Conan the Barbarian (comics) explained

Conan the Barbarian
Schedule:Monthly
Ongoing:y
Publisher:Marvel Comics
Date:October 1970 – December 1993
Issues:275 and 12 Annuals
Main Char Team:Conan
Tpb:Volume 1
Isbn:1-59307-838-2
Tpb1:Volume 2
Isbn1:1593078943
Tpb2:Volume 3
Isbn2:1593079605
Tpb3:Volume 4
Isbn3:159582149X
Tpb4:Volume 5
Isbn4:1595821759 -->
Subcat:Marvel Comics
Sort:Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian is a comics book title starring the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard, published by the American company Marvel Comics. It debuted with a first issue cover-dated October 1970 and ran for 275 issues until 1993. A commercial success, the title launched a sword-and-sorcery vogue in American 1970s comics.[1]

Marvel Comics reacquired the publishing rights in 2018 and started a new run of Conan the Barbarian in January 2019,[2] at first with the creative team of writer Jason Aaron and artist Mahmud A. Asrar.[3] This run ended in November 2021 after 25 issues, when Titan Comics acquired the license to publish Conan comic books in 2022.

Publication history

Conan the Barbarian ran for 275 issues (cover dated October 1970–December 1993). The book had a single writer, Roy Thomas, on issues #1–115 (October 1970–October 1980) and then #240–275 (January 1991–December 1993). It was also the signature work of artist Barry Smith, who pencilled most issues between #1 and #24. Artist John Buscema pencilled the vast bulk of issues #25–190. Interim writers included J. M. DeMatteis, Bruce Jones, Michael Fleisher, Doug Moench, Jim Owsley, Alan Zelenetz, Chuck Dixon, and Don Kraar.

Thomas, Marvel's associate editor at the time, had obtained the licensed property from the estate of its creator, Robert E. Howard, after finding Conan chief among readers' requests for literary properties to be adapted to comics, which also included the pulp magazine character Doc Savage, The Lord of the Rings oeuvre of writer J. R. R. Tolkien, and Edgar Rice Burroughs' characters Tarzan and John Carter of Mars.[4] Elaborating in 2010, he said,

Thomas said another reason for pursuing Thongor was that Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee "liked that name the most. . . . I soon got stalled by Lin Carter's agent on Thongor . . . and I got a sudden impulse to go after Conan. Later, following on the success of the Conan series, Lin Carter allowed Marvel to publish a Thongor comic, which appeared as a miniseries in Creatures on the Loose."[5]

After reading and enjoying the paperback Conan of Cimmeria, Thomas contacted Glen Lord, literary agent for the Howard estate, and "I said we can't offer much money but it might increase Conan's audience and so forth, what do you think? I didn't have much elasticity, but I was so embarrassed by the $150 that I upped it to $200 without thinking. So that when Glen agreed ... I decided I'd have to write the first issue or so, so that if Goodman objected I could knock a couple pages off my rate to even things out."

The extra cost meant, however, that Marvel could not budget for Buscema, Thomas' first choice, serendipitously opening the door to Smith. Buscema, in a 1994 interview, recalled,

Comics historian Les Daniels noted that "Conan the Barbarian was something of a gamble for Marvel. The series contained the usual elements of action and fantasy, to be sure, but it was set in a past that had no relation to the Marvel Universe, and it featured a hero who possessed no magical powers, little humor and comparatively few moral principles."[6]

Marvel initially published Conan every two months. After sales of #1 were strong Marvel quickly made the title monthly, but sales dropped with each additional issue. Lee decided to cancel the comic with #7, not only because of the weak sales but to use Smith on more popular comics. Thomas argued against the decision and Lee relented, although the book became bimonthly again with #14. By #20 Conan again became monthly because of rising sales, and the comic became one of Marvel's most popular in the 1970s.[7]

Elric of Melniboné first appeared in comics in Conan the Barbarian issues #14–15 (March–May 1972). The comics were written by Thomas and illustrated by Windsor-Smith, based on a story plotted by Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn.[8] [9] Red Sonja was introduced in issue #23 (February 1973).[10]

In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Thomas' work on Conan the Barbarian with Smith and Buscema seventh on its list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels".[11]

Annuals and Giant-Size series

Twelve issues of Conan Annual were published from 1973 to 1987. Giant-Size Conan was a series of 68 page giants which ran for five issues from September 1974 to 1975.

Awards

Academy of Comic Book Arts Shazam Awards[12] 1970

1971

1973

1974

Collected editions

Essential Marvel

Chronicles of Conan

Dark Horse Comics published the Chronicles of Conan series, which comprises 34 volumes released between 2003 and 2017. The chronicles are a digitally-recolored collection of the complete original 275-issue run of the Marvel Comics' title.

By Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith (unless noted):

By Roy Thomas and John Buscema (unless noted):

By J. M. DeMatteis and John Buscema and Others

By J. M. DeMatteis, Bruce Jones, Gil Kane, and Others

By Bruce Jones and John Buscema and others

By Michael Fleisher and John Buscema and others

By Jim Owsley and John Buscema and others

By Charles Santino and Val Semeiks and others

By Gerry Conway and others

By Michael Higgins and others

By Roy Thomas, Gary Hartle, Michael Docherty, and others

The Barry Windsor-Smith Conan Archives

Conan the Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus

Source:[16]

Marvel Epic Collections

Volume ! width="18%" SubtitleYears coveredIssues collected PagesPublication dateISBN
Conan the Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years
1The Coming of Conan1970-1972Conan the Barbarian (1970) #1-13 and material from Chamber of Darkness (1969) #4352
2Hawks from the Sea1972-1973Conan the Barbarian (1970) #14-26290
3The Curse of the Golden Skull1973-1974Conan the Barbarian (1970) #27-42; material from Annual (1973) #1336
4Queen of the Black Coast1974-1976Conan the Barbarian (1970) #43-59, Giant-Size Conan (1974) #5 (cover only), material from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #1360
5Of Once and Future Kings1976-1977Conan the Barbarian (1970) #60-71, Conan Annual #2-3 And Power Records #31 - Conan The Barbarian: Crawler In The Mists.360[17]
6Vengeance in Asgalun1977-1978Conan the Barbarian (1970) #72-88328
Conan Chronicles
1Out of the Darksome Hills2004–2005Conan (2004) #0, #1–19496
2The Heart of Yag-Kosha2005–2007Conan (2004) #20–39504
3Return to Cimmeria2007–2009Conan (2004) #40–50; Conan the Cimmerian #0–7504
4The Battle of Shamla Pass2009-2010Conan the Cimmerian #8-25472
5The Horrors Beneath the Stones2010-2012Conan: Road of Kings #1-12; Conan the Barbarian #1-6456
6The Song of Bêlit2012-2014Conan the Barbarian #7-25472
7Shadows over Kush2014 - 2015Conan the Avenger #1-19448
8Blood In His Wake2015 - 2017Conan the Avenger 20–25, Conan the Slayer 1-12432
King Conan Chronicles
1Phantoms and PhoenixesConan and the Midnight God (2007) #1-5, King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel (2011) #1-4, King Conan: The Phoenix on the Sword (2012) #1-4, Conan: The Phantoms of the Black Coast (2012) #1-5, material from Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (2006) #1 464[18]
2Wolves and DragonsKing Conan: The Hour of the Dragon (2013) #1-6,
King Conan: The Conqueror (2014) #1-6,
Conan: Wolves Beyond the Border (2015) #1-4,
and material from:
Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword #5

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sacks . Jason . Dallas . Keith . American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s . 2014 . TwoMorrows Publishing . 978-1605490564 . 25.
  2. Web site: Conan the Barbarian Comics Moving Back to Marvel. McMillan. Graeme. The Hollywood Reporter. January 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180114020910/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/conan-barbarian-comics-moving-back-marvel-1074351. January 14, 2018. dead. mdy-all. January 13, 2018.
  3. Web site: Jason Aaron & Mahmud Asrar Bring Conan the Barbarian Back to Marvel in January. Josh. Hilgenberg. August 24, 2018. Paste. https://web.archive.org/web/20180904052652/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/08/conan-returns-to-marvel-comics-in-january.html. September 4, 2018. dead. mdy-all. October 14, 2018.
  4. Web site: C2E2: Roy Thomas Reunites with Conan. April 17, 2010. . Shaun. Manning. July 24, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20100420084808/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25812. April 20, 2010. live. mdy-all.
  5. Alter Ego. 3. 70. July 2007. Thomas, Roy, interview. Writing Comics Turned Out to Be What I Really Wanted to Do with My Life. 5–6. TwoMorrows Publishing. Raleigh, North Carolina.
  6. Book: Daniels, Les. Les Daniels. Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. Harry N. Abrams. 1991. New York, New York. 148. 9780810938212.
  7. Web site: Comic Book Legends Revealed #422. Brian. Cronin. June 7, 2013. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20140821115810/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/06/07/comic-book-legends-revealed-422/2/. August 21, 2014. live. mdy-all.
  8. Thomas, Roy
    Moorcock, Michael; Cawthorn, James
    . Windsor-Smith, Barry. Buscema, Sal. A Sword Called Stormbringer!. Conan the Barbarian. 14. March 1972.
  9. Thomas, Roy; Moorcock, Michael; Cawthorn, James. Windsor-Smith, Barry. Buscema, Sal. The Green Empress of Melniboné. Conan the Barbarian. 15. May 1972.
  10. Daniels p. 150: "One especially felicitous extrapolation was Red Sonja, a minor Howard character transformed by Thomas into a companion for Conan."
  11. Web site: Top 10 1970s Marvels . Jason . Sacks . September 6, 2010 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20130801070005/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/447/top-10-1970s-marvels . August 1, 2013. dead. mdy-all. August 3, 2013.
  12. Book: Thompson, Don. Maggie Thompson. A Decade of Comics Fan Awards, 1961-1970. D. & M. Thompson. 1971. Mentor, Ohio. 16.
  13. Web site: 1971 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards. n.d.. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. https://web.archive.org/web/20150905181715/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/shazam71.php. September 5, 2015. live. mdy-all.
  14. Web site: 1973 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards. n.d.. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. https://web.archive.org/web/20150908085304/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/shazam73.php. September 8, 2015. live. mdy-all.
  15. Web site: 1974 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards. n.d.. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. https://web.archive.org/web/20150905205823/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/shazam74.php. September 5, 2015. live. mdy-all.
  16. Web site: Marvel Omnibus HCS. 18 September 2019.
  17. Book: 978-1302933531. Conan the Barbarian Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years - of Once and Future Kings. Comics. Marvel. 29 March 2022. Marvel Worldwide, Incorporated .
  18. Web site: Edelweiss+.