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Conan the Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus
Conan der Barbar: Classic Collection, Bd. 3
CONAN UND BÊLIT MACHEN DIE MEERE DES HYBORISCHEN ZEITALTERS UNSICHER! Conan, der Fantasy-Held von Robert E. Howard, in seinen legendären Marvel-Abenteuern – Mit Restaurierter Kolorierung! Dieser Sammelband enthä Conan The Barbarian 52-83 & Annual 2-3, Giant-Size Conan 5, Power Records 31 & Foom 14 sowie reichlich Bonusmaterial
Hardcover
First published November 15, 1977
7 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,481 books272 followersRoy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 16, 2020
Another great volume in the omnibus collection. There is no bad art anywhere in this book. It's almost all John Buscema with some great fill-in artists in just a few issues like Mike Ploog and Jim Starlin. Howard Chaykin draws about five issues and his art had not yet developed into the stylized look that we know today. It took me an issue or two to get used to him, but he does a pretty good job.
The only thing that really suffers in this volume is the writing. While most of the stories are fun, I started to feel the fatigue in some of the Belit storyline that Roy Thomas was slowly building toward. Conan on his own is the most natural. Then it's refreshing to have a few slightly reoccurring characters that drop in and out of the stories. But I feel like the buccaneer thing is starting to wear itself out.
The only thing that really suffers in this volume is the writing. While most of the stories are fun, I started to feel the fatigue in some of the Belit storyline that Roy Thomas was slowly building toward. Conan on his own is the most natural. Then it's refreshing to have a few slightly reoccurring characters that drop in and out of the stories. But I feel like the buccaneer thing is starting to wear itself out.
January 21, 2022
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
The closest thing to a continuing narrative sees our humble, hulking hero acquiring himself a long running paramour. That one small addition aside, this is, as we have come to selfishly expect, is yet more greatness from Roy Thomas and John Buscema, who make one of the greatest teams to ever grace the world of comics. Words somewhat fail me to express how wonderful it is to see storytelling like this. Buscema's work, dripping in detail, his standard panels containing more detail than many cover artists can manage today. The four tone colour scheme as on point here as you'll find anywhere else. And Mr. Roy Thomas poetic yet barbarous words, which drives Conan into all manner of bloody adventures. If you have read this run already, you know how amazing his collection is. If not, you damn well better read it before this book goes out of print, which I believe it almost is. These tomes will fetch rather ludicrous prices in years to come. And they would still be worth it, given the quality contained within. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
The closest thing to a continuing narrative sees our humble, hulking hero acquiring himself a long running paramour. That one small addition aside, this is, as we have come to selfishly expect, is yet more greatness from Roy Thomas and John Buscema, who make one of the greatest teams to ever grace the world of comics. Words somewhat fail me to express how wonderful it is to see storytelling like this. Buscema's work, dripping in detail, his standard panels containing more detail than many cover artists can manage today. The four tone colour scheme as on point here as you'll find anywhere else. And Mr. Roy Thomas poetic yet barbarous words, which drives Conan into all manner of bloody adventures. If you have read this run already, you know how amazing his collection is. If not, you damn well better read it before this book goes out of print, which I believe it almost is. These tomes will fetch rather ludicrous prices in years to come. And they would still be worth it, given the quality contained within. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
July 29, 2021
A much more continuity-heavy volume than its predecessor, with multiple stories that run for multiple issues, generally to the comic's benefit.
The heart of this volume is, of course, Conan's early adventure with Bêlit, the Queen of the Black Coast. Generally, this is delightful, because it gives Conan a whole cast of characters, including both Bêlit and her crew, something that was missing in the previous lass-of-the-month stories.
There are also quite a few good stories that really deepen the feel of the world, particularly the journeys into the south, including Styx, and the visit to a lost island.
Sadly, the last five issues in this volume really kill the momentum, as they're basically fill-ins, and worse fill-ins that don't feel like very good Conan stories (they're based on the stories of other REH heroes, something that Thomas usually pulled off well). One makes weird use of Greeks from the future, and the other feels racist.
Still, this is overall a great volume, worth about 4.5 stars, which means that Thomas was still going strong five years in.
The heart of this volume is, of course, Conan's early adventure with Bêlit, the Queen of the Black Coast. Generally, this is delightful, because it gives Conan a whole cast of characters, including both Bêlit and her crew, something that was missing in the previous lass-of-the-month stories.
There are also quite a few good stories that really deepen the feel of the world, particularly the journeys into the south, including Styx, and the visit to a lost island.
Sadly, the last five issues in this volume really kill the momentum, as they're basically fill-ins, and worse fill-ins that don't feel like very good Conan stories (they're based on the stories of other REH heroes, something that Thomas usually pulled off well). One makes weird use of Greeks from the future, and the other feels racist.
