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Another CONAN gag..."CONAN the Commuter"

March 12, 2013, 6:36 am
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by Paul Smith...from an issue of Marvel Age.  Thank you to "Marvel Comics of the 1980's the blog"
These need to be shared.... I thank CROM that there is such a thing as the WEB,THE NET,THE INTER WEB and or..THE INTERNET!!!  Especially Blogger, because where by Hell else would I be able to find these long sought after CONAN gags without going page by page through every issue of MARVEL AGE in order to find them? Thanks again my friends.
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CONAN vs HAGAR...

March 14, 2013, 3:47 pm
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An editorial cartoon from the pages of a 1983 issue of Comics Journal # 85 by Chas Gillen.  I was doing some research and stumbled across it.  I think Chas. did an excellent job portraying CONAN in a very John Buscema/Ernie Chan - esque style...Hagar came out nice too lol
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Melike Acar!

March 17, 2013, 9:45 pm
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Crom! contributor and Fatih is hard at work translating Turkish Conan related material into English for us, and between translations has taken the time to write us about an artist that I wasn't familiar with...

"Today, I want to share with you excellent drawings of Melike Acar, a Turkish artist that works for DC, Dynamite and some others. She is very talented. I'm sure you know her and perhaps you saw some of her works. Perhaps you can share it on ultimateconanfan blog.

Other heroes fight, Conan kills... !"

Check out Melike's Conan in chains, raging Red Sonja, and a boatload of Sonja sketchcards below!  Then take the jump to Melike's blog HERE, where you'll find more awesome artwork, and links to her Facebook, DeviantArt, Livestream, Tumblr, and more! 

 
 
 
Very cool Fatih, thanks for the share! 
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Dutch Lancers!

March 29, 2013, 9:48 pm
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Crom! reader Tom writes:

Hi, I recently found a series of Dutch conan books from the 70's.  Zwarte beertjes reeks uitgegeven by A.W. Bruna & zoon (Black Bears series published by A.W. Bruna & son).  Although you guys probably already know of the existence of this series, i thought i'd send you a picture anyway.

Greetz, Tom

Well Tom, I've been sitting on some very large scans of the Zwarte Beertjes covers for a long time (courtesy of UK Vintage's photostream over on flickr), and it's high time I posted them!  For those who are unfamiliar with this series, they are the Dutch versions of the Lancer paperback series, and for the most part contained the same stories (although in many cases one story fewer than their Lancer equivalent for whatever reason).

Book titles below link to more information about each one, courtesy of HowardWorks!

(click the pics for extra large)

Conan - 1976

Conan van Cimmerië (Conan of Cimmeria) - 1976

Conan de vrijbuiter (Conan the Freebooter) - 1977

 
Conan de zwerver (Conan the Wanderer) - 1977

Conan de avonturier (Conan the Adventurer) - 1978

Conan de boekanier (Conan the Buccaneer) - 1978

Conan de krijger (Conan the Warrior) - 1978

Conan de overweldiger (Conan the Usurper) - 1979


The cover artist for the first four novels above is one Julius de Goede, but I couldn't find any information about said artist.  It wouldn't surprise me if it's THIS Julius, but I couldn't find a shred of evidence linking him or anyone else with that name back to these particular covers.  The last four covers are the work of Texas born Leslie Ashton Fisher, who apparently now resides in Dordrecht, South Holland, where he owns a tattoo studio.

Clearly these covers are nowhere near on par with the much revered Frazetta equivalents, but they're pretty cool nonetheless, and yet another small part of the whole kit and caboodle that is Conan!

Thanks for the inspiration to get this post done Tom!
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Norway's Pocket Serien!

March 30, 2013, 9:04 pm
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We’ve seen a few of these particular comic book covers from Norwegian publisher  Bladkompaniet AS  – more specifically their Pocket serien (Pocket Series) edition – on Crom! before, and they never fail to put a smile on my face.  Some of these illustrations are excellent, while others are downright silly fun!

Below is the entire run of (REH related) covers.   I’m familiar with many of the artists below but not all so feel free to ask about particular cover(s), or better yet just figure it out for yourself jackal! 


























Mitra’s blessings to Minetegneserier.No for the pics!
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Dutch Lancers - Update!

April 1, 2013, 4:27 pm
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When Tom emailed me about those Dutch Lancers, he also pointed out that a couple of them had interior illustrations (also the work of Leslie Ashton Fisher) and was kind enough to send scans today so we could see them with our own eyes!

From Conan de krijger - 1978

From Conan de overweldiger - 1979
 
The style looks a little Stephen Fabian inspired - very cool and much appreciated Tom!
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THE SAVAGE ART OF LOSTON WALLACE!!!

