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Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny

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This article is about the comic book series. You may be looking for the shelved video game.

Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny is a four-issue comic book written by Elaine Lee, with art by Dan Spiegle and Will Simpson. It was published by Dark Horse Comics in monthly installments from April to July 1995. It was collected along with other Indiana Jones comics in Omnibus: Volume 2 in June 2008 and the following July saw the issues released as four individual 24 page hardcovers for libraries by publisher Spotlight.[1][2]

Publisher's summary[]

Issue #1[]

In the heart of 1945 Ireland, Indiana Jones and his father, Doctor Henry Jones, discover a terrible secret that could destroy all of civilization. The Spear of Destiny -- which pierced the side of Christ Himself -- has been captured by Nazi spies and will be subjugated to their evil desires if they find the tree rooted from the original thorn. In the hands of one man, the spear killed Christ. In the hands of the Nazis, it would destroy the world. Only the Joneses stand between them and total world domination.

Issue #2[]

The tip of the fabled Spear of Destiny has been captured by Nazis! But the tip of the spear is just the tip of the iceberg, and Indiana Jones and his father, Doctor Henry Jones, must retrieve it before the Nazis reconstruct the entire shaft. Can a couple of regular Joneses succeed where the greatest armies of the world almost failed? All they need is the faith of a young man whose father wants them dead!

Issue #3[]

The Nazis have the tip of the fabled Spear of Destiny, but without the staff it's just another old relic! So Indy and his father run off to Wales in search of the missing piece of the puzzle! The fate of the free world hangs in the balance as the Joneses run to stay one step ahead of the Third Reich!

Issue #4[]

Indy thought he could save the world by stopping the Nazis from assembling the fabled Spear of Destiny. But now they've found all the missing pieces and it's all he can do to save himself! Hang on to your hat for the harrowing conclusion to Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny!

Plot summary[]

Canyon of the Crescent Moon, 1938[]

Indiana Jones reaches for the Holy Grail, perched in a crack in the Temple of the Sun. Hanging onto him, his father, Professor Henry Jones urges him to let it go, and Indy turns back and lets his father help him up. As the Joneses ride out into the Canyon of the Crescent Moon with Marcus Brody and Sallah, they muse on what they found in the Grail. Privately, Indy admits to himself that he lost the Grail, while his father admits to himself that he should have stayed to become the Grail's guardian, but was too weak.

Near New Grange, Ireland, 1945[]

Indiana Jones supervises the uncovering of several rock carvings inside a mound near New Grange, in Ireland. One of his assistants, Brendan O'Neal, helps himself to small stone spiral carving. As the team quit for the day, a mysterious blond woman appears, with food and a letter for Jones. O'Neal warned that she might be a fairy before he leaves, but Jones takes the letter, sent from his father. The woman shinea a mirror into the mound, which caused the interior to light up, sending Jones to tumble down inside the cave.

Jones has a vision of a verdant paradise, where a cloaked man claimed that the spear is his. Wrestling with the man, Jones sees that it is Adolf Hitler. Trying to escape, Jones finds a tree, half blooming, and half burning. The mysterious woman explains the nature of the spear and orders Jones to find it. Waking from his hallucination, Jones finds himself in the common room of Connely's Inn, where the innkeeper and his wife tend to the injured archaeologist, and tell him that they had not seen the woman that Jones had met. The barkeep explains that Jones had been found outside the mound, and carried back by the men. Jones discovers that he still had the letter in his jacket, and reads it. Henry wrote that while lecturing at the annual Grail lore conference in Glastonbury, he had been approached by some "Nederlanders" who were very interested in the Spear of Longinus, rumored to be connected to Glastonbury by the legends of Joseph of Arimathea. Hoping to prevent the Nazis from finding it, Henry was enlisting the help of his son. Wiped out, Indy went upstairs to his room to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Jones wakes up in pain and starts downstairs for a drink. He overhears Connely discussing Jones and his letter to a Nazi via radio. Connely offers to have his Blueshirts kill Jones, and Jones slips back in his room to make his escape. He begins packing his gear, when a shadowy figure grabs him. Jones fights back against his assailant before Jones realizes that it is O'Neal, who had arrived to warn Jones of the plot to kill him. When Pete and two other Blueshirts come up to attack Jones, Jones surprises them by smashing a framed picture of Saint Sebastian into Pete's face.

