Stingy Jack, perhaps also known as Jack the Smith and Jack of the Lantern, is a mythical character apparently associated with All Hallows Eve. It is common lore that the "Jack-O' Lantern" is derived from the character.
As the story goes, several centuries ago amongst the myriad of towns and villages in Ireland , there lived a drunkard known as "Jack the Smith". Jack was known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator and otherwise dreg of society. On a fateful night, the devil overheard the tale of Jack's evil deeds and silver tongue. Unconvinced (and envious) of the rumors, the devil went to find out for himself whether or not Jack lived up to his vile reputation.
Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path. The body with an eerie grimace on its face turned out to be the Devil. Jack realized somberly this was his end; the devil had finally come to collect his malevolent soul. Jack made a last request: he asked the devil to let him drink ale before he departed to hell. Finding no reason not to acquiesce the request, the devil took Jack to the local pub and supplied him with many alcoholic beverages. Upon quenching his thirst, Jack asked the devil to pay the tab on the ale, to the devil's surprise. Jack convinced the devil to metamorphose into a silver coin with which to pay the bartender (impressed upon by Jack's unyielding nefarious tactics). Shrewdly, Jack stuck the now transmogrified devil (coin) into his pocket, which also contained a crucifix. The crucifix's presence prevented the devil from escaping his form. This coerced the devil to agree to Jack's demand: in exchange for the devil's freedom, the devil had to spare Jack's soul for 10 years.
Ten years later to the date when Jack originally struck his deal, he found himself once again in the devil's presence. Same as the setting before, Jack happened upon the devil and seemingly accepted it was his time to go to hell for good. As the devil prepared to take him to the underworld, Jack asked if he could have one apple to feed his starving belly. Foolishly the devil once again agreed to this request. As the devil climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, Jack surrounded its base with crucifixes. The devil, frustrated at the fact that he been entrapped again, demanded his release. As Jack did before, he demanded that his soul never be taken by the devil into hell. The devil agreed and was set free.
Eventually the drinking and unstable lifestyle took its toll on Jack; he died the way he lived. As Jack's soul prepared to enter heaven through the gates of St. Peter he was stopped. Jack was told that because of his sinful lifestyle of deceitfulness and drinking, he was not allowed into heaven. The dreary Jack went before the Gates of Hell and begged for commission into underworld. The devil, fulfilling his obligation to Jack, could not take his soul. To warn others, he gave Jack an ember, marking him a denizen of the netherworld. From that day on until eternity's end, Jack is doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil, with only an ember inside a hollowed turnip ("turnip" actually referring to a large swede) to light his way.
Get your printable version of Patrick Hoover's Stingy Jack Comic from Angry Commuter Comics published under The Outdoorsman serials.
Angry Commuter Comics is a webcomic site created by artist Patrick Hoover to be a showcase for his various comic creations. The Outdoorsman is a serial comic created, written and drawn by artist Patrick Hoover. The concept is simple; it chronicles the adventures of a hunter, an outdoorsman…who hunts monsters. The Outdoorsman ventures into both strange and familiar territory to hunt the most dangerous game: creatures of the supernatural. After each successful kill, the hunter takes a trophy to mount in his trophy room of the weird and macabre! The Outdoorsman is currently presented in a short story format; bite-size stories to tantalize your mental taste-buds with pulp-flavored horror, action and dark humor. The Outdoorsman is serialized here on Angry Commuter Comics, and will soon also be available in print.
Angry Commuter Comics © 2006 and The Outdoorsman © 2007 Patrick Hoover. All Rights Reserved.
Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path. The body with an eerie grimace on its face turned out to be the Devil. Jack realized somberly this was his end; the devil had finally come to collect his malevolent soul. Jack made a last request: he asked the devil to let him drink ale before he departed to hell. Finding no reason not to acquiesce the request, the devil took Jack to the local pub and supplied him with many alcoholic beverages. Upon quenching his thirst, Jack asked the devil to pay the tab on the ale, to the devil's surprise. Jack convinced the devil to metamorphose into a silver coin with which to pay the bartender (impressed upon by Jack's unyielding nefarious tactics). Shrewdly, Jack stuck the now transmogrified devil (coin) into his pocket, which also contained a crucifix. The crucifix's presence prevented the devil from escaping his form. This coerced the devil to agree to Jack's demand: in exchange for the devil's freedom, the devil had to spare Jack's soul for 10 years.
Ten years later to the date when Jack originally struck his deal, he found himself once again in the devil's presence. Same as the setting before, Jack happened upon the devil and seemingly accepted it was his time to go to hell for good. As the devil prepared to take him to the underworld, Jack asked if he could have one apple to feed his starving belly. Foolishly the devil once again agreed to this request. As the devil climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, Jack surrounded its base with crucifixes. The devil, frustrated at the fact that he been entrapped again, demanded his release. As Jack did before, he demanded that his soul never be taken by the devil into hell. The devil agreed and was set free.
Eventually the drinking and unstable lifestyle took its toll on Jack; he died the way he lived. As Jack's soul prepared to enter heaven through the gates of St. Peter he was stopped. Jack was told that because of his sinful lifestyle of deceitfulness and drinking, he was not allowed into heaven. The dreary Jack went before the Gates of Hell and begged for commission into underworld. The devil, fulfilling his obligation to Jack, could not take his soul. To warn others, he gave Jack an ember, marking him a denizen of the netherworld. From that day on until eternity's end, Jack is doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil, with only an ember inside a hollowed turnip ("turnip" actually referring to a large swede) to light his way.
Get your printable version of Patrick Hoover's Stingy Jack Comic from Angry Commuter Comics published under The Outdoorsman serials.
Angry Commuter Comics is a webcomic site created by artist Patrick Hoover to be a showcase for his various comic creations. The Outdoorsman is a serial comic created, written and drawn by artist Patrick Hoover. The concept is simple; it chronicles the adventures of a hunter, an outdoorsman…who hunts monsters. The Outdoorsman ventures into both strange and familiar territory to hunt the most dangerous game: creatures of the supernatural. After each successful kill, the hunter takes a trophy to mount in his trophy room of the weird and macabre! The Outdoorsman is currently presented in a short story format; bite-size stories to tantalize your mental taste-buds with pulp-flavored horror, action and dark humor. The Outdoorsman is serialized here on Angry Commuter Comics, and will soon also be available in print.
Angry Commuter Comics © 2006 and The Outdoorsman © 2007 Patrick Hoover. All Rights Reserved.
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