Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur

Conan: Limited Series

by P. Craig Russell

P. Craig Russell, the artist best known for adapting literary works to comics, applies his legendary talents to Conan in this adaptation of Robert E. Howard's "The Jewels of Gwahlur," one of Conan's last adventures before becoming king.
A young woman, having made a string of bad choices, finds herself the pawn of mercenaries-one of which is Conan of Cimmeria. As the former dancing girl poses as the dead oracle of a primitive cult, Conan puts his experience as a thief and a soldier together in pursuit of some of the most prized jewels in the world-the Teeth of Gwahlur!
Featuring a sixteen-page sketchbook and an interview with Russell covering his career and creative process on this book, this handsome book not only highlights one of fantasy art's greatest living talents, it shows once again that Howard's original Conan tales remain unsurpassed.

Genres: Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Adventure

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2005

About the author

Philip Craig Russell was the first mainstream comic book creator to come out as openly gay. Since 1972 his work has won multiple Kirby, Harvey, and Eisner Awards, and Cartoon Crossroads Columbus presented him the Master Cartoonist Award in 2019.

Reviews

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the story, liked the art, did NOT like the media. Read this on my library's 'hoopla' system. Hoopla does try hard, but many of the pages still had text too small to read in 'normal' mode, but if the text was enlarged, it would disappear off the screen.
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Conan is in the kingdom of Keshan to adventure for a set of fabled jewels, and he is not alone in the search. A complex heist-movie plot ensues, ripe with faked supernatural con-jobs, betrayal, and true monsters.
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The story is well adapted to comics by Mr. Russell, although JoG has been called the weakest of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories. I think the adaptation moves the less-impressive prose into scenery, action or dialog in such a way to smooth the rough edges.
I was impressed by the art (although not overwhelmed). Conan seems too young and too visually soft and simple, and it belies his skills, experience, intelligence and actions. The change to a more pastel palette of colors was welcome, making the human features of the story more prominent.

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a mixed relationship with P. Craig Russell's artwork. In some of his adaptations - Stormbringer, The Ring of The Nibelung, and most of his Sandman work come to mind - its cartoonish whimsy works very well and helps me enjoy the tales to their fullest; in others - Conan among them, including this one - it feels grating and uncomfortable and gets in the way of the story itself. But the story is still good, and the adaptation itself still has a couple good high moments. For instance...



Made me laugh.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good Conan volume from P. Craig Russell. I really enjoyed the art, as I'm a fan of Russell.

The story is good, pretty much what you'd expect from Conan. It involves a girl, some jewels, some monsters, and some bad guys.

If you're a P. Craig Russell fan or a Conan fan, you'll enjoy this one.

[Michael P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

P Craig Russell is a master adapter of stories. Those who follow his adaptations of Neal Gaiman, Oscar Wilde, and several operas expect stories that are beautifully told by his delicate and elegant line. The choice of this brutal Robert E Howard tale is surprising, and bad. Russell uses more of Howard’s text than he needs, perhaps to include some of the brutality that his art lacks, and his art does lack the brutality needed to depict this world and tell the story effectively. The earth tone coloring by Lovern Kindzierski also seems wrong for Howard’s colorful (if vacuous) world. This graphic novel is a misfire in every way.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art though great did not feel like Conan.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice Conan mini series. The writer captures the feel of Howard's original stories well. Recommended

[Balazs Badics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conan ventures into the mysterious land of Keshan in search of the legendary Jewels of Gwahlur, said to be hidden in a long-abandoned temple. Posing as a prophet, he navigates a web of superstition, political intrigue, and ancient secrets. The temple holds more than treasure—it harbours eerie legends and unexpected dangers. As rival treasure hunters and local factions close in, Conan must rely on his cunning as much as his strength.
Jewels of Gwahlur is a masterfully paced tale that blends mystery, adventure, and suspense in classic Howard fashion. The setting is richly atmospheric, with the ancient temple and its haunting lore adding depth and tension throughout. Conan’s cleverness shines as much as his swordplay, making this a standout among his adventures. The plot twists near the end are genuinely surprising and elevate the story from a simple treasure hunt to a thrilling, layered narrative.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I'm not well versed in Conan lore I've always admired Russell's work and couldn't resist the temptation and I must admit that I'm pleasantly surprised. I don't know the many tongue-twisting races or clans that fill the world of Conan but the clear narrative helped ease that burden. I now yearn to read more Conan.
I always thought Russell's talents would work well in the world of John Carter or even Prince valiant.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent story, incomparably beautiful artwork.

Russell can sell me on anything.

[Ramsey Meadows · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much to say not bad not great just ok.

[Δημήτρης Αθανασόπουλος · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loke the story a lot but man the artwork is out of place for a Conan story. Why is he wearing shorts???

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Also read this.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

By his own admission P. Craig Russell is not a writer.

However, in his defence, I would say that he his a great story-teller.
His adaptations are always amongst the best, wether he be working with Conan, Elric, the Jungle Book or an Epic Opera.

Here, he takes a one of the lesser-known Robert E. Howard stories of Conan and adapts it to graphic format. And his story telling shines thru, yes, in the text, but moreso in the images.

Russell's art-style has a more artistic feel to it than most other Conan artists, except perhaps Windsor-Smith's latter adaptations with Roy Thomas. Smith and Russell's Conan is not the bulky version of the character, but a more slimmed-down agile interpretation. Conan has a more youthful appearance than Frazetta, Buscema, Kane or Nord's interpretations.

Also, Windsor-Smith and Russell (just as Charles Vess, though he has "yet" to do a Conan story) create wonderful landscapes and architecture.

