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Post by slegtvalk on Sept 4, 2020 8:25:06 GMT -5
Probably a weird question, but does Howard, in any of his stories, explictely state that Conan DOESN'T have a beard? I know it's tradition to depict Conan without one, but in classical antiquity the barbarian is always depicted with a beard as opposed to the civilized Roman who doesn't.  |
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Post by zarono on Sept 4, 2020 10:49:50 GMT -5
I can't remember if REH ever refers to Conan as exactly "clean shaven" but I think if Conan wore a beard he would have made a point of mentioning it. I'm sure Conan could grow a beard if he wanted to as REH often refers to him as hairy chested but I assume Conan shaved on a semi-regular basis and often goes around with a "5 o'clock shadow" or heavy stubble.
I think Decamp and Carter may have had Conan sporting a full beard in Conan of the Isles or one of their other King Conan stories though.
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Post by robp on Sept 4, 2020 11:45:24 GMT -5
I have absolutely no evidence or rationale for saying so, but for me it feels right that in a Cimmerian type clan, it would be the norm for the younger warriors to go clean shaven and the old grizzled veterans to have beards. I use that in my own stories, where the beard is a kind of badge of honour, a sign that you have survived many battles.
OTOH do any of REH's heroes have beards? SK , Kull, Bran, all appear as "clean shaven" in my mind. Was it something of the times of writing, did only sailors and mountain men have beards in the 20s lol?
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Post by zarono on Sept 4, 2020 12:39:58 GMT -5
I have absolutely no evidence or rationale for saying so, but for me it feels right that in a Cimmerian type clan, it would be the norm for the younger warriors to go clean shaven and the old grizzled veterans to have beards. I use that in my own stories, where the beard is a kind of badge of honour, a sign that you have survived many battles. OTOH do any of REH's heroes have beards? SK , Kull, Bran, all appear as "clean shaven" in my mind. Was it something of the times of writing, did only sailors and mountain men have beards in the 20s lol? Just speculating but that's probably a reasonable idea, and I'd guess it was mainly a personal choice with some younger guys going bearded and others not. I'd say the same went for the Aesir and Vanir with beards being more common at all ages (I don't think any of James Allion's incarnations were mentioned as having beards but other tribesmen were). Just for reference I think Cormac Mac Art was mentioned as clean shaven but grew a beard in Tigers of the Sea so he wouldn't be recognized while he was going ashore, didn't work though if I remember right  |
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Post by garbanzo on Sept 4, 2020 16:39:59 GMT -5
Judging by the comics, razors were abundant in the Hyborean age. Nary a hairy pit in sight!
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Post by theironshadow on Sept 6, 2020 6:07:46 GMT -5
The idea that Conan would whip out a blade every few days and shave off his stubble is quite amusing. I don't think he would ever go around looking like an unshaven long-bearded wildman, but i also can't imagine him being dedicated in his grooming regime to be totally clean shaven 100% of the time.  Also consider (and this is coming from personal experience) that having a beard is a lot easier to maintain than shaving every couple of days. I grew a beard during the Covid19 lockdown and found i wished i had done so years ago. I trim it twice a week, so much easier than having to shave 4 or 5 times per week... |
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Post by mindboggled on Sept 7, 2020 12:19:19 GMT -5
Don't believe he ever did sport a beard. Probably dry shaved himself once and a while with a short blade.
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Post by mindboggled on Sept 7, 2020 12:23:22 GMT -5
The idea that Conan would whip out a blade every few days and shave off his stubble is quite amusing. I don't think he would ever go around looking like an unshaven long-bearded wildman, but i also can't imagine him being dedicated in his grooming regime to be totally clean shaven 100% of the time. Also consider (and this is coming from personal experience) that having a beard is a lot easier to maintain than shaving every couple of days. I grew a beard during the Covid19 lockdown and found i wished i had done so years ago. I trim it twice a week, so much easier than having to shave 4 or 5 times per week... It's all about preference really. I am not fond of beards personally and I don't like the feel of stubble on my face, but I only shave once a week or so, maybe even less often. Don't have a regime or anything like that. |
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Post by theironshadow on Sept 14, 2020 13:08:49 GMT -5
The idea that Conan would whip out a blade every few days and shave off his stubble is quite amusing. I don't think he would ever go around looking like an unshaven long-bearded wildman, but i also can't imagine him being dedicated in his grooming regime to be totally clean shaven 100% of the time. Also consider (and this is coming from personal experience) that having a beard is a lot easier to maintain than shaving every couple of days. I grew a beard during the Covid19 lockdown and found i wished i had done so years ago. I trim it twice a week, so much easier than having to shave 4 or 5 times per week... It's all about preference really. I am not fond of beards personally and I don't like the feel of stubble on my face, but I only shave once a week or so, maybe even less often. Don't have a regime or anything like that. A man's working environment is also important; no-one really cares about personal grooming (providing you don't look like you have been dragged through a hedge backwards!) in the post production media industry, but i also found that when i was working on set recording sound, that smart-casual was preferred for crew members. Also, if i'm socialising with family at a restaurant, the best i can do is tidy up the beard, which only really takes about 5 minutes. Back on topic, i actually like the idea of a bearded Conan, in his pre-King yarns. It just seems to work. If Howard never envisioned Conan as King with a full beard, i'd hate to think we have been saddled with it to pull in fans because of Arnold's depiction at the end of that film. Did Kurt Busiek ever shed light on why he wanted his Conan to be bearded? |
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Post by linefacedscrivener on Sept 18, 2020 6:54:17 GMT -5
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Post by themirrorthief on Sept 20, 2020 22:52:07 GMT -5
conan used a magical lotion on his face that killed his beard for at least three months at a time...He traded three slave girls to a wizard for the stuff...the wizard was teed off after the deal was done cause all three girls were pregnant
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Post by theironshadow on Oct 25, 2020 15:37:53 GMT -5
Even though the above image from Kerem Beyit isn't directly meant to represent Conan, i think it's absolutely brilliant if it was to portray a very Momoa-looking, bearded Conan with proto-celtic body art. It really works damn fine!
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Post by themirrorthief on Oct 31, 2020 15:44:12 GMT -5
conan had a beard but he constantly shaved with his razor sharp broadsword...now you know why his face was so scarred
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Post by theironshadow on Nov 3, 2020 7:49:29 GMT -5
conan had a beard but he constantly shaved with his razor sharp broadsword...now you know why his face was so scarred Conan does have a habit of drinking too much of that 16% Zingaran wine. |
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Post by themirrorthief on Nov 3, 2020 13:50:41 GMT -5
he does have to save most of his cash for all those trulls he comforts
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Also consider (and this is coming from personal experience) that having a beard is a lot easier to maintain than shaving every couple of days. I grew a beard during the Covid19 lockdown and found i wished i had done so years ago. I trim it twice a week, so much easier than having to shave 4 or 5 times per week... 