April 5, 2013, 7:37 am
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I found these bad ass Conan sketches on " Loston's Sketch blog "  Loston Wallace is ( Like me ) a Kubert school alumn.  Loston Garduated from The Joe Kubert school about 5 years after my tenure there.  Loston has worked for animation studio's,just about every comic book company that counts and has worked for those companies that put out those little golden books that produce the animated versions of Superman and Batman ( Bruce Timm style ).... I love Lostons loose and dark style in these Conan sketches it is very complementary the the spirit of the character and is exactly what we expect CONAN to look like...Big Brawny and SAVAGE...enjoy the work of Loston Wallace.


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Conan in Indonesia!

April 7, 2013, 8:48 am
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So I've conversing a bit with Crom! reader Tom of late and he's motivated me into doing some additional research for an upcoming post about Dutch Conan publications.  As is often the case, I got side-tracked - this time because I came across a Conan comic from Indonesia that I'd never seen before...

 
Conan The Barbarian - Monyet Zemba
Publisher: Yayasan Karya Bhakti Bandung (1977) 
 
...this discovery led me  to various  other  sites where I encountered….these!


Ardian - Conan Raja Aqulonia
Publisher: SAN Agency – th (1977)
Cover Art: Kus Bram
 
Ardian - Conan Raja Aqulonia
Publisher: UP. Sastra Kumala (1977)
 
Conan The Barbarian - Menara Darah
Publisher: Maranatha th (1978)
 
Conan - Pasukan Iblis (1984)
 
Ardian - Conan -Si Orang Barbar
Publisher: UP Sastra Kumala (1977)
 
Conan The Barbarian - Vs Wanita Iblis
Cover Art: Judah Noor
 
That cover above obviously being inspired by Barry Windsor-Smith's CTB King Size #1...
 
 
 
Album Cergam - Conan Si Orang Barbar
Publisher: Maranatha Cetakan I (1982)
Cover artist:  Djoni Andrean
 
Album Cergam - Conan Si Penakluk
Publisher: Yayasan karya Bhakti Bandung (1978)
Cover artist:  Djoni Andrean
 
Conan Suku Barbar - Musnahnya Kota Terkutuk
Publisher: Maranatha Cetakan I (1977)
 
...and that last cover clearly ripped from this full page John Buscema/Yong Montano spread in SSOC #11...
 
 
 
I also came across a couple of Toor Si Penakluk (Toor the Conqueror) comics like this one which contains a 48 page backup story featuring none other than Conan…
 
Toor Si Penakluk
Publisher: Lokajajaya agency Jakarta (1981)
 
Toor Si Penakluk (interior pages)
 
…And another Toor the Conqueror featuring Nestor Redondo's SSOC #57 cover art…
 
Sang Penakluk TOOR – Runtuhnya Vulkan
Publisher: Ermar Press Bandung (1982)
 
 
 
Regarding the artists that I was able to identify: Kus Bram,Djoni Andrean, and Jadah Noor, I did read somewhere that Jadah Noor was considered a legendary local artist, and a google image search of each artist seems to indicate that they all have a large body of work (though not Conan related), but that’s about as far as I got with that.

I also did a bit of searching related to the publishers as well, and was a mildly amused to discover this photo of what I believe to be one such operation...


 It seems obvious to me that most of the comics above are simply bootlegged Marvel Conan comics that have been translated into Indonesian.  Intriguing stuff nevertheless!
 
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One Minute Later - Double Shot!

April 9, 2013, 6:33 pm
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We've seen the "One Minute Later" concept more than afewtimesbefore around here, and thankfully Crom! contributor Xonan has brought a couple more to our attention!

The first one is the work of the immensely talented Allan Goldman (deviantArt, blog) and is based on Barry Windsor-Smith's cover from CTB #24.  Check out the intense level of detail in Allan's work...incredible!

Click images for the big picture


 
 
The second one is the work of the vastly gifted Manon Delacroix (website, tumblr), who utilizes Barry Windsor-Smith's CTB #20 cover to give us a glimpse at her mad pencilling skills and throws in a touch of humor for good measure! 

 
Great stuff...much appreciated Xonan!
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How do you rate Brian Wood's take on DH's Queen of the Black Coast?

April 9, 2013, 8:53 pm
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Have your say!  Vote today!


Over there on the left if you didn't see it...
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Bill Sienkiewicz's 1984 Conan Calendar!

April 11, 2013, 9:09 pm
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Damn straight!  Now listen to what Crom! reader/contributor Xonan has to say about this unexpected treat!

