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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 24, 2016 10:41:46 GMT -5
SSoC #231 ------------- Rotath of LemuriaScript by Roy Thomas Art by E.R. Cruz Inspired by a fragment left by Robert E. Howard Rotath of Lemuria is the name of a wizard we’ve previously met in CtB #37 and the graphic novel “ The ravagers out of time”. A sorcerer from the Thurian age, we know he was killed by Kull. From the fragment " the curse of the golden skull", by Robert E. Howard : Now that’s a lot of material that got used over the years in different comics!!! As he lay dying, Rotath lays a curse on his own bones; 8,000 years later, when touched by a curious Yuetshi fisherman, these bones will gain new flesh and Rotath will be free to play the villain again in CtB #37. Jaggta-noga is the name of demon who serves Zukala, first introduced in CtB #5. Shuma Gorath and his iron bound books were featured both in Doctor Strange and in CtB #259-260. Vramma and Kulthas were invoked for the casting of a spell in CtB#38. The Ape Lords, who served Rotath in CtB#37, will be mentioned very soon in SSoC#233. In today's story Rotath "of the Moonstone and Asphodel" uses a moonstone in his wizardly activities, and “Asfodel” becomes the name of the king of Lemuria. A little REH goes a long way, by Valka!!! The story opens with Rotath and his ape-men servants, in the same room we saw in CtB#37. Cruz did his homework! Today, by Cruz: Neal Adams in CtB #37: A Lemurian captain is interrogated by the magician, and reveals that Asfodel IV, their king, is afraid of Rotath’s power and has sent an expedition to assassinate him. (No reference to foreign kings as in the REH excerpt, though). Rotath uses his magical moonstone to observe an incoming Lemurian ship, which we know is the one carrying the enslaved Kull as well as the wolf-man he was forced to fight (and whose life he spared) last issue. Rotath sends a flock of winged ice demons to attack the visitors, and the touch of the damned things turn everything (and everyone!) to solid ice!!! The ship rapidly sinks, but Kull and the wolf-man manage to escape and to make their way to Rotath’s island. To be continued! Notes : - The Lemurian pirates trade rumours about Rotath and say he’s supposed to have turned his own bones to gold. This is very odd. First, there’s absolutely no reason for Rotath to get a golden skeleton while he’s still alive, even barring the physiological problems. Second, we were earlier given to understand that the transmutation was effected as he lay dying, not before, in order for his bones to attract someone imprudent enough to touch them and provide the life force required to resuscitate the wizard. - Just when did Kull king Rotath? In REH’s original, it is not clear; there is a mention of the king of Lemuria asking the help of foreign kings, but Rotath refers to Kull as a barbarian chief, not as the king of Valusia. I don’t know that Kull ever was a “barbarian chief”, though, except when he led a band of brigands in Valusia; he certainly wasn’t a chief back in Atlantis. Perhaps Rotath is using the term “barbarian chief” as a slur against one he sees as unworthy of a Thurian throne. In the image above, from CtB#37, Kull is wearing his crown. Here Rotath’s death is moved to an earlier point in the Atlantean’s life, when he was still an oarsman on a Lemurian galley (and not a chief in any way). The reference to Lemuria’s request for help from other kingdoms is eliminated. This is actually kind of cool, since it shows that not everything of importance Kull ever did was when he was already king; he had time for a significant career as a wandering barbarian before that.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 24, 2016 15:41:06 GMT -5
Savage sword of Conan #232, April 1995 Cover by Doug Beekman No table of contents this issue, but it contains three stories; the three story lines begun a few issues ago get a new chapter each. Conan the barbarian : Reflections of evil Red Sonja : The road to sorcery Kull : The oathThere are also a few pin-ups and a one-page swords & scrolls section. I think the mag’s impending demise was starting to show.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 24, 2016 15:49:53 GMT -5
SSoC #232 ------------- Reflections of evilScript by Roy Thomas Art by Mike Docherty and E.R. Cruz Continuing the chronological chronicle of Conan’s time among the Kozaks… Their souls trapped in one of Tuzun Thune’s mirrors, the bodies of Turgohl, Zula and Fafnir are found by the Kozaki and slated for cremation. Tension begins to grow between Tuzun Thune (inhabiting the body of the Pictish shaman Gonar) and his mirror-animated homunculi posing as Conan and Red Sonja; the latter two don’t want to be ruled over by the mage anymore and mean to enjoy their physicality. Paving the way for upcoming issues, we devote a few pages to Commander Grimm and one of his Turanian soldiers: the Kushite Juma, Conan’s old comrade, last chronologically seen in CtB#37 and (in a cameo) in SSoC#33. (We would meet Juma again a decade later, in Conan the buccaneer, in issues 41-43). Juma remained in the Turanian army when Conan deserted in CtB #38. Here, the Kushite has the opportunity to be noticed by his commander, whose life he helps save by throwing a lance into an opponent’s back over a near-impossible distance. After I b***d and moaned about too many recent returns and revisiting of old stories, I must admit that Juma’s appearance here is not only appropriate but very welcome. It just makes sense for him to pop up in a story set in Turan. There's just a tiny continuity glitch to mention : in SSoC #41, when the two men meet on the coast of Kush ten years after today's events, Conan says "Crom, man! I've not seen you since the old days when we were mercenaries together under King Yildiz". Oopsie. Back to the Kozaki... As the pyre of Xula, Fafnir and Turgohl is about to be lit, Gonar starts a litany that is supposed to make sure these bodies can never again return from the afterlife. He is interrupted by a Kozak shaman, who insists that the people of the steppes have their own rites, thank you very much, and don’t need a Pict from half a world away to direct the ceremony. The fake Conan tries to strike the brazen Kozak shaman, but