Any Conan Fans?

[Midnyte_Sun]

I've been reading a few of his graphic novels and they all kick ass.

I just finished the Book of Toth, and i'm working The God in the Bowl, i already read the next 2 in those chronicles.

Any other Conan graphic novels worth picking up?

 

[Elijya]

There's the Chronicles of Conan, which reprint the old Marvel series from the seventies.

Also, any and every issue of Savage Sword of Conan you can find. They're magazines, black and white, and almost every issue completely stands on it's own, sometimes with multiple stories. There's no trades or anything, but most comic shops should have a few issues. Every single one I've ever picked up was a good read.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

I'm really surprised on how beautiful some of these Dark Horse stories are, the Book of Toth is a great story and I got to say, Kurt Busiek is a great writer.

I have to go back and read more now.

 

[DarkNick]

I've just received all the Busiek Conan books. Flicking through them, I was stunned by the artwork. I can't wait to read them all.

Just a dumb question from a novice: reading Busiek's Conan means I don't have any great need to read Howard's Conan since Busiek's version is basically a 'modernization' of the same stories ... uh, right?

 

[Prognosticator]

Hyborian Nation!! ....

Hey El, of the modern Dark Horse Conan, which trade is 2nd & which one came 3rd?? I keep getting the two confused

 

[Elijya]

mm, I'm buying the hardcovers, which I believe collect the same issues as the softcovers per volume, and so I believe the order is

Vol 1. The Frost Giant's Daughter (and others)
Vol 2. The God in the Bowl (and others)
Vol 3. The Tower of the Elephant (and others)
Vol 4. The Halls of the Dead (and others)

It's worth noting that the DH series is supposed to be chronological through Conan's life, but there were several fill in stories which were omitted, such as #8 "Born on a Battlefield" which were flashbacks, or were left out for some other reason (I think because Cary Nord didn't do the art, but he's off the book now anyway, along with Kurt)

 

[Elijya]

I've just received all the Busiek Conan books. Flicking through them, I was stunned by the artwork. I can't wait to read them all.

Just a dumb question from a novice: reading Busiek's Conan means I don't have any great need to read Howard's Conan since Busiek's version is basically a 'modernization' of the same stories ... uh, right?

Kind of. Like I said, the DH series is supposed to be a chronilogical telling of Conan's life, and so features the Howard stories in their supposed order (someone years after Howard's death had to go through and figure approximately when each one took place, since it wasn't always clear), with new fill-in tales in between. But there are some Howard tales which did not take place until much later in Conan's life, and it might be some time, if ever, before the DH series gets to them.

Also, if you love a story, any story, it can be worth checking out all of it's adaptations through different medium. Reading a book is a far different experience from watching a movie based on the book, after all. The comics might have the same plots as some of REH's books, but that doesn't mean they're the same. The author has his own voice he told the stories in which can never be fully translated to another medium.

So really, it's just a matter of how much you like Conan

 

[The BatDude]

I'm only familiar with Conan as far as Dark Horse goes, I buy them in TPB but other then that I haven't read anything else. Oh, I also got the DK guide to Conan.

 

[Addendum]

I like Conan, but since Del Rey published the Robert Howard penned Conan stories and I bought all 3 volumes a couple years ago, that's all I need

 

[GNR]

How many Busiek trades are there?

Definitely interested.

 

[Elijya]

four thus far, and they're excellent. Just wait until you see the art

 

[The BatDude]

Cary Nord is at the top of his game.

 

[MattXG]

The fourth book is out?

I have the first 3 and LOVE them....didn't think I'd like them but when I read it -- was just amazing.

Can't wait to read the third one....Will Janessa (sp?) ever come back? Was she even in the originals?

 

[Elijya]

fourth one came out a few weeks ago

 

[3dman27]

anyone read the world of conan novels?

 

[GNR]

How many Busiek trades are there?

Definitely interested.

Took me a year and a half to finally check the DH series out.I picked up the first trade as well as the entire run of issues from #7 to 44 (missing a few fill ins I think) during x-mas break.

Nord and Stewart are the perfect match for these types of stories.The stories themselves are really entertaining reads.You get high adventure,brutal action,and lots of fun supernatural stuff like gods,sorcerers and monsters.Conan himself is quite an enigma.Willing to kill out of revenge and anger yet still has what it takes to be the hero.

I never knew Conan was a thief,so these stories felt very fresh and exciting for me.

How are Chronicles and Savage Sword?Do they hold up still?Chronicles is 17 volumes,so I'm very iffy on snatching those up plus I have a hard time getting thru older comics from that era.

 

[GNR]

Which of the Chronicles are worth getting?I just saw that their were 17 volumes,and there is no way I am getting all that.

 

[Lucien]

I've just started collecting this series and it's blown me away! It's absolutely fantastic. I've read Born on the Battlefield and the Frost Giants Daughter so far, with the God in the Bowl on its way.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

I think we're at Volume 6 right now in terms of the graphic novels. Although Kurt Buseik is not writing them, they are still very good stories and they have very good art as well.

 

[Chintzy Beatnik]

Which of the Chronicles are worth getting?I just saw that their were 17 volumes,and there is no way I am getting all that.

The first 14 are amazing. Roy Thomas is probably one of the best, if not the best, Conan comic writers of all time.

 

[GNR]

Is it true the Chronicles trades are pretty limited in terms of gore and violence because of the CC?

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

To compare them in terms of violence, I'd say so. Not sure if it was because of the CC though.

 

[GNR]

My review of the series and the last chapter.

Conan #47-50 (Vol.6 The Hands on Negral)



So I finally finished up the entire Dark Horse run.Besides the first part of God in the Bowl and the middle act of Rogues,this series rarely had any low points and was such an exciting and engrossing read from start to finish.



My knowledge of Conan before picking this series up was taken straight from the 80s movies.I wanted to see nothing but Conan cutting off heads and stabbing monsters and people.Sure we get to see him do that from time to time,but Busiek and Truman accomplish so much more than that and inject a great deal of history and wonder into these stories.



Conan has to be one of the most fascinating characters in fiction.His moral code is constantly blurred and difficult to pick up.There are so many instances in this run where Conan's actions are so sudden and brutal,yet he still manages to be that conniving and witty free spirit who always has a plan.



I was never familiar with the history of the character,so most of the run felt fresh and new to me.This first volume mainly deals with his time as a drifter/thief.Dark Horse is currently publishing the second volume of this series called Conan the Cimmerian,which will follow his days as a soldier/mercenary.They're following the stories in chronological order,so Vol.3 a couple years down the road will deal with his time as King of Aquilonia.



Anyways,I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever wanted to check out the sword/sorcery genre or to anyone looking to shake things up in their reading habits with something new and exciting.