Status Updates From Barbarian Life: A Literary ...

This book is too good. I'm setting it aside until I can return to it and read each of the comics discussed along with the text. My collection of Conan the Barbarian comics are (at present) buried somewhere in my garage. Once I get those located, and organized, I'll to return to this book and go through it properly.

Issue #26 "The Hour of the Griffin." The first issue Buscema was inked by Ernie Chan; truly a match made in heaven. Thomas acknowledges this, and even points out that while Chan's inks leant texture, they also "undercut [Buscema's] precise intent[.]" The end result was greater than the sum of it's parts. I agree with Thomas the Buscema/Chan team worked best in color; the BW is good, but not AS good.

Issue #25 "The Mirrors of Kharam Akkad." John Buscema has finally arrived on the title!

issue #24 "The Song of red Sonja." A revealing anecdote ("the wank prank") reveals much about the characters of both me. This really was the final BWS issue. I've read it, and tried to like it, but I cannot get past the earlier BWS anatomical issues.

Issue #23 "The Shadow of the Vulture." The final BWS issue. I've never read this story, although I own both the original and the Conan Saga reprint. This is the first appearance of Red Sonja, a character I've always had mixed feeling about. Obviously, I need to go read the comic now.

Issue #22 "Red Nails." Okay, this is one issue that I actually liked, because of the BWS artwork. I first read this in the Conan Saga reprint. As much as people dislike the comics code (myself amongst them) it created a market for non-code books. It was Stan Lee that decided to flout the code with a b/w magazine series. Roy made Conan the star. This issue was his last collab with BWS. Longest chapter thus far.

issue #21 "The Monster of the Monoliths." Roy's honesty is appreciated. Even when he's admitting things didn't work out by discussing faults in the work, he does so with grace by making it clear his complaints are not personal; it's the work he's criticizing, not the individuals involved. A thin distinction, to be sure, but one that matters. He's not bitter, vengeful, or unrealisticly positive about each issue.

Issue #19 "Hawks from the Sea" (Oct. 1972). They didn't have time to ink the final eleven pages, so handed it over to the colorist and printed whatever came back. The results were not good. It was reprinted in B&W in "Conan Saga #6" (Oct. 1987) years later, and turned out nicely. Issue #20 "The Black Hound of Vengeance" (Nov. 1972).

Issue #17 "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth." Although it's sacrilegious to say so, I don't like Gil Kane's work on Conan. Unlike BWS, who got better with time, Kane was already experienced. His style doesn't fit with Conan. He does women, superheroes, and modern settings well. Issue #18 "The Thing in the Temple." I must admit the cover is great.

Issue #15 "The Green Empress of Melnibone." Technically, BWS last issue, to be replaced by Gil Kane. Issue #16 "The Frost Giant's Daughter", was actually a reprint from "Save Tales #1", also by BWS. So despite BWS no longer actively working on the title, issue #16 was done by BWS a year earlier. This means 100% of his Conan work appeared, in color, in "Conan the Barbarian." Notes from "the Code people."

Issue #13 "Web of the Spider-God." A collaboration with the famous author John Jakes (North and South.) I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even realize "Brak the Barbarian" existed, and I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that he does exist. Need to read the book before casting judgement. Issue #14 "A Sword Called Stormbringer." Michael Moorcock created KULAN GATH?! Amazing.

Issue #12 "The Dweller in the Dark." Appreciate Thomas's admission that he would've handled Fatima's death differently. He's right: it was out of character for Conan to simply toss the wench down onto the monster. This issue was all wrong, even down to the thought balloons, something Thomas eschewed (and I appreciate.) Gil's cover was inked by Vince Colletta.

Issue #11 "Rogues in the House."

Issue #10 "Beware the Wrath of Anu!" Thomas is sticking to the REH chronology as best he can, and I appreciate that.

Issue #8 "The Keepers of the Crypt." BWS put a hidden message in one of the panels. "Issue #9 "The Garden of Fear." Mr. Thomas mentions "a hardcover study of comic books" but doesn't mention the title. What was it?

Issue #6 "Devil-Wings over Shadizar." Issue #7 "The Lurker Within." Mr. Thomas mentions his trip to London but it's not clear whether this was inspired for the express purpose of "sponsoring" BWS getting back into the USA or if it was simply a vacation. Perhaps a little of both? What's the full story?

issue #5 "Zukala's Daughter." Who usually decided what title is used for the cover? I assumed that was the EIC's job, but maybe not. With mailing originals back and forth across the pond, was loss a problem? How did Marvel deal with this (potentially disastrous) outcome? Are any of the original scripts available?

Issue #2 "Lair of the Beastmen." I was never a fan of BWS's early artwork, but I can agree that issue #2 was a good follow-up story. Getting all of this "in the trenches" information from Roy Thomas is magical. I own all of these original comics, so it would be fun to pull them out and re-read them along with Roy's commentary.

Pulled me in right away and almost impossible to put down. Forcing myself to read this slowly, one chapter per day. Roy has an excellent memory for details. It's exhilarating to hear about how Conan came to Marvel. I was shocked to learn that Roy didn't start out as an REH fan. In fact, he didn't really know who Conan was, even though he owned the Lancer paperbacks. Also interesting to hear about young BWS.