his blow is stopped… by the real Conan’s sword! The Cimmerian and Red Sonja, returned to their era last issue, have reached the camp just in time! As mutual accusations of being a fake fuse, Conan’s current mistress, Roxelana, sides with the real one; she has been mistreated by the fake one in ways incompatible with what she knows of her man. Fighting erupts, and Gonar throws the mirror containing the souls of Zula, Fafnir and Turgohl into the pyre that has just been lit. It is then that the other Kozaki notice that the fake Conan is left-handed. Facing the entire army, Tuzun Thune stabs the Kozak shaman and draws the souls of the main Kozak chieftains into yet another mirror. Clutching his bleeding abdomen, the wounded Kozak shaman tells Turgohl’s wife, Tania, to pick the mirror from the fire before it is damaged. She bravely does so, and the shaman mutters a few words that restore their souls to the three “dead” bodies. Things decidedly look bad for Tuzun Thune and his fakes, but since there is no honour among thieves and assorted scoundrels, the fake Conan slashes his creator, claiming that a magician who has run out of tricks is of no use whatsoever. The dying wizard brandishes “one last mirror”, which he smashes to the ground, destroying the fake Conan and Sonja. His body then desiccates like that of a mummy. The souls of the Kozaki chieftains return to their rightful bodies after the wizard’s death, and the entire army reiterates its faith in its leader, Conan. Notes : - The Hyborian age Gonar, introduced in the graphic novel the ravagers out of time, does not return to his body at the end of the tale (since it dries up upon Tuzun Thune’s death). I guess he’s either gone forever in the mirror that captured his soul, or he’s dead. - The Kozaki are surprisingly little upset at seeing Fafnir alive again, and don’t seem overly bothered by his demon arm anymore. - Roxelana, the name of Conan’s woman, is also that of Red Sonya’s sister in REH’s The shadow of the vulture. That’s a nice touch.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 24, 2016 15:55:34 GMT -5
SSoC #232 ------------- The road to sorceryScript by Roy Thomas Art by Esteban Maroto Part III of the adaptation of “ The ring of Ikribu”, a Red Sonja novel written by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney Red Sonja and Lord Olin are surrounded by six priests of Ikribu who attack them to get their furschlugginer ring. They prove no match for their opponents’ swords and all fall dead. At dawn, Olin’s mercenary army leaves the ravaged city of Suthad for the distant fortress of Asroth. The Kothian lord tries his chance with Sonja again, who despite her attraction to him remains adamant that she’s not ready to set aside her vow. During the night, many soldiers die in their sleep, victims of magically-summoned nightmares. Duke Pellides almost endures the same fate, until Sonja and Olin use the ring to awake him. The Duke then removes his leather helmet, revealing the horrible mess that Asroth made of his face, and he insists once again to be given the ring of Ikribu so he can exact his revenge. Things come to blows once more, until Olin calms everyone down. Crossing swamps that lead to Asroth’s stronghold, the soldiers are attacked by supernatural forces once more; this time, they are corpses rising from the muck accompanied by a new tentacled monster. Olin is slain and Pellides angrily blames Sonja, saying this wouldn’t have happened if he had been given the ring. To be concluded next issue. The oathScript by Roy Thomas Art by E.R. Cruz (Continued from last issue). Shipwrecked on the frozen shores of Rotath’s island, Kull and the wolf-man snarl at each other until coming to terms. The wolf-man points out Kull’s inherently racist attitude, assuming he would be an evil cannibal just because he’s half-wolf; he assures the Atlantean that eating the flesh of men is as abhorent to him as it would be to his companion. Apparently, this type of Wolf-men are not shape-shifters even though they are the ones who “were once among the masters of this world” and so the ones mentioned in Kull (vol. 1) #2. The Wolf Men from Kull vol. 2 #2 could change their form at will, just like the Serpent Men. Kull and the Wolf-man agree to make common cause and escape the island together. Before they can find any kind of boat, though, they must defend themselves against Rotath’s Ape-men. Right thereafter they encounter the remains of Captain Tokor, who commanded the ship that brought them to these dire straits. Tokor, who was basically a straight arrow kind of chap, is mostly turned to ice… but as he melts he manages to speak to Kull. Kull says that he owes Tokor his life, for the captain put in a good word for him when the other pirates would have killed the brash young Atlantean. Tokor, in repayment for this debt, asks Kull to accomplish his mission and murder Rotath… for if the mission fails, Tokor’s family will be executed by the Lemurian king. That is the way it works in Lemuria. Kull reflects that for Asfodel IV to learn that Rotath is really dead, the Atlantean will have to return to Lemuria with some kind of proof and right back into the arms of slavery. He is however ready to do so, because he means to pay his debt. Leaving Tokor to melt in the sun, Kull climbs a cliff towards Rotath’s dwelling place. Oy… Plotwise, this has a strong feel of having painted oneself into a corner. Since at this point Kull is free, he can’t possibly escape from a lemurian galley later on unless he is recaptured, and we imagine that he’d manage never to get caught again… Hence this convoluted reason for him to constitute himself prisoner once more. But does he really have to accept being enslaved again? It would be so easy to confirm Rotath’s death: sticking his head in a box and sending it to Asfodel, for example, the way Conan did with Mikhal Oglu’s head sent to Prince Yezdigerd in CtB #23. He could also simply notify any Lemurian that Rotath is dead and let Asfodel send a fact-checking expedition to the island. It’s not as if anyone’s on a time-table; just how long is a king supposed to wait for a wizard to be killed before executing the families of whoever was charged with the task? I figure he'd just wait until he heard word one way or the other. To be concluded!
