Soga Om Olav Sleggja (the Saga of Olav the Sledgehammer) is a Norwegian graphic novel from 2009, written and drawn by Øysten Runde.
Norway in the late 10th century. Olaf Sleggja is a thrall and servant to king Olaf Tryggvasson, who has tasked him with one last mission before he is to be set free: kill his half-brother Råg Gunnlaugsson and all of his kin. However, Sleggja takes pity on Gunnlaugssons infant son and decides to betray the king. And Olaf Tryggvasson for his part, had no intention of letting Sleggja survive anyway. What follows is a bloody feud that will lead up to the battle of Svolder
, the mother of all naval battles in Scandinavian history.
A dark and gory Viking drama, deeply inspired by Jidaigeki works, like Lone Wolf and Cub.
Tropes:
- Ambiguously Brown: Olav Sleggja is said to have Iranian anscestry.
- Barbarian Hero: Olav Sleggja. A 6-foot tall, mountain of muscles who is also Made of Iron, a complete Berserker and Ax-Crazy in combat.
- The Berserker: Olaf Tryggvasson meets a whole group of them, and performs the above mentioned bit of martial arts on them.
- Been There, Shaped History: Olav Sleggja is the man who manipulated the events that would lead up to the battle of Svolder and thus the kings death. The famous story of Olav Tryggvasson, throwing himself of his ship when the battle seemed lost is also averted: in this story, Tryggvasson actually swam to the nearest deserted island, from which he planned to travel to Nidarnes and plan a Roaring Rampage of Revenge. Olav crushes his head against a rock before he has a chance to do any of that, though.
- Improbable Weapon User: Olav uses an Icelandic flensing knife◊ in his duel against king Olaf. He also tosses a bag of vipers like a handgrenade, against a group of enemy Vikings, AND his ship is equipped with an extra sail made from pure chainmail. How it's even possible for the ship to stay afloat despite this, we do not know.
- Rank Scales with Asskicking: King Olaf Tryggvasson is no slouch. He was badass enough as it was in the sagas. Well, in this comic he Karate-kicks peoples heads off, with knife-blades tied to his legs!
