Happy to hear this is how I talked about Conan. A disruptor! Also, in his defense for the things he does that aren't civil, the civilization isn't great either, is it? A lot of times there is a corrupt politician, some evil sorcerer whispering into the ears of or secretly controlling some governor or king, someone abusing their power etc. He isn't abusive or goes out of his way to do bad things.
Red Nails, The Phoenix on the Sword, People of the Black Circle, The God in the Bowl, Rogues in the House, Beyond the Black River, True Conan Fans Know all of these. The original 17 published Howard stories will always be the Ultimate Conan.
Good video. Conan's somewhat gray morality is interesting, especially if you compare him to Solomon Kane and realize Howard knew the difference between gray and white. The essence of the "gray" character is freedom; the essence of the "white" character is vengeance. I love them both, so I have of course been loving the new Savage Sword mags.
It's always good to see new Conan content creators coming out, this series truly does deserve to be in the spotlight. Hell even I'm thinking of doing Conan content myself since I'm really heavy into the lore of the series.
Yes the more content creators the better! We are the official Conan account by Heroic Signatures but we welcome all fans to join us in creating more and spread the word of the world's greatest barbarian!
One aspect of Conan that none of these guys mentioned is that description REH gave of him, that he was a man of gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth. We would call him "bi-polar" -- a man who would quaff ale with war-buddies while roaring with laughter at rude jokes one minute . . . and later, when he's alone, would sink into a dark mood, haunted by all the evil shit he's seen, the people who had died undeserving of death in that brutal, unfair world. How many of the people he himself had killed, for whatever reason, might he have later regretted killing -- or regretted having to kill, like the minstrel in "The Phoenix on the Sword" whose singing had so enraptured him? In "Beyond the Black River" Conan tells Balthus about how he -- then a 14-year-old -- had been one of the "screeching, blood-mad devils" who had sacked Venarium, akin to the hated Picts who were the current problem faced by these Aquilonian frontiersmen. Balthus tells how his uncle had told him about it, how "Men, women, and children were butchered." I imagine Conan, as a battle-tested fighter barely into his teens, being fired-up with tribal self-righteousness, being convinced by his peers and Cimmerian elders, that the Aquilonian would-be colonizers attempting to annex Cimmerian territory DESERVE to all die by the most brutal of attacks those northern barbarians can muster . . . and I can well imagine Conan, following the example set by his blood-thirsty brothers-in-arms, participating in the butchery of -- yes -- men, AND women AND children. But later, after the massacre was over, I can also imagine Conan beginning to feel haunted by what he'd done . . . MURDERING women with the helpless children they were trying vainly to protect from pitiless steel wielded by heartless savages. REH doesn't explicitly state that Conan's "gigantic melancholies" were caused by him being haunted by the memories of having been so cruel -- but think of it. Conan didn't just remain in Cimmeria his whole life, like the vast majority of his fellow tribesmen. He LEFT. He went NORTH to seek experiences among equally barbarous Aesir and Vanir, almost as if he needed to get further away from the source of his melancholy regret, the people of Aquilonia to Cimmeria's south. Eventually, of course, he wends his way to the kingdoms east and south of those Nordic lands, surviving as a thief at first -- undoubtedly finding it difficult to forge a path through those unfamiliar lands not being fluent in their languages (at least at first). But, ever the survivor, he learns what he must and becomes worldly wise -- the school of hard knocks. He learns how to enjoy the moments between violent crises, indulging in the "gigantic mirth" REH spoke of . . . but, even though it usually happens "off-screen" for the most part, Conan still will sink into a bleak mood -- just as REH must have, considering how he ended up -- and I suspect he remembers all-too-well those horrible moments when HE was the monster, slaughtering not only men, but their women and children. Conan will grow to adulthood as a man who DOES have a moral code -- a man who will do what he can to SAVE good people, especially women and children, from the literal monsters that emerge from the dark places of the earth, conjured up by foul sorcerers. Conan will fight against the monsters, because he knows himself to have once BEEN a monster . . . back when he was a 14-year-old fighter at Venarium, full of piss and vinegar -- screeching and