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 25, 2016 13:14:51 GMT -5
Savage sword of Conan#233, May 1995 Cover by Doug Beekman (uncredited). No table of contents… In these latter days of the mag, we would be basically reduced to the stories and a short editorial by Roy in the letters page. This issue contains more of the Conan the barbarian storyline and the conclusion of the Red Sonja and Kull of Atlantis ones. A few pin-ups round up the issue, with three of them in much reduced form (three per page) and used to fill out the letters page. Here be monstersScript by Roy Thomas Art by Mike Docherty and Geof Isherwood This month’s chapter starts with a seven page recap of certain events that occurred in the pages of SSoC in the 1980’s and set during Conan’s Kozak career. We are to understand that they happened in between last month’s conclusion of the Tuzun Thune story arc and this month’s new adventure. The stories referred to are Reavers of the steppes from SSoC #131, The army of the dead from SSoC#110, as well as Brothers in SSoC #160. None of these stories fit quite well with the current and continuing storylines, but I understand that consistency-conscious Roy Thomas would try to place them as best he could in the saga. ”Reavers of the steppes” is clearly a Kozak story, but it should be placed a few years later, during Conan’s second Kozak career. The main differences between the two Kozak eras is that during the first (the one we are covering with the current storyline), the king of Turan is Yildiz and the action is located somewhere in the steppes between Zamora and Turan. This era concludes with the massacre of the Ilbars river, as seen in SSoC#4 ( Iron shadows in the moon). The second Kozak era occurs later, as shown in Howard’s story The devil in iron (adapted in SSoC #15); Turan’s king at the time is Yildiz’s son Yezdigerd, and the action is set in the vicinity of the Zaporoska river, to the southeast of Turan. The reavers of the steppes (SSoC #131) mentions characters from the devil in iron, including King Yesdigerd, and should therefore belong to that era. The army of the dead in SSoC #110 doesn’t mention Kozaks at all; in it, Conan is a member of a band of unidentified brigands. Sure, we can imagine that they were Kozaki after all, but the story could be placed pretty much anywhere. As for Brothers in SSoC #160, it is the best fit of the three issues; we just have to oil the gears a little to accomodate the fact that in it, Conan is clearly not the hetman of hetmans that he became a few issues ago. So! Let’s get on with today’s new chapter. The art by Docherty and Isherwood is a notch above that of the regular team of Docherty and Cruz; Isherwood is a really good inker whose style meshes very well with Docherty’s pencils. The story itself prepares us for the end of the run, which will happen in issue #235; a cataclysmic resolution to the conflict between Conan and the ominous Commander Grimm is clearly in the offing. We open with an attack on a Turanian column by the Kozaki, an attack in which Fafnir and his demon arm goes all “ Claw the unconquered” on us (the arm pushes him into a killing frenzy). The Kozaki are quite pleased with the day’s plunder, since the column was carrying a lot of money. When Commander Grimm and more of his men reach the site of the battle and consider the damages, our old friend Juma (still a Turanian soldier, and under Grimm’s command) mentions that he personally knows Conan, something that interests Grimm mightily. A while later, Juma shows up at the Kozak camp and claims that he just left the Turanian army when learning that Conan, hetman of the Kozaki, was the same man he knew a few years ago. He also claims not to relish serving under Grimm, who doesn’t seem quite human. Reminiscing of their days together, Conan and Juma talk of princess Yolinda, the daughter of Prince Yezdigerd, whom they saved from the wizard Rotath in CtB #37. Since that adventure, Yolinda became a devout Tarimite and withdrew to a monastery in the city of Kherdpur. A Kozak within earshot alarmingly warns that the city of Kherdpur is known for harbouring monsters, which causes a chuckle in Juma; he was there to visit Yolinda a few times and never saw anything out of the ordinary. Juma convinces Conan that Yolinda and her gentle nature might help convince her doting grandfather Yildiz to leave the steppes alone and let the Kozaks live in peace. Not one to pass an opportunity, Conan decides he and Juma will pay the princess a visit. Reaching Kherdpur and the monastery where Yolinda lives, Conan falls into a trap. As we readers had guessed, Juma was acting under orders from Grimm. Conan is thrown into a network of tunnels where many monsters dwell. Just then Zula shows up, for our Zamballah friend had suspected Juma was a spy and had followed the duo to Kherdpur (Zula is usually the smartest character in these stories). Jumping into the tunnels to help Conan, Zula is however not able to stem the tide of monsters and both he and the Cimmerian are subdued. Witnessing the creatures walk away in the tunnels