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Post by danieljames495 on May 13, 2021 11:58:41 GMT -5
I’m re-reading Roy Thomas’s second run at Conan the Barbarian. His return to the magazine, which ran from issue #241 in 1991 to issue #275 in 1993 when Marvel discontinued the mag, seems to be almost forgotten in comparison with his initial run from issue #1 to #115. This is true for me as I’ve read those first 115 issues so many times I can almost read them again simply by closing my eyes and remembering. Yet, I haven’t re-read the issues he wrote when he came back to the mag since they first appeared 30 years ago. Does anybody have impressions or recall much about them? I recently finished all the issues but I agree. The issues where Thomas returned focused on bringing back old characters, In fact I think every single issue had since Thomas returned had an old character resurface; Sonja, Zula, Zukala, Karanthes, Yezdigerd, Wraarl/Acheron, and a whole lot more. NOt that I hate it, I liked seeing updates on these characters, but it seemed to be a way to try to get old fans back on board. Of course it's still Roy Thomas, probably couldn't write a bad Conan story of he tried, and these latter stories were really good. Most of the other writers were good but I was so happy to read Roy Thomas' stories after such a long break from the mag. |
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Post by danieljames495 on May 13, 2021 12:01:37 GMT -5
I wish Buscema and Chan stuck around for longer than they did. I personally did not like the Isherwood/Semeiks art team at all. Their work separately is good but the colors and the convoluted lines were just painful to get through for me. It's a personal opinion but it seems like people actually liked that teamup though it's my least favorite by a long shot.
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2021 13:38:57 GMT -5
I wish Buscema and Chan stuck around for longer than they did. I personally did not like the Isherwood/Semeiks art team at all. Their work separately is good but the colors and the convoluted lines were just painful to get through for me. It's a personal opinion but it seems like people actually liked that teamup though it's my least favorite by a long shot. Yeah, same here. I really would have liked to have seen more issues by Big John inking his own pencil work, I love the inks of Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala and Tony Dezuniga and the rest but we should've had more issues inked by Buscema. He made it look so easy - a sign of true genius. |
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2021 14:10:04 GMT -5
I’m re-reading Roy Thomas’s second run at Conan the Barbarian. His return to the magazine, which ran from issue #241 in 1991 to issue #275 in 1993 when Marvel discontinued the mag, seems to be almost forgotten in comparison with his initial run from issue #1 to #115. This is true for me as I’ve read those first 115 issues so many times I can almost read them again simply by closing my eyes and remembering. Yet, I haven’t re-read the issues he wrote when he came back to the mag since they first appeared 30 years ago. Does anybody have impressions or recall much about them? I intend to revisit the 2nd run of Rascally Roy Thomas when the omnibus editions get there, probably early in 2023, I think. I have not read those stories for a few years now, one of the things I remember not liking is that Zula and Red Sonja are integrated into the Black Colossus storyline. It did not feel right at the time. |
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Post by emerald on May 13, 2021 16:42:55 GMT -5
Having read Roy’s Conan from when I was 11 until I was 20 and he left the magazine, to say I was psyched to hear that he was returning to the comic would be an understatement. But it’s true that I found his new Conan stories to be a bit of a mixed bag, although let me be clear that they were a Brythunian broad jump better than anything turned out by the authors who tried to fill his shoes. No one but REH could write better dialogue for the barbarian.
The 11 years of Conan the Barbarian without Roy turned away all of my friends who read the comic so that by the time he came back to write it again I was the only one of my old crowd still interested.
The point about Conan encountering someone and/or something from his past every single issue is a good one. On one hand I figured it was just Roy refamiliarizing himself with the Cimmerian and his world and it was wonderful to have an author who totally grasped the series continuity, but on the other hand it altered the feel of the storytelling.
Roy’s first 115 issues on Conan the Barbarian read like a fantasy epic. The stories Roy wrote upon his return read more like traditional comic books. All the recurring characters make the Hyborian Age feel as small as Gotham City. This tapers off a bit after that odd parallel retelling of Black Colossus, but it stood out to me back then just as it does re-reading them today.