Still, this is overall a great volume, worth about 4.5 stars, which means that Thomas was still going strong five years in.
November 2, 2023
Issues #52-83, Annual #2-3
Overall just a fantastic collection of sword-and-sorcery comics with great artwork (especially the Buscema/Chan duo).
Annual 3 reprints material from Savage Sword
52-55
Altar and the Scorpion
Conan is in Belverus and teams up with a young girl Tara to become mercenaries for Murilo and his Crimson Company. They uncover a Scorpion Crypt and unleash some horrific Shadow monster.
56
Conan, Tara, and Yusef stumble upon a magical city that tries to capture them.
57, 58
They arrive in Argos and we get the first part of Queen on the Black Coast. Conan runs away from the law and ends up on a ship that gets attacked by Belit.
59-63
We learn about Belits backstory. She was a Shemite princess and now wants to gather gold to hire an army. Belit and Conan get seperated and get attacked by this Tarzan character Amra. Conan adopts his name.
64 reprints the Secret of Skull River drawn by Jim Starlin
65 - short story of a mysterious island
66-68 (Also read Marvel Feature 6+7, the Red Sonja POV in the story)
Conan and Belit go back to Argos and get involved in a plot to steal a page from the Book of Skelos and run into Red Sonja. The Marvel Feature comics are super worth reading with great art from Frank Thorne (but unfortunately are not included in the Omnibus)
69
Adapted from the REH story "Out of the Deep". We're back on the ocean for a quick horror story.
Annual 2
Adaptation of the Conan REH story "The Phoenix on the Sword" which is very very similar to the Kull story "By This Axe I Rule". Drawn by Vicente Alcazar and Yong Montano, I'm unfamiliar with them... but this is excellent. So many of the stories in this Omnibus I think would be better presented in B+W so I get to see the linework more clearly. I wonder if this story was presented in Savage Sword.
70-71
Adapated from the REH story "Marchers of Valhalla"
72
Belit and Conan need to go back to Belit's father's throne room to gather a hidden herb to save Belit's mentor N'Yaga.
73
Well of Skelos. Adapted from a REH plot. An uprising from the crew has Kawaku in charge now. He forces Belit and Conan to show him where they've hidden their gold. On a secret island in a tomb with a scary monster... of course!
74-77
Conan has a dream with Thoth-Amon. The ship gets attacked by a Loch Ness Monster style creature and they start a fire on the Stygian warships. On their way up the River Styx to get to Luxur they get attacked by Stygians riding giant hawks. Belit is kidnapped while Conan gets away. Conan heads to th ecity but eventually gets captured. He has a fight with a giant, affected by the same stone that has increased the size of the hawk eggs. The city is ruled by two Stygian brothers - a wizard and a warrior. the warrior king is killed by Conan and the wizard king appears friendly.
78
Reprints in color the Savage Sword story Curse of the Undead-Man featuring Conan and Red Sonja
79-81
Adapted from the REH story The Lost Valley of Iskander - drawn by Howard Chaykin (who does an amazing job)
Conan was asked by the (now sole) King of Harakht Mer-Ath to deliver a jewel the Eye of Set to a neighbouring village called Attalus. They exchange the eyes every so often to make peace. So we get a solo Conan adventure as Belit stays behind.
Conan eventually gets to Attalus and finds it ruled by Ptolemy, apparently Alexander the Great and his army got sent back in time but only Ptolemy stayed behind. Also he's a giant. Conan fights with him, beating him to unconsciousness and takes over rulership of the city just in time to fight back an invasion of Stygians.
82-83
Adapted from the REH story "Black Canaan"
Conan gives the kingship bac to Ptolemy and heads back to Belit. The trip back isn't any easier than the trip there. This story reminds me of Beyond the Black River.
Overall just a fantastic collection of sword-and-sorcery comics with great artwork (especially the Buscema/Chan duo).
Annual 3 reprints material from Savage Sword
52-55
Altar and the Scorpion
Conan is in Belverus and teams up with a young girl Tara to become mercenaries for Murilo and his Crimson Company. They uncover a Scorpion Crypt and unleash some horrific Shadow monster.
56
Conan, Tara, and Yusef stumble upon a magical city that tries to capture them.
57, 58
They arrive in Argos and we get the first part of Queen on the Black Coast. Conan runs away from the law and ends up on a ship that gets attacked by Belit.
59-63
We learn about Belits backstory. She was a Shemite princess and now wants to gather gold to hire an army. Belit and Conan get seperated and get attacked by this Tarzan character Amra. Conan adopts his name.