with the two warriors, Juma and Commander Grimm chuckle at the idea of the fate expecting the intruders… for the subterranean dwellers are rumoured to be cannibals. Notes : - Conan says that Grimm is the only other Cimmerian he knows who left their gloomy homeland, but he seems to be forgetting his own grandfather Corum (from CtB #119) and his childhood friend Tem (from SSoC #128), who became a successful assassin and mercenary leader, or even Shard, the guy who exiled himself from Cimmeria to lead brigands in other lands (from SSoC #74). - Grimm mentions that there’s been a price on Conan’s head for ten years, courtesy of a priest of Erlik. This is a reference to what we learned in Conan and the spider god (SSoC #207-210). Narim Bey, the Turanian officer whose death Conan indirectly caused in CtB #38, was the son of said priest of Erlik, who placed a curse on Conan and offered money for his head. At the end of Conan and the spider god, the Cimmerian had saved the life of one of King Yildiz’s wives, abducted by the spider cult of Yezud, in Zamora; grateful, the lady had promised to settle things with the priest of Erlik. Apparently that didn’t work. - Juma mentions that King Yildiz has a new, pregnant queen. As revealed next issue, this is a reference to Queen Yasmin from the graphic novel Conan the reaver. A noble attempt to have that book fit into the Marvel Conan continuity, but much as I love that beautiful book (with full art by John Severin), it has so many continuity problems that I think it’s better to consider it non-canonical. To begin with, Yildiz in that graphic novel is way older than he should be and looks nothing like the man we were introduced to in CtB #36 (when Conan acted as his bodyguard) and again in SSoC #38. The graphic novel also has Conan act as a "prince of thieves" in Turan's capital, Aghrapur, right at the time he should either be a Kozak or a pirate on the Vilayet. Furthermore, Yildiz does not recognize Conan at all in the graphic novel, despite the man having served him in the past and even saved his life. Assault on AsrothScript by Roy Thomas Art by Esteban Maroto Part IV and conclusion of the adaptation of “ The ring of Ikribu”, a Red Sonja novel written by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney After Lord Olin’s death, his companions decide to accede to Duke Pellides’s demand and to give him the ring of Ikribu. Pellides charges off toward the wizard Asroth’s stronghold. That night, the mercenaries are met with yet another group of worshippers of Ikribu, still intent on getting rid of Asroth. They surprisingly announce that the wizard has been killed, but that to prevent his eventual resurrection they still have to make their way to his castle and to thoroughly destroy him on all planes of existence. Sonja and her companions decide to accompany them and see the campaign through. Asroth’s redoubt is a dangerous place where a single mis-step means instant doom. Most of the warriors and priests make it all the way to the wizard’s throne room, however, where they find him pinned to his throne by Pellides’s sword. The duke himself lies on the ground, dead. The ring of Ikribu has allowed him to slay the wizard, but couldn’t save him from a simple trick: the room’s main door has a handle from which a poisoned barb juts. Prick us, shall we not die poisoned? Suddenly, Pellides’s body comes back to life; it is now possessed by the soul of Asroth. Unfortunately, since the ring of Ikribu is still on Pellides’s finger, the wizard is now impervious to harm! Priests and wizards start dying right and left when a Deus ex machina saves the day: one of Sonja’s companions, we learn, had earlier been given a certain dagger by Pellides when he was still on the side of the angels; said dagger manages to kill the man when it is plunged into his heart. Apparently, some of Pellides’s magic had rubbed off on the blade. (It’s the first time we learn that Pellides had any significant magical power). Business is not quite done, because Asroth’s dead original body starts acting up again. The priests of Ikribu die one by one zapping him with spells, until Sonja skewers him through the head. The wizard finally dies. Sonja would then destroy the ring, but it proves impervious to damage. The sole surviving priest explains that it can never be destroyed, only hidden so that it causes no further trouble. Sonja philosophically concludes that “one day, we mortals may find the strenght and knowledge to oppose these monstrous beings we call gods rather than appease them”. Amen to that! Death in a high placeScript by Roy Thomas Art by E.R. Cruz Concluding this adventure inspired by the prologue to “ the curse of the golden skull”, a fragment left by Robert E. Howard. Young Kull of Atlantis and his wolf-man ally fight Rotath's ape-lords and manage to kill the wizard, and Kull agrees to return to Lemuria to be a slave again to honour last issue’s vow to Captain Tokor. The wolf-man remains on the island, which has enough game to sustain him. The dying Rotath repeats the scene from CtB #37. Good continuity, here!
