Olac the Gladiator

Real Name: Olac

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Adventurer, soldier, former bodyguard, gladiator

Affiliations: Sebastos, Ulf the Viking, Varengo

Enemies: Zed, Black Torlag, Orzab

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Marco (Spanish name)

Base of Operations: Rome

First Appearance: Tiger (IPC, 9th November 1957)

Powers/Abilities: Skilled swordsman. At least temporarily, he possessed the magical "Golden Sword of Tarbin" which could cut through virtually anything with ease, including other swords.

History: A Cumbrian Celt, Olag became a Roman slave before winning his freedom after proving himself one of the Empire's foremost gladiators. Some of his many adventures included preventing usurpers claiming the Emperor's throne and participating in the ancient Olympic games.

Comments: Olac starred in his own series in Tiger from 9th November 1957 until 1st March 1969. He was created by writer Brian Leigh and an uncredited artist, thought Ruggero Giovannini later became the artist most associated with drawing him, taking over the strip in October 1959 and drawing it until the final installment, except for a few other artists filling in for brief periods here and there. He also appeared in reprints in Eagle Picture Library #4 and #11, in Portuguese magazine Mundo de Aventuras (Worlds of Adventure), and in at least eight Dutch collected editions Olac de Gladiator. In Spain he was reprinted as Marco el gladiador.

One of Olac's comrades, who he met while both were enslaved on a galley, was Ulf the Viking. This obviously presents a slight historical problem, since (as far as my understanding of history goes), the Vikings weren't around during the heyday of the Roman Empire.

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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