Collection Oddities: Legend of Zelda Storybook, Molblin's (Moblin) Magic Spear

If it isn't obvious from my review of the Sailor Moon Vanity Case, we like to add oddball items to our collections. So I'm going to try to feature one of these each week. This week's is a vintage Legend of Zelda storybook, Molblin's Magic Spear. Published in 1989 it's a 23 page "Golden look-look book". Apparently some of these came with a cassette tape as well but it's rare. It's set up as if there should be an entire series of these, but to my knowledge only this one produced. Which for a geek like me is sad, I would love to have an entire series of silly Zelda storybooks.


The story follows a completely original storyline. The characters you recognize are there Moblin obviously (though it's spelled molblin as it is in the NES booklet for the first Zelda), Link, Impa, Gannon, & Princess Zelda. There are also a few "new" monsters running around but, they're pretty inconsequential. Which reminds me how come the whole of Hyrule is populated by hostile animals? If Link is in a town sure there are a few friendly ones, but as soon as he's outside, BAM! everything wants to kill him. Furthermore, since they won't leave Link alone most of the time, it's clear that they're some pretty aggressive creatures so how come you don't see dead citizens littering the roads? Something to ponder.


Back to the story, basically Link encounters a giant moblin with a magic spear that reappears in his hand as soon as he throws it which causes poor link quite a problem. Why this is of particular concern to link I'll never know since, EVERY SINGLE MOBLIN EVER, has a spear that does this. In any case link uses his rupees and his wit to get by this obstacle and keeps making his way towards princess Zelda.


The art is an interesting mixture of character designs from the cartoon show the original NES booklets as well as some original designs. It's also worth noting that Link apparently became ambidextrous just for this adventure as the illustrations vary which hand he's holding the sword with. Also, I can't help noting that Zelda while pretty true to her Zelda II: The adventure of Link booklet appearance looks a lot more like the original design for princess peach/toadstool. While I'm at it, I'd like to point out that her Zelda II booklet illustration looks nothing like how she looks in the game and nor like the Zelda we're used to today, though to be fair neither does Link.
Character designs aside, the art is actually not bad especially for something that didn't come directly from Nintendo. Overall it's really not good but, it's not bad either. It is definitely another oddity I'm very happy to have.

~Stephanie

We occasionally have this book for sale in our shop check for it here.