O'Neal and Jones climb out the window. O'Neal drives Jones away in his mom's car, which had been converted to using natural gas with a large gas-filled bladder on top. They drive off, chased in two cars by Pete, Bobby, and their leader. Miles later, the pursuers gain on Jones and O'Neal, who jump from the car just before a bullet explodes the gas tank, destroying the vehicle. Jones and O'Neal commandeer a horse cart and manage to get to the coastal town with the ferry port. Throwing off some cargo to cause their pursuers to crash before the dock, Jones forces his attackers to leave their cars and chase on foot. As they raced for the ferry, Pete shoots O'Neal. Jones grabs O'Neal, and jumps onto the departing ferry, safe from pursuit. Aboard the ferry, O'Neal reveals that he had not been injured, as the bullet had hit and destroyed the spiral stone carving in his pocket instead.

Glastonbury, England[]

The next day, Jones and O'Neal meets up with Professor Jones, who fills them in on the history of the Spear as they climb up Wearyall Hill. At the site of the Holy Thorn, Henry is prevented from grasping a sprig by Edwina Cheltingham, who, though first serious at stopping botanical vandalism, introduces herself. As Henry explains that the spear tip was to be found in the Weltliche Schatzkammer of Vienna, Cheltingham gets involved and points out that some speculated that the Staff of Joseph which grew into the thorn may have also been the shaft of the Spear. Indy realizes that the Nazis need the wood from the thorn tree to rebuild the Spear, and the four plot to question the young would-be mystic from the Nazi group Seigfried. Henry sends a letter to Seigfried, inviting him to meet alone.

That sundown, Seigfried arrives at the Chalice Well alone, with the note. Since Henry has not yet arrived, the youth drinks from the well, and receives a vision about the nature of the Spear, with Seigfried as a knight. Overhearing Seig talking about having his blood purified by the Spear, Henry Jones arrives and remarks on some of the sins of Germany during this time - and alludes to more blood spilled if Hitler has the spear. Sensing a trap, Seigfried tries to escape, but O'Neal and Indiana Jones wrestle to hold him for questioning. Finally, Henry is convinced that Seig does not know where the spear tip is.

Seig's father, Dieterhoffmann arrives with his brutes, and captures the Joneses and O'Neal. Kurt and Jorge ties up Indy and O'Neal, while Dieterhoffmann explains that with the Spear assembled, his son, who had been intentionally kept pure, could wield the Spear to restore German domination, which Hitler, an Austrian, had failed to do. Dieterhoffmann also surprises his son by revealing that he has gotten the spear tip, with the help of Otto Nehrkorn. Plotting to kill the interlopers, Dieterhoffmann is forced to stop when a tour group of schoolgirls arrived, led on a night-time garden tour by Cheltingham. She whispers a rendezvous point to Indiana, and then tries to force the Nazis to leave the garden for trespassing. Jones uses the distraction to escape, and Nehrkorn chases him, but eschewing Dieterhoffmann's violence, lets him go instead. Jones returns to the scene to tackle Dieterhoffmann, whose pistol goes off, breaking the spear tip into two halves - one of which falls to Seigfried, the other lands in O'Neal's hands. Unwilling to shoot their captives with so many schoolgirl witnesses about, the Nazis are unable to prevent the Joneses and O'Neal from escaping.

Later that night, the three arrive at Glastonbury Abbey to meet with Cheltingham. Before she arrives, they followed a light in the Lady Chapel, which led them to an altar underground, where a cloaked figure seeks for them to guard the spear. A gust of wind reveals that the figure is the mysterious blond woman. Chasing the blond woman into the garden, they encounter Cheltingham, who points out the true Holy Thorn and provides them with a getaway car and driver, her student Rebecca Stein. When O'Neal thanks the elder botanist with a kiss, Cheltingham gives him a sprig of the real thorn for luck, and they drive off, with the Nazis in chase again.

During the car chase, Indiana takes the half of the spear tip from O'Neal, and began shooting at their pursuers. A bullet aimed for Indy's chest curves out of the way at the last moment, hitting the car instead -- thanks to the mystical powers of the spear tip in Indy's shirt pocket. Firing back, Jones causes his pursuers to crash, and Stein drives them to Wales, explaining her calm demeanor under fire as a result of having had to escape the Nazis previously, as a Jewish refugee.