64 reprints the Secret of Skull River drawn by Jim Starlin
65 - short story of a mysterious island
66-68 (Also read Marvel Feature 6+7, the Red Sonja POV in the story)
Conan and Belit go back to Argos and get involved in a plot to steal a page from the Book of Skelos and run into Red Sonja. The Marvel Feature comics are super worth reading with great art from Frank Thorne (but unfortunately are not included in the Omnibus)
69
Adapted from the REH story "Out of the Deep". We're back on the ocean for a quick horror story.
Annual 2
Adaptation of the Conan REH story "The Phoenix on the Sword" which is very very similar to the Kull story "By This Axe I Rule". Drawn by Vicente Alcazar and Yong Montano, I'm unfamiliar with them... but this is excellent. So many of the stories in this Omnibus I think would be better presented in B+W so I get to see the linework more clearly. I wonder if this story was presented in Savage Sword.
70-71
Adapated from the REH story "Marchers of Valhalla"
72
Belit and Conan need to go back to Belit's father's throne room to gather a hidden herb to save Belit's mentor N'Yaga.
73
Well of Skelos. Adapted from a REH plot. An uprising from the crew has Kawaku in charge now. He forces Belit and Conan to show him where they've hidden their gold. On a secret island in a tomb with a scary monster... of course!
74-77
Conan has a dream with Thoth-Amon. The ship gets attacked by a Loch Ness Monster style creature and they start a fire on the Stygian warships. On their way up the River Styx to get to Luxur they get attacked by Stygians riding giant hawks. Belit is kidnapped while Conan gets away. Conan heads to th ecity but eventually gets captured. He has a fight with a giant, affected by the same stone that has increased the size of the hawk eggs. The city is ruled by two Stygian brothers - a wizard and a warrior. the warrior king is killed by Conan and the wizard king appears friendly.
78
Reprints in color the Savage Sword story Curse of the Undead-Man featuring Conan and Red Sonja
79-81
Adapted from the REH story The Lost Valley of Iskander - drawn by Howard Chaykin (who does an amazing job)
Conan was asked by the (now sole) King of Harakht Mer-Ath to deliver a jewel the Eye of Set to a neighbouring village called Attalus. They exchange the eyes every so often to make peace. So we get a solo Conan adventure as Belit stays behind.
Conan eventually gets to Attalus and finds it ruled by Ptolemy, apparently Alexander the Great and his army got sent back in time but only Ptolemy stayed behind. Also he's a giant. Conan fights with him, beating him to unconsciousness and takes over rulership of the city just in time to fight back an invasion of Stygians.
82-83
Adapted from the REH story "Black Canaan"
Conan gives the kingship bac to Ptolemy and heads back to Belit. The trip back isn't any easier than the trip there. This story reminds me of Beyond the Black River.
November 24, 2021
The third volume in the color comics code complying Conan series from the 70s, as opposed to the Savage Sword series which was in black and white and full of adult content, this is another definitive collection of the series, containing issues #52 to #83 of the main series, Annuals #2 and #3, Giant Size #5, F.O.O.M. #14 and Power Records #31. A thick hardback as you can imagine.
In terms of story this series is chronological in terms of Conan's life and as can be seen in the cover introduced Bêlit into his life, his first real love and companion, as well as his boss, they develop a complex and interesting relationship, with Conan being man enough to feel comfortable working for a woman who's definitely the dominant one in the relationship. Roy Thomas really had fun with this, and as can be seen from the letter columns some readers felt pretty uncomfortable with it.
As a volume this is fantastic, not only does it include everything in terms of the comics themselves, it also includes essays, pencil art pages, promotional material, all the introductions to previous editions of the comics as well as all the editorial and letters pages from all issues. This is fantastic and there is very little that could be made better as an edition. I had all of this in the old paperbacks, but this is definitely worth having by itself.
In terms of story this series is chronological in terms of Conan's life and as can be seen in the cover introduced Bêlit into his life, his first real love and companion, as well as his boss, they develop a complex and interesting relationship, with Conan being man enough to feel comfortable working for a woman who's definitely the dominant one in the relationship. Roy Thomas really had fun with this, and as can be seen from the letter columns some readers felt pretty uncomfortable with it.
As a volume this is fantastic, not only does it include everything in terms of the comics themselves, it also includes essays, pencil art pages, promotional material, all the introductions to previous editions of the comics as well as all the editorial and letters pages from all issues. This is fantastic and there is very little that could be made better as an edition. I had all of this in the old paperbacks, but this is definitely worth having by itself.
April 17, 2021
This was again great book among other Conan Omnibus books. Stories were mainly good, but not super good. So this Omnibus is not as good as earlier published #1 and #2. But of course worth reading and great pictures and art. And I really do love these chronological maps in these books.
August 1, 2020
This volume mostly contained Conan's adventures with Belit, Queen of the Black Coast. That means a whole lot of sword & sorcery pirate action. Great stuff as always.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews