Note: Nibelungen were a race of mythical dwarfs associated with guarding treasure. It was originally told in Germanic oral tradition in the 5th and 6th century. There is also a poem from around 1200 AD. It was and is very influential, even heavily inspiring Tolkien.

[Above: Side view.]

[Above: Four-part comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book One: The Rhingold' from 1989.]

[Above: Comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book Two: The Valkyrie', released the next year in 1990.]

[Above: Comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book Three: Siegfried', also released in 1990.]

[Above: Comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book Four: The Twilight of the Gods', also released in 1990.]

[Above: Four-part comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book One: The Rhinegold', released in 2000. 1 of 4.]

[Above: Four-part comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book One: The Rhinegold', released in 2000. 2 of 4.]

[Above: Four-part comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book One: The Rhinegold', released in 2000. 3 of 4.]

[Above: Four-part comic book of 'The Ring of the Nibelung - Book One: The Rhinegold', released in 2000. 4 of 4.]

[Above: Stills from Fritz Lang's 1924 silent film 'Die Nibelungen'.]

[Above: Cover of special edition of a DVD of 'The Ring of the Nibelung'.]

[Above: 1966 exploitation release of 'Das Schwert der Nibelungen'. This and a handful of other films were loosely based on 'The Ring of the Nibelung'.]

[Above: 1970 exploitation release of 'The Lustful Barbarian'. This was also loosely based on 'The Ring of the Nibelung'.]

[Above: Like most exploitation films gratuitous nudity was usually involved.]