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 26, 2016 15:36:29 GMT -5
Savage sword of Conan #234, June 1995 Cover by Vince Evans, and frontispiece and back cover by Tom Sutton. This issue features two stories : The daughter of Raktavashi and Family skeletons, both featuring Conan. The daughter of RaktavashiScript by Roy Thomas Art by John Buscema Adapting the story “the daughter of Erlik Khan” by Robert E. Howard It is appropriate that the last two issues of the venerable Savage sword magazine would feature the adaptation of a Robert Howard tale, and one fully illustrated by John Buscema to boot. The mag ends on a high note! The setting is Vendhya, probably a few months before the story “ The people of the Black Circle” as the Cimmerian is not yet a wanted man in that country. Conan acts as a guide to two Aquilonians, Ormon and Pembrok, who claim to be looking for a lost friend. In reality, the two scoundrels are just seeking to reach a certain mountain, Mount Raktavashi, where dwell the Erlik-worshipping Black Khirgiz. The two had need of the Cimmerian’s scouting skills to make their way in this dangerous hill country, but now that they are within reach of the mountain, they take advantage of Conan’s being away to hunt to kill his friend and partner Njab. Ormon, Pembrok and their two servants then depart, not wanting anyone to know where they are going or why. When Conan discovers the dead body of his friend Njab, he naturally decides that blood must be paid for by blood and he starts tracking the Aquilonians. Ever one to seize opportunities when they present themselves, Conan next gains the leadership of a band of brigands he comes across by slaying their chief (a man he knew, as it happens, and with whom he had a gambling debt problem). Brazenly lying through his teeth, Conan swears to lead the bandits to a fantastic treasure the existence of which he just invented. Riding toward Mount Raktavashi, which from questions the Aquilonians had asked him earlier must be the destination of his prey, Conan has the place's story told to him by one of the brigands. The mountain is the site of a remote city where rises the temple of Raktavashi, a son of the death god Erlik. Nearing said temple, Conan leaves his men to rest after an arduous journey and goes on a little exploration. He quickly finds a cavern in which three fidgety horses are tethered, and he recognizes the mounts of Ormon and Pembrok… as well as an abandoned sword on the ground. Entering the deep cavern, Conan finds that its nether recesses are inhabited by tall and gaunt goblins of a man-eating persuasion: the two creatures are slurping the marrow from one man’s bones while another victim is cooking on a rotisserie spit. Weirdly and creepily enough, the goblins keep repeating human words that they do not comprehend, parrot-like. After a brief but violent fight, Conan disposes of the monsters and frees the now well-done prisoner whose last words reveal that Ormon and Pembrok went on to the temple by themselves, leaving their two servants in this cavern, where the two hapless fellows were suprised by the goblins. Waiting for the opportune moment, Conan eventually manages to join a caravan of worshippers headed for the temple of Raktavashi. Slipping into the building as a simple worshipper, he explores stairwells and corridors until challenged and attacked by temple guards. Trying to escape the increasingly lousy odds, the Cimmerian bumps into a woman and is caught and pummelled into unconsciousness. When he comes to, (a little dazed), he is surprised to find himself not in a cell but on the bed of the woman he just ran into. He recognizes her as Nafertari, whom he first met in Shadows in Zamboula (SSoC #14). She used to be the mistress of Zamboula’s satrap Jungir Khan but is now playing the role of the living daughter of Raktavashi. To be continued! Notes: - Really nice art by Buscema. - Conan is probably around 33-34, which means it’s been about two years since he last saw Nafertari. - Roy’s scholarship is apparent throughout the issue, enhancing it without being too obvious. The geography and religions of that part of the Hyborian world are respected in a way that would have made be cry with happiness during the ‘80s. - Letterer Jim Novak does a particularly good job in this tale! Family skeletonsScript by Roy Thomas Art by Mike Docherty and Ralph Reese Penultimate chapter in the Conan the barbarian continuing storyline! Conan and Zula have been captured by the Turanians in the city of Kherdpur and thrown into tunnels where live assorted monsters. The two men soon realize, however, that the creatures can be calmed by the presence of a character who abruptly shows up: it is Princess Yolinda, the daughter of Prince Yezdigerd and grand-daughter of King Yildiz, the very woman that Conan had meant to meet when coming to Kherdpur. Yolinda tells her tragic story to her old friend. Back in CtB #37, when she was the captive of the wizard Rotath, Yolinda was raped by one of his ape-lords. Trying to pretend it hadn’t happened after Conan and Juma the Kushite had rescued her, she had however found herself pregnant when she returned to Aghrapur. Her father Yezdigerd wanted her disowned on the spot, but King Yildiz (far closer to his kindly persona from the graphic novel Conan the reaver than that of the weak man from CtB #36) took pity on her. Yolinda had twins, but given their father’s supernatural nature, both of them were misshapen. Yolinda’s daughter, Zosara, has a lovely face but a taloned ape-like body; Yolinda’s son we would only hear of in the following issue. The monstrous children had been sent to the city of Kherdpur, where (as a Kozak told us last issue), something in