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Nintendo Power's 'A Link to the Past' comic returning in May

Viz imprint Perfect Square has acquired the rights to collect and reprint the Shotaro Ishinomori manga serialised in Nintendo Power magazine.

Michelle Starr Science editor
Michelle Starr is CNET's science editor, and she hopes to get you as enthralled with the wonders of the universe as she is. When she's not daydreaming about flying through space, she's daydreaming about bats.
Michelle Starr
2 min read

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Nintendo

In the early 1990s, finding out the latest news about games for the SNES wasn't the sole -- or even most compelling -- reason for purchasing the monthly Nintendo Power magazine. There was also a serialised manga version of "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" by legendary creator Shotaro Ishinomori.

In 1993, it was collected into a graphic novel, but has been out of print since that time, making the book a rarity. But if you've never read it -- or would love to go back and revisit it -- it's getting a new lease on life, returning to print in May by way of Viz Media imprint Perfect Square.

The story of the manga more or less follows the story of "A Link to the Past," fleshed out with a range of plot developments and characters that weren't in the game, such as a fairy named Epheremelda -- who thankfully had much more interesting things to say than Navi -- and Roam, the pointy-nosed knight who could turn into an eagle.

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Viz Media

"'The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past' is such a rare book, showcasing world-famous manga creator Shotaro Ishinomori's incredible art with the classic Nintendo story of Link and his quest to save Princess Zelda against all odds. We are honoured and excited to make the publication available once again to North American readers from the Perfect Square library," said Perfect Square Senior Editorial Director Beth Kawasaki.

The book will join what seems to be a recent resurgence in The Legend of Zelda cross-media, including a 10-volume manga, also released by Viz, back in 2011; the Hyrule Historia, released in Japan in 2011 and North America in 2013, published by Dark Horse; and a Legend of Zelda-themed Monopoly, released last year.

"The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" is due to hit shelves on May 5, 2015.