blood-mad, as Balthus' uncle had said. Gigantic mirth, yes . . . but also gigantic melancholies. Not the trendy moodiness of an 'emo' douchebag wearing Goth makeup, but the haunted self-hatred of a man who had been caught up in a tribal frenzy, peer-pressured into mercilessly slaughtering men and women. And children. That aspect of REH's barbarian 'hero' is seemingly little recognized by too many Conan fans. When he feels the SHAME for what a monstrous man -- the wizard Yara -- had done to Yag-Kosha, a creature from the Beyond who may LOOK 'monstrous' but was NOT a monster, Conan shows a sympathy that he must have learned to feel in the aftermath of his own 'monstrous' behavior at Venarium. That, to me, is the essence of this character, Conan the barbarian Cimmerian. I suspect that he sought out the crown of Aquilonia because, in a way, he wanted to make it up to those Aquilonian ghosts of Venarium, to depose the tyrant and rule in his stead as a king who will fight for his adoptive people. Aquilonia forms the book-ends of Conan's life, from the blood and slaughter of Venarium to the re-taking of his throne after each overthrow -- especially from Xaltotun -- when he takes Zenobia to be his queen, she having saved HIM from what otherwise would have been a sure death at the hands and teeth of a huge ape 'monster'. Conan doesn't end his days having gone back 'home' to Cimmeria, to impress the stay-at-homes with tales of his adventures in the civilized lands to their south. No, he gives his all to rule the greatest kingdom of the world of his time as the greatest king he can possibly be . . . perhaps to make up for the sins of his youth.
Well put. This is why the character is more complex than many realize. This aspect doesn't really come out in the movies. There is a cut scene with Conan and Subotai (that wasn't in the original release but was added back later) that shows this a little.. However, the first Conan film was basically a revenge movie, which IMO is contrary to Conan's literary character. If someone killed his parents, it was just the way the world worked for Conan. Although he sometimes exhibited a morality, he had no expectation of anyone else doing so. And would not try to apply some sort of "justice". At least in his younger years. Of course, the contrast between civilization and barbarism was a fascinating aspect of Howard's character, and it came about because of Howard's own witnessing of how his home of Cross Plains changed when the oil industry came in and the town popped in size and character.
I wouldn't say he's bipolar. That line, to me, means that he has a somewhat surprising emotional range; many people, readers and characters alike, may assume that a barbarian wouldn't be capable of nuance and complex feelings. Conan experiences all the same things as us, just at a higher level. When he's happy he's happier than anyone and when he's sad he's more depressed than anyone, and so on for love and lust and rage.
Bless this channel, I'm a recent fan of Conan after ignoring his character for yearscause i had Arnold (stereotype) in my mind. Bought the complete collection of books recently and follow the comics slowly.
Arnold’s portrayal is pretty dang good really, he doesn’t say much sure but in the whole beginning of barbarian the narrator is telling us how he learned poetry and strategy from the greatest the world had to offer , bred to the finest stock…why would they do that if he wasn’t the stud that man wanted that gene pool to spread? Conan the barbarian is a noir film, and almost perfect. The destroyer is trash
@@dotunfadairo8496 Glad it didn't run too long only for fear of spoiling it. Perhaps the most underrated title at that time. Very well written and perfectly in character! The interaction with others as well as the plot showed much effort and thought went into each issue.
@@marvelingabout8240 Yep. How Conan thought that the symbiote was Crom talking to him. All of Conan's interactions with Frank and Dr Doom. I need to go re-read it now
my father was a Conan fan. he recently passed away and I've picked up alot of his books by Robert E Howard and the marvel comics from the 70s and 80s ive become a huge fan. im happy i found this channel and grateful to share my love for this lore with all of yall. keep up the great work at this channel 👍🏻👍🏻
We're deeply sorry for your loss. It means a lot to us that our channel brings you comfort during this time. Enjoy your dive into the world of Conan, welcome to the Cimmerian crew!
I used to read the books before the movie came out. I pictured him more grim. Like an indian and a savage at the same time. Frazetta's barbarian paintings was more what Conan should have looked like 🗡️💥💪
I give the new popularity of the comics to Roberto De a Torre, the new artist doing a magnificent John Buscema style art. Please consider doing a spotlight on Rob and his art and impact.
