Conan: Returning to Marvel

[Daniel22]

I wrote a massive response to this and it disappeared with an a stray finger swipe. I’m a massive fan of the Warhammer worlds especially their publishing arm Black Library (https://www.blacklibrary.com). Anyway Warhammer the fantasy side doesn’t really exist anymore they literally blew the world up and repackaged it in a very high fantasy package called Age of Sigmar. The old world had more in common with Conan and Howard’s world but the links to traditional sword and sorcery remain. More recent works by Nick Horth and others have returned the world to slightly less high fantasy.
I get why people refer to Warhammer 40k as military sci fi but that’s a poor description of it. It’s really space fantasy, it has little in common with futuristic sci fi. It’s dystopian, dark and bloody. It’s superb.
Leaving aside the overt fantasy similarities Warhammer and Conan have multiple authors playing around in their world. Both have a superbly built world with a strong history. Warhammer much more so the level of depth they have gone into in the last 10 years is simply staggering. But Howard world has a strong if slightly less cohesive legacy.
Warhammer have been cleverly trying to reach into different audiences recently not only through the youth ‘Warhammer Adventures’ but ‘Warhammer Horror’ is also starting this year to appeal to horror fan i suppose!
Dan Abnett does indeed write for Black Library, solely within the 40k universe, he is given legendary status amoung the fans, as he has delivered some of its most important works. Horus Rising and the original Eisenhorn trilogy are stunning works.

Thanks for the response! I appreciate the info and perspective. The way you describe it makes it much more appealing to me than the picture I had. Dark, dystopian space fantasy sounds great. And that with a horror tinge sounds even better. I'll add that to my (ever growing) to read list. Thanks again!

[Knockagh]

If I was to recommend some Black Library fiction for a Conan fan it would be the Gotrex and Felix books they are set in the old Warhammer world before it got blown up and are old school fantasy. By Dan Abnett you have the Eisenhorn books which are grim and dark detective books, Gaunts Ghosts which follow the travels of regiment of men and women through the bloodiest fields of war, Titanicus which is big stompy war robots kept alive by prayer, holy oils and chanting. Another series worthy of the Cimmerian is the Night Lords trilogy by Aaron Dembski Bowden, very dark space fantasy. I chomp theough 3 or 4 Black Library books a month pausing only when my comic pull list arrives through the door!

[JKtheMac]

While we are on the subject of tabletop RPGs inspired by the feel of Conan and other early twentieth century literature we should at least mention Glorantha. That world also heavily inspired the Warhammer setting and the RPG that followed.

[comicscollector]

Conan the Barbarian#2 was another great story by this creative team.
One of my slightest criticism of the previous issue (Realy a slight criticism because i think over all the previous issue was great) was Conan not fighting any giant creature.
And flash forward to this issue,there are more that one of those.The Ghost Snakes is just one of the reasons why i read the Conan stories.The variety of the zoology of the creatures from the Hyborian Age is way interesting.
This comic book is one of my favorites ongoing comic books.

[pugbuddy]

Personally this first issue at a first impression seems good but after reading a few more times, make me miss Roy Thomas style a lot.

I was okay with the first issue but I almost threw up on the second. Gigantic snakes Conan kills with a single blow of his ax and/or sword, no fear registering in the character at all? I could mark that down to artistic license (as it appeared the artist drew him like a super hero; that may not have been the idea), but the friendship with Picts? Never should happen. I can see Conan having a grudging respect for a single fighter who, for whatever reason, may have aided him, but admiration and friendship? No. This story struck me as some modern, liberal "inclusion" story and made me sick to my stomach. The frame with Conan leaving the tavern while the others drink to the "death of every last Pict" kicked this title off the list for me. It's not Howard's Conan (even slightly) and I don't care for Aaron's reboot of the character.

[dimo1]

Not sure I get your critcism.
Conan has been mates to quite a few people, he was also part of Belit‘s crew and in Tower of the Elephant he‘s even sad for the other thief to die.
He‘s never been a loner but rather seeking friendship which was sadly often betrayed.
The Picts being ‚uncivilized‘ people are just like Cimmerians.

[Knockagh]

Yea I don’t get the criticism either. Conan has ever been a practical guy adapting to his situation which is exactly what he does here. He forms a bond with the healer after he saves his skin, which is something for which Conan is always grateful.

I loved number 2. The map at the start and the news that both savage sword and belit will also get their own novella in their opening books is great stuff indeed. As sad as I was to see Conan leave dark horse I can’t complain at all with Marvels opening salvo.

[pugbuddy]

The Cimmerians and Picts are hereditary enemies, dating back to the time of Valusia and Atlantis (the Atlanteans are the distant predecessors of the Cimmerians). Conan's hatred of Picts is well founded in history. As I said, that he might befriend an single warrior in exceptional circumstances would be in line with the character. There is even the possibility that he may save a village against a monster of some sort. But Aaron's story takes it far beyond that.

[DevilBat66]

The book is okay so far but, all this Avengers crap is really starting to kill my enjoyment.

Starting to wonder if I'm even going to make it for a whole year like I planned.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Picked up a second printing to Savage Sword #1.
Honestly did not know what to make of Ron Garney's artwork...

[Serd]

Did anyone else see the sale numbers for January? It doesn't look good:

Conan #1 - 100,963 and 4th place
Conan #2 - 37,906 and 46th place

I think Marvel pushed the ip to far to soon.

[Charlie_1981]

Did anyone else see the sale numbers for January? It doesn't look good:

Conan #1 - 100,963 and 4th place
Conan #2 - 37,906 and 46th place

I think Marvel pushed the ip to far to soon.

That seems to me a brutal drop in sales, it is hard to believe that the difference between the first issue and the second one can be so big.

[Digifiend]

Those are both from the same month, so of course they ordered less of #2. They didn't know how well #1 would sell yet.

[Hypestyle]

so does Marvel own the "original" characters introduced in these comics now or does the Conan Company own them?

[stingray]

https://i0.wp.com/www.actionfigurein...size=800%2C800

New classic Conan figure coming from Super7. I always had a soft spot for the early Marvel stories with amazing Barry Smith art, and this helmeted look is a must have.