Cerebus #4
In "Death's Dark Tread," Dave Sim’s Cerebus stumbles upon a fateful gem in Serrea, unaware it’s the Chaos Gem—wanted by Death itself. As monstrous forces converge on him, Cerebus fights back with stubborn resolve, only to find his path redirected through the unlikely and pompous Elrod of Melvinbone. With art and story by Dave Sim, and cover by Dave Sim, this 1978 issue blends dark whimsy and escalating dread in a tale where luck turns to peril and escape is only the beginning.
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In Serrea, a drunken Cerebus chances upon a valuable gem. He believes his luck has taken an upturn, but the jewel is actually the Chaos Gem, and Death wants it for itself. Death begins sending monsters at Cerebus to herd him towards his doom, but Cerebus is too strong-willed. Seeking a weaker mind, Death finds Elrod of Melvinbone, prince of a distant people (and an arrogant buffoon). Elrod manages to get himself and Cerebus thrown in a dungeon, but Cerebus manages to escape, happily leaving Elrod behind to rot. Sensing the gem is the cause of all these troubles, Cerebus tosses it down a well.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).