"I don't know if you've posted the Conan calendar by Sienkiewicz (1984) but here it is in perhaps the best quality. Some art is reworked from actual movie stills that we all know by heart, while others are painted taking inspiration from unpublished stills (like Conan and Valeria in the Arena).

There's one horrid pic with a weird Cerberus and one with a so-so fistfight but aside from that the rest is top notch, including a few non movie conan pics that could easily rival SSOC covers!"


In most cases, click for big!
 













Sweet mother of Crom!  All hail Bill Sienkiewicz!  All hail Xonan!
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Mega Mego News!

April 17, 2013, 8:33 pm
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Figures Toy Co. announced yesterday that they’re releasing an exact replica of none other than Conan Mego, so for those of us who weren’t fortunate enough to pick one up in the ‘70’s (or too cheap to shell out $3.79 for one) now’s your chance!  Flashback...


Amongst the buzz o'plenty over at the Mego Museum, there's rumblings that these new action figures will retail for somewhere in the $30 price range, and if sales are good we may very well expect to see more Conan related merchandise in the same vein as Conan Mego!

Here's the full press release...

Figures Toy Company, after having success with KISS action figures is proud to be introducing the following new action figure lines: “Batman 1966 Classic TV Series”, “Retro 8 Inch Batman”, “Dukes of Hazzard”, “Evel Knievel”, “Conan The Barbarian”, “Tarzan”, “Dallas TV Series” and “Gilligan’s Island”. These figures will have cloth clothing, 16 points of articulation and accessories.  Figures Toy Company will also introduce a talking President Barack Obama 7 inch figure.

Conan The Barbarian, Solomon Kane & Kull The Conqueror Action Figures



 These action figures are based upon the comic book series by Robert E. Howard. Conan The Barbarian is an exact replica of the original action figure that was released by Mego. Both Solomon Kane & Kull The Conqueror are Figures Toy Company originals. All three will be available in 8 inch only.

As a side note, take the hop (here) back to 2009, where our very own Reis gushes over his Conan Mego!


Crom salutes Terry Allen (UK) for the exciting news!
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Simon Bisley Conan Original!

April 17, 2013, 8:53 pm
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Just one of many things I've been meaning to post for a looooooong time...if you haven't seen it yet, you simply MUST check out this stunning hi-res photo of Simon Bisley's original acrylic Conan painting from 1995!

Click for big!



I can't recall what the price tag was on this piece, but I'm guessing somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000.  Thanks to the Lewis Wayne Gallery for the closer look!
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- In Memorium - Dan Adkins -

May 8, 2013, 10:10 am
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It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I inform the followers here at CROM that another great comic book legend and master draftsman Dan Adkins has passed away.  I never knew the man nor have I ever met him but his work always left me reeling. His skill was incredible and I always loved the work he did whether he was inking someone's work or creating his own work he always came through ( Never in doubt ) with beautiful art. 
     Dan had been around the Marvel comics offices contributing to the creations we all know and love since the inception of the Marvel Age.  His Conan portfolio is one of the long sought after pieces I long to add to my collection.  One day perhaps I will obtain it.
     Below is some text that I copied from wikipedia :

In 1964, during the period comic-book fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comics, Adkins joined the Wally Wood Studio as Wood's assistant. Wood and Adkins collaborated on a series of stories for Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror-comics magazines Creepy and Eerie. Adkins was among the original artists of Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, for Tower Comics, drawing many Dynamo stories during his 16 months in the Wood Studio.[1]
His work as a penciler and inker appeared in 816 comic books, and he inked over 70 artists in the comics industry. He drew 132 covers for Marvel Comics, in addition to his many pages for Doctor Strange and other Marvel titles. Adkins has worked for a variety of comics publishers, including Charlton Comics, DC Comics (Aquaman, Batman), Dell Comics/Western Publishing, Eclipse Comics, Harvey Comics, Marvel, and Pacific Comics.[1]
In addition to penciling and inking, Adkins has also done cover paintings, including Amazing Stories, Eerie (issue 12) and Famous Monsters of Filmland (issues 42, 44). His magazine illustrations have been published in Argosy (with Wood), Amazing Stories, Fantastic, Galaxy Science Fiction, Infinity, Monster Parade, Science-Fiction Adventures, Spectrum, Worlds of If and other magazines

As you can see Mr. Adkins was a well rounded and experienced professional - You will be missed sir...God bless...Rest in peace.    ( March / 1937 - May / 2013 )
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Robert E. Howard the American Tolkien...

May 14, 2013, 7:07 am
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I was visiting my local comic book store this past Saturday and picked up a few things.  As I was paying I noticed on the wall behind the register a copy of " Famous Monsters of Filmland"  # 265 to be precise.  I noticed Gollum...I asked to see it and the store owner handed it to me and I noticed it was a Sanjulian painting.  So I bought it expecting a nice article on the new HOBBIT film that was out recently.  When I got it home I was totally surprised to see upon reading the table of contents if there were a Magazine to buy by accident or chance it is this one.


