Blog

Hey everybody, welcome back to another great spotlight here at Marvel Snapshot! This week I’ll be focusing in on none other than Conan the Barbarian himself. Yes, I know he wasn’t a marvel creation, but he did have a great run at Marvel in the 1970s under the guidance of Roy Thomas, so I’m paying homage to Thomas, and his creator Robert E. Howard, right now!
The father of sword and sorcery is the man responsible for creating Conan. His name was Robert E. Howard, and he was one of the most brilliant writers of his time. Marvel, in the 1970s, decided to revise the adventures of Conan the Barbarian with Roy Thomas leading the charge.

Conan the Barbarian was born in the Hyborian Age in the land know as Cimmeria. Conan is a warrior born and bred, and has been a seasoned fighter since the age of fifteen! He killed many men in battle, but then took to wandering around Hyboria for adventure. He fought against witches, demons, sorcerers, you name it. When he was 40 years old or so, he became King of Aquilonia. He ruled fairly, but was always hungry for battle, not ever satisfied to just relax.
One of Conan’s first adventures was when he heard of the fabled “Heart of the Elephant” jewel. He knew it was hidden in a tower by a sorcerer named Yara. In this battle, Conan kills a giant poisonous spider to gain the jewel. In another story, Conan is hired by a wealthy nobleman to steal a certain artifact from a museum. Conan does, but also gets caught up in a murder mystery. He eventually finds the killer and dispatches him. The thing he defeats is actually a huge snake-like being called “Man-Serpent.” Later, Conan takes on a sorcerer named Sogar Sag. This guy can control certain animals and beings of the forest. He sets a few of them loose on Conan, but he defeats them easily.

Wolfmen, Scorpions, giant octopi, the list of crazy adversaries goes on for miles, and so does Howard’s and Thomas’s writing. If you like fantasy books, then you have to check out Conan (if you already don’t own all of his stuff). He is a really cool character that not only utilizes brawn, but brains as well. Click 0n the map below to enlarge and check out Conan’s stomping grounds!

Check out my Recommended Reading list and also some killer pics below. See you right back here next week!
Recommended Reading
Conan the Barbarian (1970) #1-275
Conan the Barbarian Annual (1973) #1-12
Conan the Barbarian: The Usurper (1997) #1-3 (LS)
Conan the Barbarian: Stalker in the Woods (1997) #1-3 (LS)
Conan the Barbarian: Scarlet Sword (1998) #1-3 (LS)
Conan the Barbarian: River of Blood (1998) #1-3 (LS)
Conan the Barbarian: Return of Styrm (1998) #1-3 (LS)
Conan the Barbarian: Flame and the Fiend (2000) #1-3 (LS)






Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net