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Post by danieljames495 on May 13, 2021 18:09:01 GMT -5
I wish Buscema and Chan stuck around for longer than they did. I personally did not like the Isherwood/Semeiks art team at all. Their work separately is good but the colors and the convoluted lines were just painful to get through for me. It's a personal opinion but it seems like people actually liked that teamup though it's my least favorite by a long shot. Yeah, same here. I really would have liked to have seen more issues by Big John inking his own pencil work, I love the inks of Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala and Tony Dezuniga and the rest but we should've had more issues inked by Buscema. He made it look so easy - a sign of true genius. Totally agree. Buscema inking his own art is one of the reason the "Conan the Rogue" graphic novel is up there in my top 10 favorite comics. Honestly didn't get the recognition it deserved, which is kind of the reason it's a bit pricey to get your hands on now. |
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Post by danieljames495 on May 13, 2021 18:12:05 GMT -5
I’m re-reading Roy Thomas’s second run at Conan the Barbarian. His return to the magazine, which ran from issue #241 in 1991 to issue #275 in 1993 when Marvel discontinued the mag, seems to be almost forgotten in comparison with his initial run from issue #1 to #115. This is true for me as I’ve read those first 115 issues so many times I can almost read them again simply by closing my eyes and remembering. Yet, I haven’t re-read the issues he wrote when he came back to the mag since they first appeared 30 years ago. Does anybody have impressions or recall much about them? I intend to revisit the 2nd run of Rascally Roy Thomas when the omnibus editions get there, probably early in 2023, I think. I have not read those stories for a few years now, one of the things I remember not liking is that Zula and Red Sonja are integrated into the Black Colossus storyline. It did not feel right at the time. Yeah I didn't exactly think it was necessary to have Sonja or Zula there at all but those being some of my favorite recurring characters, I didn't really mind it. |
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Post by Monster on May 14, 2021 3:03:47 GMT -5
Totally agree. Buscema inking his own art is one of the reason the "Conan the Rogue" graphic novel is up there in my top 10 favorite comics. Honestly didn't get the recognition it deserved, which is kind of the reason it's a bit pricey to get your hands on now.
Also was a smaller print run. The price for this really has gone up lately.
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Post by terryallenuk on May 14, 2021 13:05:14 GMT -5
Totally agree. Buscema inking his own art is one of the reason the "Conan the Rogue" graphic novel is up there in my top 10 favorite comics. Honestly didn't get the recognition it deserved, which is kind of the reason it's a bit pricey to get your hands on now.
Also was a smaller print run. The price for this really has gone up lately.
It , along with the other GN's , is due to turn up in the SSOC Omnibus' |
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Post by Monster on May 18, 2021 2:33:07 GMT -5
Indeed.
I'm glad I bought it when I did several years ago. It was a real gem. Probably a 9.6 or even 9.8. The brutal United States Post Office took care of that and folded the package in half. Still glad to own what it is/what I have.
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Post by danieljames495 on May 18, 2021 11:41:55 GMT -5
Indeed. I'm glad I bought it when I did several years ago. It was a real gem. Probably a 9.6 or even 9.8. The brutal United States Post Office took care of that and folded the package in half. Still glad to own what it is/what I have. I remember 2 years ago, reading it online and thought, "This is so good, I have to buy it" then I searched ebay and couldn't believe how much it cost. I eventually got it on a deal for just $20. |
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Post by garbanzo on May 18, 2021 12:26:15 GMT -5
The Horn of Azoth is another expensive one. I'm glad to see these getting collected in the Omnis.
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Post by Monster on May 18, 2021 23:53:27 GMT -5
Indeed. I'm glad I bought it when I did several years ago. It was a real gem. Probably a 9.6 or even 9.8. The brutal United States Post Office took care of that and folded the package in half. Still glad to own what it is/what I have. I remember 2 years ago, reading it online and thought, "This is so good, I have to buy it" then I searched ebay and couldn't believe how much it cost. I eventually got it on a deal for just $20.
That's a great deal no matter what condition it is in!
The Horn of Azoth is another expensive one. I'm glad to see these getting collected in the Omnis. Holy freakin' moly! Did not realize this skyrocketed sooo much. Even more so than Rogue! When I got my Rogue they were going for $50 - $80. Azoth was about $20 -$35. This is what is happening with a lot of collectibles during this pandemic. So many people with excess income — not dining out, paying for a movie, traveling — collectibles are in high demand. |
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Post by garbanzo on May 19, 2021 5:11:49 GMT -5
Savage Tales #1 is the one that really gets to me. It's the only b&w Conan mag I don't own. I want it for completeness, but the single Conan story in there is reprinted elsewhere, so it's very hard to justify the crazy prices.
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Post by danieljames495 on May 19, 2021 10:58:40 GMT -5
Savage tales 1 is crazy expensive. I don't mind spending a couple hundred dollars on a comic book lot, but spending it on a single comic irks me. I think the crazy price is not only because it's the first black and white appearance of Conan, but also because it's the first John Buscema cover and the first appearance of Man-thing as well.
Last time I checked Ravagers out of time was way more expensive than horn of Azoth. I got most of the Graphic novels for $20-$25. I even got Conan of the isles for around $6. There are some good deals if you're at the right place at the right time. And they're all in great condition.
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