                                    
There were articles about Quentin Tarantino,The Hobbit,Bakshi's LOR,Forrest J. Ackerman,PSYCHO and of all things that made my purchase even more of an unexpected treat...ROBERT E. HOWARD in an article called The "AMERICAN J.R.R.  TOLKIEN"  for many years I have always compared Howard to Tolkien myself.  I have had many a conversation with Tolkien fans about CONAN and how they should read a true HOWARD CONAN yarn. 
           One instance I can remember...I was talking with someone who was talking about how intellectual Tolkien's stories were and how his stories are discussed by Professors of lierature at great Universities around the world.  I told him that in my opinion Tolkien's writing was verbose and too descript to hold my attention ( His descriptions of forests and hills and mountain sides and ornate castles were a bit overly descript and I got bored and had to slog through the story to get to the faster moving parts of the tale only to find there was actually no faster moving parts of the tale.  It was like having a discussion with an Ent about whether or not to have a discussion ) 
            Bottom line...there really is no better writer at all in this great world and in the history of literature or written fiction.  It is all preference. 
          About two years later the guy I had this discussion with told me he bought a CONAN pastiche and read it and really enjoyed it. He also noted that the pace was more even and steady...I was pleased to give him an I told you so.  ( There is only so much description one can put into something before you begin to lose interest )  My point of view on the subject is this...Tolkien...Like Howard created a world people could get lost in.  Tolkien's world is full of magic and magical peoples...HOWARD's world...was full of grit and realism and strayed away magic.  Like CONAN who hated magics.  Tolkien wrote stories where magic played a major part.  Howard wrote stories where magic was just a tool and the hero always had to overcome great obstacles with his wits and bare hands.  Who is better?  I am not qualified to judge.
      For those of you who are CONAN completists...I recommend you go out and obtain this magazine.
Expand your Horizons and read more by CROM!!!
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Another Belit/Conan Motherload from Mexico!

May 22, 2013, 9:07 pm
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Yet another batch of Cuentos de Abuelito covers have materialized on the interwebs, including some of the oldest issues ever produced and most of which we're seeing on Crom for the first time!   These covers come to us courtesy of a recent eBay listing by seller Mexmorabilia but they've already been scooped up...$900 US for the lot!

And I quote: "19 issues of this very rare and hard to find mexican Conan series published from November 13 1952 to August 13 1953"...





















While I'm at it, here's some new La Reina de la Costa Negra cover scans as well, several of which are also making their first appearance on Crom!  These particular covers were recent additions over on El Baul del Comic!  Thanks El Baul!








Once again, "Cuentos" was published by Corporacion Editorial Mexicana S.A (CEMSA) in 1952-53, "La Reina" by Editiones Mexicanas Asocidas (EMA) in 1958-59, and then again by JOMA in 1965-66.  Related material can be found inanumberofplacesaroundhereforthoseinterested!

And here's some other little tidbits of interest, a random smattering of other "La Reina" material that I've come across of late that also hasn't been seen around here before...


 

For good measure I leave you with this, A Cuentos/La Reina group shot courtesy of one Mikus and posted by Terry Allen over at the REH Comics yahoo group.  Unfortunately this is as big as it gets, but it provides evidence that there's a lot more blond Conan to be seen!

 
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" An age undreamed of "

May 30, 2013, 12:24 pm
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I am totally fascinated and would love to one day own one of these.  A few would be cool...being they are scarce I doubt I'll ever find one.
  Go to:
http://www.anageundreamedof.com/2013/05/la-reina-de-la-costa-negra-mystery-of.html

The blog " An age undreamed of " and read more about these fantastic predessesors to The CONAN the Barbarian comic books we all know and love today!!!
Props to Cromsblood for regularly sharing each and every time he comes across new UNDREAMED OF material and shares with us!!!
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conan the barbarian motion comic movie pt.1

June 13, 2013, 10:18 am
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You can find the rest of the story @ youtube.

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Conan and He-Man Team Up!

June 22, 2013, 9:30 pm
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A few more CONAN at random images....

June 25, 2013, 12:32 pm
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Just buzzing around looking up pics on ebay and google searches... I came across these images and would like to share...we should always share our CONAN.
 The art in this sketch book is by a man named Rich Woodall...great work Rich!!!
 This one is by CONAN artist Mike Hawthorne...he got me good on April 1st two years ago
 A couple of foreign editions utilizing Gil Kane/Ernie Chan art.  I like the recoloring.
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