the air or the water causes many children to be born with aberrant physiologies. Yolinda, kind hearted, has since spent most of her days in Kherdpur… Not in a convent as Juma had pretended last issue, but in the tunnels where her children dwelled. Surprising Conan and Zula, the princess also reveals that she found great succor in Juma, who has proven to be nothing if not a true and devoted friend. As Conan, Zula and Yolinda discuss, Commander Grimm (the dreaded Cimmerian whose face was modified by devil priests into a great fanged chewing machine, making him a real land shark) receives envoys from Prince Yezdigerd. Full marks to Roy for mentioning that Yezdigerd is worried about the impending succession to Turan’s throne. Yesdigerd has competition, for all that he is Yildiz’s son; his uncle Tespaya (from SSoC #38) is known to be favoured by Yildiz’s mother, which means civil war might be in the offing upon Yildiz’s death. In such an eventuality, Yezdigerd being the grandfather of monsters might look very bad. It just might be that Yolinda's life, as well as that of her kids, is in danger. Juma has recently saved Grimm’s life, but the commander still doesn’t trust him… and when the Kushite means to rejoin Yolinda, Conan and Zula in the tunnels below Kherdpur, he is discovered by his boss. Juma curses Turan and all those who serve it to Hell, claiming he stayed in the cavalry solely to protect Yolinda from her blood-thirsty sire who will doubtless want her murdered one day. Juma and Grimm fight but the steel-jawed commander has the upper hand and has Juma thrown in the tunnels, where he is supposed to be killed by “the horned horror”, a ten foot tall baboon-like creature. To be continued!
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 26, 2016 15:51:50 GMT -5
Savage sword of Conan #235, July 1995Cover by Rudy Nebres. A fly on the wall of Marvel's offices in 1995 might have heard this conversation... “Last Savage sword of Conan issue… Shall we go out with a bang and, say, commission a cover by a big-name artist? Frazetta is probably out of our price range but perhaps Windsor-Smith, Buscema, Corben?" "I like that, but since the mag isn’t making enough money to be kept in print anymore, perhaps we should just colour a pin-up by Rudy Nebres and slap it on the cover? " "*Ahem*… love the mag as we do, we are still a business, so…” (At least it’s a nice pin-up, and it does have goblin-like creatures in it, suiting the main story.) The frontispiece by Tom Grindberg (during his Mike Mignola period) does alleviate our melancholy. Makes me look forward to his upcoming Conan work at Dark Horse! The mag doesn’t have a table of contents anymore, but it includes two stories: the conclusion to The daughter of Raktavashi started last issue, and the final chapter in the Conan the barbarian storyline that extended the colour comic’s chronological depiction of our hero’s life and career. A bittersweet editorial announces that this is indeed the final issue of Marvel’s most successful black and white magazine. We can only agree with Roy Thomas as he concludes : “I know I’ll miss it”. The daughter of Raktavashi, part II Script by Roy Thomas Art by John Buscema Conan has been captured by the priests of Raktavashi after entering their secluded temple, but on the order of the “living goddess” they worship, he finds himself in the goddess’s appartments instead of a jail cell. And no wonder, for this “daughter of Raktavashi” is actually Nafertari, a woman he met (and saved) a few years earlier, back in SSoC #14 ( Shadows in Zamboula). Nafertari tells her life story to the Cimmerian. Her father was the high priest of Raktavashi, in this very temple, but the man had eventually left his responsibilities to elope with a temple priestess. Raised in the faraway Shemite city of Akbitana, Young Nafertari had for a long time aspired to one day see the Vendhyan city of her birth, and when her parents died and left her a good amount on money, she had set upon a pilgrimage to her sources. Alas, her caravan had been attacked by slavers and she had ended up in Zamboula, where she would become the mistress of the city’s satrap Jungir Khan. After a few years, though, she had left her lover to finally go see Mount Raktavashi. There she had once again been captured, this time by the Black Khirgiz, who had brought her to the temple to be used as a sacrifice; but Nafertari had been saved by a certain birthmark on her right hip, the mark of Raktavashi, marking her as the god’s own daughter! Since then, she had remained in the temple, worshipped as a goddess. Nafertari admits that she has no idea whether the birthmark is natural or if her priestly father had it burned on her when she was little. She also reveals that her name isn’t really Nafertari but Zabibi (the “fake” name she had first given Conan in SSoC #14). Conan being a resourceful man, as well she knows, Zabibi now sees an opportunity to escape. Conan is agreeable to taking Zabibi with him when he leaves, but first he insists that he has to kill Ormon and Pembrok, the two men he hunted down all the way to Mount Raktavashi. Returning to his earlier plan of searching the maze-like temple for his two targets, Conan overhears priests who openly talk of soon getting rid of Zabibi. The high priest, Yogok, has hinted that she must be a fake and must be removed. (Yogok is actually frustrated that his authority has been supplanted by Zabibi, and that she has the gall to refuse to share his bed). Ormon and Pembrok are indeed in the temple, as Conan had surmised. They are in cahoots with Yogok, who for a fee will deliver Zabibi to them. The two Aquilonians are bounty hunters, who want to collect the reward offered by Jungir