Wales[]

All three men try to impress Stein, but she shrugs them off for not being Jewish. A flat tire forces them to stop, near Gorsedd Arbeth. While O'Neal changes the tire, Indiana climbs a hill to rest. Falling asleep, he receives another vision from the mysterious blond woman, urging onward in his quest to find and protect the spear, and warns him of an impending attack and a path for escape. Jones awakes to being punched by Kurt. Dieterhoffmann and his men have caught up to them, and have already seized Stein and the elder Jones, with O'Neal escaping. Taking back the half of the spear tip from Jones, the Nazis tie Indiana Jones to a boulder, and drop him off the cliff, and set off with Stein and Henry Jones as captives.

At the bottom of the lake, his vision's message became clear - an underwater trove of ancient arms allow Indy to cut his bonds, and he takes the tip of one of the weapons as a souvenir. O'Neal helps haul him out of the water, and the two try to find a vehicle to take to the ferry terminal at Holyhead.

Jones and O'Neal arrive at Holyhead, and hide in the shadows and form a plan to recover the spear tip and rescue the captives as the Nazis commandeered the ferry. O'Neal calls out to the Nazis from an upper deck of the ferry to divert their attention and allow Professor Jones to escape. This also gives Jones the chance to sneak up on Seigfried and pull a knife to him. With the tables turned, Dieterhoffmann gives up a bundle containing the spear tip to O'Neal. When Seig realizes that Jones would not actually harm him, he lets his father know, who then sends his men after Jones. O'Neal distracts them again by throwing the spear tip package into the water, and then leaping into the water himself. While some of the Nazis dive in after the spear tip, Jones tries to free Stein, but Kurt grabs her first. Unable to rescue her, Indiana flees into the water, where he and O'Neal are picked up by Henry Jones in a small sailboat and follow the ferry toward Ireland.

At sea[]

Drying off in the boat, the three commiserate on losing Rebecca Stein again, but are glad to have recovered half of the spear tip -- O'Neal had secretly swapped Dieterhoffmann's spear tip bundle with a bundle containing the Celtic weapon fragment. They spy a submarine snorkel, closing to provide an escort for the Nazis on the ferry. An underwater mine explodes, causing O'Neal and the spear tip to be knocked out of the ship. After grabbing the spear tip, Indiana dives in to pull O'Neal to safety. Back in the boat, Henry notices that the spear tip half pointing itself in the direction of where they need to go.

Ireland, March 21, 1945[]

Landing on the east coast of Ireland, Indiana Jones goes off in the rain to rescue Stein at Connely's Inn, while Henry Jones and O'Neal are sent to the dig site to assemble the spear from the components they have.

At Connely's Inn, Dieterhoffmann and his Nazis wear their uniforms as they meet with Connely and his Blueshirt unit. With Jones in possession of a piece of the spear tip, Dieterhoffmann is furious, and Stein's comments make him even madder. While Jones climbs up the outside of the building, Dieterhoffmann strikes Stein to the ground, an action that prompts an outburst from his son. As Dieterhoffmann explains his notions regarding Stein's heritage, Jones appears at the top of the stairs, having taken Bobby at knife point as a hostage in trade for Stein.

When Dieterhoffmann refuses to trade for the Blueshirt's life, Connely objects, and Dieterhoffmann rebuffs his Irish allies, and sends Kurt to get Jones. Kurt climbs the stairs, and Jones pushes his hostage at him. Kurt grabs Bobby and throws him over the staircase, which kills the lad. Pete jumps up to avenge Bobby and attacks Kurt. In the commotion, Jones grabs Stein, and pulls her up the stairs, just as she snatches a spear tip bundle from Seigfried's pocket. After Kurt bests Pete, Connely clubs the Nazi brute in the back of the head. Losing control of his former allies, Dieterhoffmann shoots Connely before Kurt can be hit again. Upstairs, Stein gives Jones a stolen piece of the spear, and then the two jump from the upper story window and escape by car.

Driving across the land, Jones and Stein crash into a bog, and set out on foot, with Jones carrying the skirted Stein across the muck. The Nazis pursue them, and one car holding Jorge and Seigfried also crashes in the mire. Knowing where Jones is heading, Dieterhoffmann stops to pick up his vehicle-less men.

