is Conan so well written/drawn that it's enjoyable for people who don't like Sword & Socery 1 1

[NoMan]

Curious is all. don't know much about it other than people really like it. I know Conan is a Robert Howard creation and that's about it. Never cared much for the Sword & Sorcery genre. Wondered if I should give it a try even though...

Edited May 14, 2018 by NoMan

[hippiecop]

I'm completely NOT a sword & sorcery buff by any means, but the 1st 50 or so Thomas/Smith/Buscema Conans are among my top 5 Bronze Age runs.

[NoMan]

18 minutes ago, hippiecop said:

I'm completely NOT a sword & sorcery buff by any means, but the 1st 50 or so Thomas/Smith/Buscema Conans are among my top 5 Bronze Age runs.

thanks. 

[picon3]

1 hour ago, hippiecop said:

I'm completely NOT a sword & sorcery buff by any means, but the 1st 50 or so Thomas/Smith/Buscema Conans are among my top 5 Bronze Age runs.

I would have to agree.  I'd even go so far as to say the first 100 issues were well written with good art.  I started to lose interest after that as Roy Thomas' run started to wind down.  Collected reprints are available as The Chronicles of Conan (Dark Horse reprinting the Marvel Comics run with updated (some would say less than desirable coloring).  Paul~ Here's a list:

The Chronicles of Conan

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

• Volume 1: Tower of the Elephant and Other Stories (2003) — collects issues 1–8.
• Volume 2: Rogues In the House and Other Stories (2003) — collects issues 9–13, 16.
• Volume 3: The Monster of the Monoliths and Other Stories (2003) — collects issues 14–15, 17–21 (also by Gil Kane).
• Volume 4: The Song of Red Sonja and Other Stories (2004) — collects issues 23–26 and Red Nails, originally published in Savage Tales 2 & 3.

By Roy Thomas and John Buscema (unless noted):

• Volume 5: The Shadow In the Tomb and Other Stories (2004) — collects issues 27–34.
• Volume 6: The Curse of the Golden Skull and Other Stories (2004) — collects issues 35–42 (also by Neal Adams and Rich Buckler).
• Volume 7: The Dweller In the Pool and Other Stories (2005) — collects issues 43–51.
• Volume 8: Brothers of the Blade and Other Stories (2006) — collects issues 52–59 (also by Mike Ploog).
• Volume 9: Riders of the River-Dragons and Other Stories (2005) — collects issues 60–63, 65, 69–71 (also by Val Mayerik).
• Volume 10: When Giants Walk the Earth and Other Stories (2006) — collects issues 72–77, 79–81 (also by Howard Chaykin).
• Volume 11: The Dance of the Skull and Other Stories (2007) — collects issues 82–86, 88–90 (also by Howard Chaykin).
• Volume 12: The Beast King of Abombi and Other Stories (2007) — collects issues 91, 93–100.
• Volume 13: Whispering Shadows and Other Stories (November 2007) — collects issues 92, 101–107 (also by Sal Buscema).
• Volume 14: Shadow of the Beast and Other Stories (2008) — collects issues 108–115.

[aardvark88]

1 hour ago, NoMan said:

thanks. 

For the general public, I would recommend the writing in Jonah Hex as being more approachable, as most folks like Western films like Logan/Wolverine and new solo Han Solo. The public may not be able to enjoy the sword and sorcery world building, as one needs to read more issues of Conan or Savage Sword Conan  mag.

[FineCollector]

I've been putting together a run of Savage Sword on the cheap.  Unlike the earlier posters, I can't do Barry Windsor Smith art, and won't touch a Conan comic because of it.

[OtherEric]

51 minutes ago, FineCollector said:

I've been putting together a run of Savage Sword on the cheap.  Unlike the earlier posters, I can't do Barry Windsor Smith art, and won't touch a Conan comic because of it.

That just makes it easier for the rest of us; or would if I hadn’t completed my run of the BWS Conans earlier this year (although I need a better ST 1 even by my low standards.)

To be fair, I can understand why somebody might not care for BWS art... to me, it’s some of the best comic book art ever drawn.  But it’s far enough from the mainstream that I get why it might not work for some people.  It took me a couple tries to fall in love with it.

[Brian48]

Says it all.

[Brian48]

12 hours ago, OtherEric said:

That just makes it easier for the rest of us; or would if I hadn’t completed my run of the BWS Conans earlier this year (although I need a better ST 1 even by my low standards.)

To be fair, I can understand why somebody might not care for BWS art... to me, it’s some of the best comic book art ever drawn.  But it’s far enough from the mainstream that I get why it might not work for some people.  It took me a couple tries to fall in love with it.

Smith was a Kirby clone when he started out and I think a lot folks can't get into that.  What's amazing about the Smith run was seeing the evolution take place within the first two years when he developed his own style.  It went from "meh" to "wow".  While issue #1 may fail to impress, issue #24 and especially Red Nails will floor you.

Edited May 15, 2018 by Brian48
typing-O

[Ken Aldred]

16 hours ago, picon3 said:

I would have to agree.  I'd even go so far as to say the first 100 issues were well written with good art.  I started to lose interest after that as Roy Thomas' run started to wind down

Exactly what happened to me. I put together a run of 1 to 100 as a teenager, and then started to lose interest as well at that point.

The Savage Sword magazines from 1 to 50 also have a lot of nice stuff.