Follow

    The Books of Magic #3

    The Books of Magic » The Books of Magic #3 - The Land of Summer's Twilight released by DC Comics on February 1991.

    Short summary describing this issue.

    The Land of Summer's Twilight last edited by palsunstar on 04/17/23 04:25PM View full history

    Tim and Dr. Occult are walking through a field. Tim asks Occult if he's a real doctor. Occult responds that he's not a medical doctor, though he can do minor procedures such as setting a bone. They stop under a tree, and Occult tells Tim that they have to wait there until twilight. While they wait, they discuss the other members of the Trenchcoat Brigade. As the time to leave nears, Occult asks Tim to empty his pockets and leave everything metal behind. He informs Tim that there are a few things he MUST remember: 1)Obey Occult's orders no matter how strange they are 2)Don't ask any questions or favors of anyone they meet, and don't accept any gifts without Occult's permission 3)Remember his manners; politeness is extremely important, and 4) NEVER stray from the path. As the two set off on their journey, Tim questions the wisdom of his decision to come.

    The two cross a stream by carefully walking on stones, and Occult warns Tim not to get his feet wet. They approach a wooden gate and Tim asks if they're really going to Fairyland like John said. Occult tells Tim to look behind. He does so, and instead of the field and stream, there is a vast ocean. He tells Tim they have already left his world; the gate exists in both. He warns Tim that when they cross the gate's threshold, he might notice a few changes. Which is true, because after they enter the gate, Dr. Occult is gone and replaced with a young dark-haired woman. She tells Tim that she is no longer Dr. Occult. Tim asks the woman her name; she tells him to find one. Tim looks around, and notices a rose bush. He decides to call her Rose, and she is pleased.

    They enter a huge Market full of magical creatures and items. One market lady offers Tim his heart's desire for a year of his life. While Tim is turning down the old lady's offer, he doesn't notice an imp putting something in back pocket. Tim's owl Yo-yo does, however and attacks the imp. Rose asks what's going on and the imp angrily demands compensation for being attacked by the owl. Rose asks Yo-yo if that's true. Yo-yo hoots in response, and Rose informs the imp that Yo-yo said he was trying a bracelet in Tim's pocket. Glory, the warden of the market, appears and berates the imp(named Snout) for trying to get Tim accused of theft. Glory tells Tim that he may claim restitution for Snout's act, and orders Snout to lead them to his barrow which is full of items and knick-knacks. Glory tells Tim, Rose, and Yo-yo that they may each choose an item of Snout's to take for free. Rose chooses a mirror, Yo-yo a necklace, and Tim chooses an egg. Glory is especially impressed by Tim's choice of a Mundane Egg, and wonders how someone like Snout could have ended up with one. Rose and Tim bid Glory their farewells, and set off on their journey once more.

    Tim states that he's hungry and asks if there's anything to eat. Rose warns him not to eat anything in Faerie; at least not if he wants to return home the same time as he left. She then warns him to watch his step as they fall into a sea of blood. They crawl ashore and Rose explains that it's a metaphor for fertility and mystery, but since they're in Faerie, there is no metaphor. Though the blood is wet and messy, Rose informs him that it will soon vanish. Nothing lasts very long there.

    They walk down a path, and approach a cave where a giant is standing guard. Rose becomes Dr. Occult again and asks entrance into the cave. The giant offers to let them in if they solve a riddle. Thanks to the mirror that he picked up in Market, Occult is able to solve the riddle. Tim considers that to be very lucky. Dr. Occult is more ambiguous.

    Inside the cave, they find a man playing a harp, who is sitting next to the body of a dead king. The man is delighted to have visitors, and introduces himself as Thomas. Thomas seems to recognize Dr. Occult and calls him Melchior, though Occult denies this. Thomas mentions that Melchior had a women named Rose with him. They made love once, and he wonders if Rose would remember him. Occult replies that he doubts it. Tim asks who the dead man is, and Thomas tells him that he is he King Who Sleeps Beneath the Hill; in his country's time of greatest need he will rise once more. Tim wonders of he means King Arthur, to which Thomas replies that he is King Arthur... And Charlemagne, and Brian Boru, and all the others.

    Tim and Occult continue walking on the path through the cave, but now it is do dark that they cannot see. Tim exits the cave, only to find that Dr. Occult is nowhere to be seen. Tim walks down the path for a ways. He sees Dr. Occult approaching a wooden house, and Occult calls for him. Tim rushes over, but "Dr. Occult" turns into the hideous with, Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga captures Tim and plans to eat him. She hangs him upside down in her house, which begins walking on giant chicken legs.

