Day of the Lion - What is it

[lordyam]

I've heard people mention it. Apparently it was Karl Edward Wagner's take on how Conan became King but it never got off the ground. Where there any details revealed beyond the bare outline? Why was it struck down exactly? What little I heard seems fascinating

[Von K]

Mar 22, 2017 2:41:42 GMT -5 lordyam said:

I've heard people mention it. Apparently it was Karl Edward Wagner's take on how Conan became King but it never got off the ground. Where there any details revealed beyond the bare outline? Why was it struck down exactly? What little I heard seems fascinating

Hi Lordyam.

Here's Karl Edward Wagner's own explanation of what happened...

In early 1977 I was asked to organize matenial for three new Conan novels which I was to write for Bantam Books, under the authorizatlon of tbe Howard estate and Conan Properties, Inc. Accordingly, I submitted a prospectus for the first of those three pastiches -a novel that would chronicle Conan's usurpation of the throne of Aquilonia. To my regret, I was informed that L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, who were also to write three new Conan novels for Bantam, had earlier agreed to write the novel that would cover this episode in Conan's career. In deference to their prior claim, I withdrew my prospectus and selected new areas for my pastiche efforts.

Karl Edward Wagner - preface to the Day of the Lion synopsis, published in Simba fanzine issue 2.

I believe KEW used portions of his DotL synopsis for the plot of Road of Kings, which was published in 1979.

[johnnypt]

It might have tied too neat a bow between Black Stranger and Phoenix on the Sword, but it certainly would have been better than Liberator. I wonder if it's even possible to work out a deal to do a comic adaptation/extrapolation of it. At some point DH will likely have to deal with that part of Conan's career and KEW did a lot of the legwork here.

[Jason Aiken]

textuploader.com/dt75m

For those interested in reading it.

[thedarkman]

Mar 23, 2017 5:08:05 GMT -5 Jason Aiken said:

textuploader.com/dt75m

For those interested in reading it.

Alas, if only this had come to fruition, there would be no Conan the Liberator! Personally, I have no problem with pastiche works of Conan or any REH characters. The trick is to hire quality writers with the knowledge and passion for Howard's work, who really want to write a Howard based story. Wagner was just such a writer, and he certainly had a deep understanding of pulp and S&S. I enjoyed Road of Kings and Legion from the Shadows greatly, and I know Wagner would have done more great things with Conan if he had been given the green light. There are many great writers out there today who could do justice to Howard's creations; just a matter of the right people in the right position to recognize the opportunity and act upon it.

[lordyam]

Aaron Dembski Bowden has been suggested as a possible writer but he's busy with warhammer.

Busiek was a bizarre case; he got the character down well and his stories themselves are great (the scene where Conan finds the dead Aesir and Iasmini at the bottom of the ravine and his showdown with Thoth's avatar in Hanumar kick ass) but he does get a few missteps in. Truman is also pretty good, and Van Lente is (though he does try Comedy a little too hard).

[thedarkman]

Anybody here know who holds the rights to this story? Cabinet? The Wagner estate? Asking for a friend...😃

[jeffalbertson]

fantlab.ru/edition230813

K.E.Wagner, Max Nolan (Valeriy Evtushenko) "Day of the Lion"

[johnnypt]

Mar 22, 2017 7:41:40 GMT -5 johnnypt said:

It might have tied too neat a bow between Black Stranger and Phoenix on the Sword, but it certainly would have been better than Liberator. I wonder if it's even possible to work out a deal to do a comic adaptation/extrapolation of it. At some point DH will likely have to deal with that part of Conan's career and KEW did a lot of the legwork here.

Updated for new license holder-It'd make a great story for the current iteration of Savage Sword, but will Marvel want to pay whoever needs to be paid to do it?  I doubt it was included in the recent negotiations.