Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser is one of my favorite sword and sorcery series. The two, distinctly different characters have their own personalities and motivations, but they are steadfast partners and fight their way through thick and thin, all with Leiber's skilled writing.
This first issue adapts the story, "The Price of Pain Ease", collected in the Ace paperback SWORDS AGAINST DEATH. The opening sets up the characters and allows the readers to get a sense of who these two adventurers are:
"The big barbarian Fafhrd, outcast of the World of Nehwon's Cold Waste and forever a foreigner in the land and city of Lankhmar, Nehwon's most notable area, and the small but deadly swordsman the Gray Mouser, a state-less person even in careless, unbureaucratic Nehwon, and man without a country (that he knew of), were fast friends and comrades from the moment they met in Lankhmar City near the intersection of Gold and Cash Streets. But they never shared a home."
Denny O'Neil's comic adaptation is a fun, rollicking read and Howard Chaykin's nice art is further embellished by the team known as "The Crusty Bunkers", who, over the years had over sixty names among its members, including Jack Abel, Frank Brunner, Rich Buckler, Russ Heath, Jeff Jones, Esteban Maroto, Bernie Wrightson and others.
Vol. 1 No. 1
February-March 1973
National Periodicals, Inc. (DC Comics)
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Cover: Michael Wm. Kaluta
Pages: 36
Cover price: 20 cents