Khan for the return of his beloved mistress. The two westerners get the girl, Yogok gets money and is rid of the daughter of Raktavashi, everybody wins. Having gotten their hands on Zabibi, they all leave the temple via secret passages and find themselves in the open air, in the mountains. Conan is however hot on their heels and he captures a returning Yogok. Forcing the high priest to lead him to the Aquilonians, the Cimmerian discovers that the faithless Ormon has stabbed Pembrok in the back to keep all the reward for himself. When Conan finally finds Ormon, it is therefore that much easier to complete his revenge. The Cimmerian unties Zabibi, but alas the pair can’t leave just yet; Conan has learned that his band of brigands was captured by the Khirgiz from the temple and he now has to free them. Reentering the building, he wonders how to interrupt the sacrifice of his followers when a whole army of goblins walk onto the scene! All hell breaks loose as goblins start coming out of the woodwork (well, make that stonework) and go after the priests. We fear for Zabibi’s life at several points, but the goblins are there to protect her, if anything; they even seem to recognize her as the actual daughter of Raktavashi! Conan, Zabibi and the brigands hightail it out of the temple, and the girl leads them to a gold vein that she knows of in a certain cavern. The brigands are overjoyed at their hetman keeping his promise of leading them to untold treasure, and Zabibi plans on returning to her erstwhile lover Jungir Khan. Another hard day’s work behind him, Conan looks forward to a nap… one well deserved after 235 issues, by Crom! The blood of beastsScript by Roy Thomas Art by Mike Docherty This is it! The final confrontation between Conan and Commander Grimm! Juma has just been thrown in the tunnels beneath then city of Kherdpur, where a particularly large monster appears ready to devour him. The Kushite warrior finds temporary allies as Conan and Zula show up, not wanting a monster to deprive them of their revenge against a man they see as a traitor. The fight is however soon ended when Princess Yolinda shows up, ordering the creature to cease and desist; the gigantic, baboon-like monster is her second child, Salbatanu. (Salbatanu may have a temper but he’s nothing if not a devoted son). Conan still means to slay Juma and makes a good try of it, despite Juma’s refusal to raise a blade against his friend, until Yolinda explains the generous nature of the Kushiote’s betrayal: he meant to get Conan to Kherdpur only so the Cimmerian could help save Yolinda. This is actually a pretty stupid plan, all things considered… Instead on delivering Conan to Grimm on the off-chance that the commander would condemn him to be thrown into the tunnels instead of cutting his head right then and there, why not simply tell Conan “Princess Yolinda needs you to save her from her father and could help you settle things with king Yildiz”? It is, after all, pretty much the “fake” plan that he used to lure Conan to Kherdpur in the first place! But anyway. Meanwhile, Commander Grimm receives the lord of Akif, Shah Amurath, an important figure from this period of Conan’s life. The two men (speaking with each other’s word balloons) must see to it that Prince Yezdigerd’s new orders be carried out: Yolinda and her children are to die. In the tunnels, as an upset Conan and Zula take their leave, Juma and Yolinda open up to each other’s feelings. Their bliss is cruelly short-lived as little Zosara is struck from behind by a spear; Grimm and his men have arrived to accomplish their murderous deeds. Juma and Salbatanu attack bravely but are outnumbered and outgunned; the giant collapses, pierced by several spears and Juma is nearly gutted by Grimm. Zosara, dying, manages to crawl out of the tunnels all the way to Conan (she must have used short-cuts or Conan stopped for a pee, because there’s no way she crawls faster (with a spear through her gut, too!) that the Cimmerian can walk). Cradling the girl’s dying form, Conan reproaches himself for failing to kill Grimm in Cimmeria all those years before (as seen in SSoC #219). Grimm, whose flair for the spectacular might be explained by his circus freak countenance, has meanwhile had Yolinda and Juma attached by their hands on a large beam hanging from a tunnel ceiling. Mocking their mutual affection, he slashes their neighbouring wrists so their blood will mix, “making them husband and wife” before they die. Before his sadistic activities go further, however, he is interrupted by the arrival of a blood-mad fellow Cimmerian accompanied by Zula and by a not-quite-dead-yet Salbatanu. Conan and Grimm go at each other with no holds barred, shattering swords, gouging eyes, biting arms… two monuments of hatred clashing in one final, apocalyptic battle. Grimm might get the upper hand thanks to his inhuman, oversized jaws, but when a freed Juma manages to graze him with a dagger the Commander is briefly distracted, allowing Conan to grab a fallen sword. And that, as they say, is how history is made! The victory is a bitter one, alas, as Princess Yolinda joins her children in the afterlife, having bled to death. The three men leave Kherdpur’s tunnels, each lost in their thoughts. And so end Conan the barbarian and the Savage Sword of Conan. "I know I’ll miss them". There is a coda of sorts to this story : the colour miniseries “ Conan : The flame and the fiend” has Conan riding with the Kozaks again, and facing Shah Amurath.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 26, 2016 15:54:36 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 16:11:52 GMT -5
As you reach the end of the series, all I can say is bravo! Job well done RR.
