon the Black Axe to help mice where needed.[6]
Epilogue[]
In Summer 1153, south of Lockhaven. The current bearer of the Black Axe, Lieam has just finished reading Celanawe's autobiography to Saxon and Kenzie to make it clear why he must retain his secrecy and disappearance. He gives his two friends the remains of his guard cloak to convince the Guardmice that he is no longer alive. The Lieam leaves his friends to continue Celanawe's noble work.[6]
Awards[]
In 2014, The Black Axe won the Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album Previously Published.[2]
Translations[]
- "La Guardia dei Topi: La Scure Nera" (Italian)
Cover gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mouse Guard Creator Commentary: Black Axe #1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mouse Guard Official Website, as at 30 April 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Mouse Guard: The Black Axe, Prologue
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Mouse Guard: The Black Axe, Chapter One
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Mouse Guard: The Black Axe, Chapter Two
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Mouse Guard: The Black Axe, Chapter Six