Comic Title: Warlord #48
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
Cover Date: August 1981
On Sale Date: May 21, 1981 Newsstand Date May 21, 1981
Source: House Ad, Justice League of America #193, Page 48

Newsstand Date May 21, 1981
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #54

Newsstand Date May 21, 1981
Source: Comic Reader, #191

Copyright Date April 28, 1981
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1981
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Shipping Date April 28, 1981
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #54

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.50
Page Count: 48
Editor: Ross Andru

See Also: The Guide to DC Giants

Title: (No Title)
Pages: 15

Feature(s):
Arak

Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciller: Ernie Colon
Inker: Tony DeZuniga
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Reprinted In:
DC Through the '80s:The Experiments HC (2021)

Feature Character(s)

• Arak (first appearance; last appearance in Arak, Son of Thunder #31; next appearance in Arak, Son of Thunder #31)

Villain(s)

• A group of Svear vikings (no further appearances)
• An amber creature (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Dziewona (a maiden; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story is Arak's first published appearance and is a preview of the Arak regular series which debuted the following month.

Arak, Son of Thunder #31 reprints this story with a new framing sequence which places it in context with Arak's other adventures. That story reveals that this story takes place between pages 6 and 7 of Arak/Son of Thunder #1 before his vikings companions were killed.

Synopsis:
In Northern Europe sometime after the fall of the Roman Empire, a red-skinned warrior hunts in the wilderness. He comes across a beautiful blond woman bathing in a pool near some ruins. Arak watches her for a time until a snapping twig gives away his presence. The woman sends her dogs after him, but he kills them. The girl runs, but Arak catches her.

Arak tells the woman he does not intend to harm her. He is seeking a trove of amber rumored to exist nearby. Before the woman can answer they are attacked by vikings. A thrown spear strikes a glancing blow which renders the warrior unconscious.

When Arak recovers, the girl is gone. Arak follows the men who are gathered around the trove of amber. The girl is their prisoner. He then sees a creature made of amber. The men intend to sacrifice the woman. Arak fights off the men to save the girl. He then battles the creature until the girl stops it with a spoken command. Arak realizes that the woman, Dziewona, was never in danger from the creature. The remaining men flee in horror, while Arak and the woman part ways. Before leaving the woman foretells of Arak's future in the City of the Golden Horn.