    Baba Yaga decides that she needs vegetables if she's going to make Tim stew, so she flies away on her pestle. Two animals who are hanging up next to Tim begin talking to him about Baba Yaga; suddenly Yo-yo flies in. Tim tells Yo-yo to fly away and find Dr. Occult. Yo-yo hoots in response and the other animals translate it as saying that Yo-yo doesn't know where Occult is. The other animals notice the necklace that Yo-yo picked up at Market, and marvel that at how an owl managed to find "Empusa's Infinitely Extensible". Yo-yo flies out the window, and begins wrapping the infinitely extending chain around the house's chicken legs; causing the house to fall. Tim and the other animals escape from the rubble, only to find Baba Yaga flying back from her vegetable gathering expedition. She chases after Tim. Tim trips over a tree root, but falls right in front of Rose. Rose explains that Tim is under her protection, but Baba Yaga is furious about her house. Rose warns the old witch that if she doesn't release Tim, Rose will shout Yaga's true name throughout the forest. Bitterly, Baba Yaga allows them to leave. Tim figures that Rose was bluffing, but she denies this. She tells him that once when she was younger she visited the Mansions of Madness and drank a special wine. She learned the true names of many things and would have destroyed Baba Yaga.

    They continue walking along the path, until they are met by a regal lady on horseback. The lady recognizes Rose, though she recognizes her as a man. She asks Rose to introduce Tim, and she does so. Rose tells the queen that she is showing Tim the distant worlds. The queen decides that they will visit her palace. Tim asks her if it's very far. The queen answers that it is not, and suddenly they are there.

    The queen talks to Tim and makes several cryptic statements. She tells him that the places he will visit do not really exit, therefore they are all that matters. They provide an escape from the "real world". The queen picks up a key and offers it to Tim as a gift. She tosses it to him, and he catches it before he can react. Rose shouts out, but it is too late. Tim has accepted the queen's gift. The queen tells them to go on and see the far worlds. She rings a bell and asks her page Hamnet for a strawberry. She smiles slyly as Rose and Tim leave.

    Dr. Occult shows Tim several worlds. First is Skartaris, where Travis Morgan reigns as Warlord. She shows him Nightmaster battling a dark figure, Princess Amethyst of Gemworld, and also the Demon,Etrigan, in Hell.

    The final place they visit is a dark and misty world, where two figures in party hats sit in a cemetery. The men introduce themselves as Cain and Abel, rulers of the Dreaming. The Lord Shaper, the real lord of the Dreaming, approaches them from behind. Cain and Abel quickly apologize and claim that they were just playing a joke. Dream recognizes Tim, and tells him that he is always welcome in this realm. He asks Tim to give his regards to Titania.

    Tim and Dr. Occult return to the queen's castle. Occult thanks the queen and bids her farewell, but she reminds him that Tim accepted the gift of the key. By Faerie rules, that means he has to stay. Tim protests, but Occult solemnly tells him that rules are rules. He vows to come back with the Trenchcoat Brigade and raze Faerie if they have to. Tim becomes very upset and asks if there's NOTHING they can do. The queen smiles and tells Tim that the only way he would be able to leave would be to give her a gift equal to the one she gave him; the key of worlds. Tim replies that the only thing he has is the egg he got from Market; calling it the Ordinary Egg. Occult realizes that Tim is talking about the Mundane Egg. He tells Tim that the egg is very valuable; one day it will hatch a world. Occult offers the egg to the queen in exchange for Tim, and due to the rules of Faerie she is forced to accept the trade. She takes the egg and orders them to leave. She looks in the egg, and we see different aspects of her.

    Back under the tree in the field, Occult tells Tim to keep the key as it may come in handy one day. Tim asks where his next journey is to; Occult replies, "tomorrow". Tim wonders if that when he's leaving, but Occult tells him that's WHERE he will be going.

    sizepositionchange
    sizepositionchange
    positionchange
    positionchange
    positionchange
    bordersheaderpositiontable
    positionchange

    User reviews Add new review

    5 (1)
    4 (0)
    3 (0)
    2 (0)
    1 (0)
    5.0 stars

    Average score of 1 user reviews

    See all user reviews

    This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.