-M
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,069
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Post by Confessor on Nov 26, 2016 16:51:00 GMT -5
Yes, well done on completing your thread, RR. As I've noted before, I'm not much of a fan of Conan and have had little to contribute, but I've really enjoyed following this thread.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 17:54:34 GMT -5
This has been one of my favorite threads, and I will miss it. Even if I didn't chime in much. Job well done, RR.
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Post by senatortombstone on Nov 27, 2016 16:00:32 GMT -5
My many thanks to you RR, for what I hope was a labor of love for you. I have been enjoying this thread since I stumbled on it in 07/2015. I am sad to see it end. I can only hope that in some other universe that Heisenberg's SSoC subscription is up to issue #493. Perhaps Darkhorse will one day revive this title. Do you plan on continuing with CtB or some of Marvel's other Conan publications? I believe there were a total of 675 Conan issues of some kind published by Marvel?
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 27, 2016 16:20:00 GMT -5
My many thanks to you RR, for what I hope was a labor of love for you. I have been enjoying this thread since I stumbled on it in 07/2015. I am sad to see it end. I can only hope that in some other universe that Heisenberg's SSoC subscription is up to issue #493. Perhaps Darkhorse will one day revive this title. Do you plan on continuing with CtB or some of Marvel's other Conan publications? I believe there were a total of 675 Conan issues of some kind published by Marvel? Thanks, senator (and mrp and Confessor). This was indeed a labour of love, and like the series I will miss it. I don't believe I will follow with a review of Conan the barbarian for the foreseeable future, though. This activity was a serious chronophage and I'd like to devote more time to my own comics now that I have actual readers! Perhaps someone else will be intersted in handling that even longer run, which includes years and years of very good material! I just re-read Conan the barbarian 273-275 this morning, and man, were they good comics! They didn't feel like the end of an era, but rather like the beginning of one! The script is still fresh and solid, as if Roy had just begun sriting the title and the art by Docherty and the amazing Ricardo Villagran was amazing. Good days indeed, even if "summer's lease hath all too short a date".
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Post by senatortombstone on Nov 27, 2016 23:01:20 GMT -5
My many thanks to you RR, for what I hope was a labor of love for you. I have been enjoying this thread since I stumbled on it in 07/2015. I am sad to see it end. I can only hope that in some other universe that Heisenberg's SSoC subscription is up to issue #493. Perhaps Darkhorse will one day revive this title. Do you plan on continuing with CtB or some of Marvel's other Conan publications? I believe there were a total of 675 Conan issues of some kind published by Marvel? Thanks, senator (and mrp and Confessor). This was indeed a labour of love, and like the series I will miss it. I don't believe I will follow with a review of Conan the barbarian for the foreseeable future, though. This activity was a serious chronophage and I'd like to devote more time to my own comics now that I have actual readers! Perhaps someone else will be interested in handling that even longer run, which includes years and years of very good material! I just re-read Conan the barbarian 273-275 this morning, and man, were they good comics! They didn't feel like the end of an era, but rather like the beginning of one! The script is still fresh and solid, as if Roy had just begun writing the title and the art by Docherty and the amazing Ricardo Villagran was amazing. Good days indeed, even if "summer's lease hath all too short a date". Alas, I lack both a complete run of the series and the scholarly skills necessary to do justice an "Annotated Conan the Barbarian" thread. However, perhaps I should blunder through a few issues, so that you or someone else would be compelled to tell me step aside and then take over the reigns? There is also Conan (1995), which has a 11 issue run and Conan the Adventure, which has a 14 issue run - either run should be pretty cheap to purchase. I know I have some of these issues, as well as most of the mini-series, which were sort of the last hurrah for Marvel and Conan. These might make good practice runs. I know I could handle a review thread of the cartoon series, which was actually quite good (it was my gateway to Conan), but this is a comics forum, not a cartoon forum. Regarding your own work, RR, I clicked on your blog page. I liked what I saw, but I don't read French. Do you plan on paper publishing in English eventually?
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Post by foxley on Nov 28, 2016 5:58:47 GMT -5
Adding my thanks to those already expressed, Roquefort Raider. I've been on board since you started this crazy journey, and have thoroughly enjoyed your always entertaining and informative reviews and commentary. And you even gave me an opportunity to chime in on occasion with my own modest Howard scholarship (although I freely admit that the Conan tales are not my main field of expertise).
So take a break RR; you've earned it. And be proud of what you've achieved here.
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