Apparently, this tale is set right after Red Nails which, itself, I think, was set right after Queen of the Black Coast. Seeing as Dark Horse are currently adapting Queen of the Black Coast, can one hope that a Red Nails adaptation will soon be offered, and will it even come close to matching that of Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith?

I look forward to finding out.

addendum: is it just me, or do the creatures in this book remind anybody else of Jeff Smith's Bone's Rat Creatures?

[Helmut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weder Fisch noch Fleisch

P. Craig Russell, besonders bekannt durch seine Nibelungen-Comicversion, hat einen sehr eigenen Stil, man erkennt ihn sofort. Allerdings eignet er sich meines Erachtens eher für epische Stoffe wie die Nibelungen (übrigens ein herausragend gutes Comic, dringend lesen!), und weniger für die eher erdig veranlagte Conan-Thematik. Irgendwie passt der Stil halt nicht so recht, im Allgemeinen haben Conan-Fans dann doch das Bild von Frank Frazetta oder John Buscema im Kopf, und der Russell's Conan ist dagegen schmächtig und wirkt wie ein kleiner Bub. Die Story an sich ist vorlagengetreu umgesetzt (etwas anderes hätte ich von PCR auch nicht erwartet, er spielt nicht rum mit Vorlagen) und insgesamt auch stimmig, aber es fehlt halt der Funke, der Conan erst zum Leben erweckt: Die Brutalität, Lebensenergie und übermäßige Emotion.

Ein unterhaltsames Comic, sehr schön aufgemacht als Hardcover und qualitativ sehr gelungen. Wäre es eine andere Hauptperson, eine andere Welt, würde ich mehr Sterne geben. Wie gesagt - ein gelungener Fantasy-Comic, aber die Conan-typische Stimmung kommt nicht rüber.

[Tess van Brummelen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A velvet-footed shadow, he melts into the thickets. Scarcely the rustle of a leaf proclaims his passing."

"His gaze rungs along the ivory thigh molded in the close-fitting silk skirt. That skirt should gape from girdle to hem. He knows, because it had been his own hand that tore it. But the skirt shows no rent."

"In the utter blackness ahead he hears a sound -- the shuffle of bare feet perhaps. Then a rusty scraping like metal on stone... ...A momentary flash in the darkness... ...Then, utter night again."

"From a distance a sound reaches his ears--a soft, hysterical sobbing. Conan: 'That mewling sounds familiar.' "

"At first they seem like gray stone statues, these motionless shapes -- hairy, man-like, yet hideously human -- but their eyes are alive, cold sparks of icy fire."

"The red, abysmal ferocity is over, save for one screaming wretch, pursued by blood-dabbled shapes of horror... ...His screams dwindling in the distance."

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll admit, I expected this book to be heavier on the action and less on the word-count. And I know it might be foolish, but I really hadn't anticipated the level of chauvinism Conan displayed - he doubts this girl is a goddess, so he rips her skirt and the next panel is her on her knees in front of him - where she stays for about two pages? The whole slut/goddess dichotomy is very obvious - and it's interesting that in the end only one of the two ends up existing. But still, he did rescue her from certain death instead of absconding with the jewels so I suppose that's something. Baby steps, Conan ^_^

Overall, enjoyable to an extent and I'm certainly keen to read more Conan.

[Harry EC · Rating 4 out of 5]

So a lot of these reviews are criminal. The artist, P Craig Russell, is one of the greatest artists of our time, his storytelling is phenomenal, and his skill at adaptation well documented. The mere fact that it's a Russell comic makes it a better told story then just about any other even remotely comparable comic. Russell has a very emotional connection to adapting Robert E. Howard, and this book captures the tone of his prose excellently. It's not deep story, and it never really surprises, but it never flounders and is fairly enjoyable. Anyone who argues against the skill at play here is probably not worth believing.

[Orrin Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another P. Craig Russell piece. Not as good as the last two, probably because Conan doesn't seem to quite fit Russell's style quite so well as Elric or Wagner. That said, the story is a good one, full of traps and ruined temples and intrigue, and there are some really great visual moments, like the idols and, especially, the frescoes.

[Yuri Peixoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clássica história As Jóias de Gwahlur, publicada em 1935, encontra cor e forma no belíssimo traço do premiado P. Craig Russel! Essa história perde um pouco da brutalidade visceral inerente às histórias de Conan, para ganhar a fluidez narrativa e gráfica do autor. Um excelente exemplo de um bom "page turner"

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent graphic novel treatment of a Conan tale!!

I picked this up because it was featured on an episode of Sanctum Secorum, I enjoy graphic novels, and I am a great fan of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories. This is a really excellent treatment, with great art and a script very true to the spirit of Hoawrd's Conan. I may have to seek the others in the series now!

[Valerio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo volume raccoglie la miniserie scritta illustrata da P.C. Russell che si affianca alla serie regolare di Conan pubblicata dalla Dark Horse.

La storia �� l'adattamento del racconto originale di Howard Jewels of Gwalur.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Russell's questionable assumptions about anatomy aside (Thanks, Kathleen!) this is a beautiful and funny volume, capturing everything that's important about Conan adventure. While not for kids, it is cartoonishly accessible, something you can't always say about the Cimmerian's tales. Enjoyable.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mediocre jaunt from the Dark Horse Conan. Passable, at best.

[Ben Fairchild · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old Conan. Pretty rubbish artwork but excellent visual story telling by one of comics legendary artists. This is a real R.E. Howard story and I love his attitude to women.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one came this close to being a masterpiece.

[Clay Fernald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Russell's work and this was great. I've not read much Conan but I thought this story was really well done.

[Simon Cressey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't beet a classic

[Reyel2107 · Rating 4 out of 5]

the most elegant Conan !!!!!!