Inside the mound, O'Neal recounts the history of the Spear of Lugh, a legendary Celtic weapon, and Henry Jones notes similarities in its lore to the Spear of Longinus, as quoted from Le Morte d'Arthur. They conclude that it was likely that they are one in the same - the spear had started in Ireland, and was taken to Wales, which was conquered by Romans, who took it to Jerusalem, and then it returned to Britain with Joseph of Arimathea. O'Neal assembles the half of the spear tip to a shaft of yew and attaches the sprig of the Holy Thorn to it. Jones and Stein arrives, but the piece that they take from Seigfried is a decoy.

The Nazis arrive, and as Kurt reaches for the partially assembled spear, the missing spear tip half shoots out of Dieterhoffmann's pocket and reattaches itself to the rest of spear, which then takes flight around the room. Kurt is impaled, and the cavern starts to collapse. Trying to find safe ground, O'Neal steps on a large spiral carving, which begins to shriek. O'Neal realizes he has stepped on the Stone of Fal and is a true king of Ireland. He commands the spear to come to him, but it drives itself into his chest. Henry Jones takes the spear, and the morning light of the Equinox shines in, illuminating the spear and the Stone. Professor Jones, Dieterhoffmann, and Seigfried witness the marvel of blood streaming from the tip of the spear, though Indiana, a skeptic, is unable to see the miracle. As Seigfried prays in thanksgiving for witnessing the spectacle, his father begins bleeding heavily and collapses in death. The cavern starts to crumble again, and everyone tries to escape. After Henry Jones lets go of the spear, Otto Nehrkorn steals the spear tip and is chased by Indiana Jones. Jones stops his pursuit to pull the rapt Seigfried to safety. Above ground, Nehrkorn escapes in the one remaining car. O'Neal, Stein and the Joneses watch Seigfried die in religious ecstasy. Using a quote from The Quest of the Holy Grail, the senior Jones utters a brief eulogy over the lad. The mound collapses in on itself, and grass mystically regrows over it, which O'Neal takes as a superstitious sign to keep out.

New York City, August 1945[]

Indiana Jones meets up with O'Neal in a New York City bar where O'Neal works as a bartender. He relates how he had returned to Wales to try to find the treasure cache but was unsuccessful. O'Neal surprises Jones by revealing that he still has the Celtic weapon tip. Jones then relates how he had heard that the American forces had found the Spear tip when they had taken Nuremburg, and that the Spear now was in the hands of the American government. Just as he finishes his explanation, a radio newsflash announces the atomic bombing of Japan, and Jones and O'Neal are reminded of the Spear's power. A young blond lady asks for a drink and a place to hang her union rally sign, and both Jones and O'Neal mistake her for the mysterious blond woman.

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Locations[]

Artifacts[]

Miscellanea[]

Behind the scenes[]

Development[]

Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny was developed for Dark Horse Comics from a pitch by writer Elaine Lee who was interested in Celtic archaeology and Arthurian legend, and was partly influenced by her own disappointment that the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie hadn't delved into that aspect of the Holy Grail mythology. Her inclusion of Henry Walton Jones, Senior went against a publication guideline in place at the time to avoid usage of the character but Lucasfilm Ltd. approved the story.[3]

Continuity[]

In the third issue, when Indiana Jones remembers how Colonel Ernst Vogel hit him in a "German goodbye salute" at Castle Brunwald in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy is depicted as having been standing with his hands tied up to his back, even though the actual film had Indy seated at a chair while tied up with his father.

Cover gallery[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ Amazon.com
  2. ↑ Perma-Bound
  3. ↑ IndyCast: Episode 331 at IndyCast

External links[]

Dark Horse Comics
Adaptations
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: 1 · 2
Original stories
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: "Mid-Atlantic, April 1916"
Indiana Jones and the Shrine of the Sea Devil: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Indiana Jones: Thunder in the Orient: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
Indiana Jones and the Arms of Gold: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Indiana Jones and the Golden Fleece: 1 · 2
Indiana Jones and the Iron Phoenix: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Indiana Jones and the Sargasso Pirates: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
Cancelled: Jungle Queen · Dance of Death
Lost Horizon · Batman crossover
Indiana Jones Adventures
Volume 1 · Volume 2 · Temple of Yearning
Star Wars Tales
Into the Great Unknown
Collections
Omnibus: Volume 1 · Volume 2
Related
Star Wars · Indiana Jones Trident Comics · Indiana Jones Comic
Marvel Comics · Hollywood Comics · Timeline of comics
ADVENTURE TIMELINE
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1943 March 1945 1947
Indiana Jones und das Verschwundene Volk Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny Indiana Jones and the Iron Phoenix
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