Long after the oceans drank Atlantis, there was a RUclips channel undreamed of. Shining subscribers lay poised for each video. Hither came Conan, a man of great mirth and great melancholies, destined to tread the algorithm beneath his sandled feet. Now, let us watch the tales of high adventure!
I think you captured it. I've been following Conan for over 60 years. Courage is his number one quality, and that ties directly into his Willpower. His authors sometimes take him to brink of death or beyond, but he never despairs and gives up. When I think of all the attributes you listed, you really got them all. I could add Focus. He never seems to lose track of what he's trying to do at ay given time. I could add Adaptability. Whatever the circumstance, Conan adapts to be whatever is needed to survive and master the situation. He doesn't always get the optimal results he wants, but he never dies from it. You might add Leadership and Inspiration. Conan wants to be the Leader, and the older he gets, the better he is at it. The nature of his character inspires other people to want to be like him--certainly it inspired me in a deeper sense, so that my number one rule of life has become: Never (really) give up!
This is a fantastic video. One point i think was missed out: Conan's unbelievable luck. His luck is right up there with Batman's plot armor and has got him out of dead ends so many times. I still remember one issue where Conan was about to be beheaded and his executioner got struck by a random bolt of lightning. Mind you, it was NOT raining🤣
Nice video. Not gonna comment on any of that stuff, but I just wanted to say that it wasn't until I read the original Conan stories in my 30s that I fully came to appreciate the Conan: The Adventurer cartoon. It's astonishing how many of the original tales were directly adapted for the show. (Also, it seems like EVERY version of Conan adapts the Tower of the Elephant story).
Patrice Louinet always told me Malmberg said "Conan is biker Jesus" I just never heard it from his mouth😂 I love to see the collection of "Howard Heads" (Zub, Shanks, Malmberg) good job
As a kid the first thing I thought of when I thought of Conan was definitely Arnie's portrayal. As a teen, it would've been John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala's rendition of the Cimmerian. Now, I absolutely think of Frazetta's iconic covers for the Lancer paperbacks that helped redefine fantasy imagery in the generations since. So many legends have contributed to Conan's saga. REH would be proud.
Best. Conan. Video. Ever. Pray thee keep up thy labors, O Chronicler, and let the word go forth from the highest towers to the lowest sûks…..aye dogs, blench when thee heareth the name of Conan! For, ‘tis true, he SHALL tread the kingdoms of the world under his sandaled feet…..
The one comic I loved above all others was the one where he is captured by a wizard and had his fortune told and in the first three possible lives he died ( which never happens) but as the wizard gloats his hold on him fades and Conan kills him and in the end he looks at the final card and it’s a king on a throne
As you mentioned Concn doesn't fear death and as grim and dark he often appears he knows to enjoy live to the fullest. He had many woman but Belît, Valeria and Zenobia where the ones he truly loved. So what makes Conan still today such an intruiging character, the archetype of the barbarian? His will, his strength, his intelligence, his observation skills and to adapt and learn. This is in my opinion why he survived so many careers and all of them shaped him to become the King of Aquilonia. Simply fantastic. If you haven't done already, try to find the original writings of Robert E. Howard. They are powerful written and he was a true master of writing. I rise my mug of beer in memory of Conan and his father, Robert E. Howard. To thank them for all the wonderful hours I had and still have reading, books, comics and even playing (TTRPG) in the hyborian world. Not many authors have influenced my like this from my teenage years till know, over 40 years. 🍺
REH Conan stories are fantastic. Frazetta Conan paintings are awesome. Original Conan film with Arnold is a classic. That said, to me the definitive look of Conan is how Big John Buscema drew him along with Ernie Chan, that’s magical work there. Artist Roberto De La Torre captures the flavor of Buscema very well & I hope he draws The Cimmerian for a long while, such good stuff. More cover art by Joe Jusko would be much appreciated as well. The comic stories can be hit or miss but I want them to continue so Conan can live on for years & years.
Excellent video! 🔥⚔🔥 Subscribed. Immediately. Surprised, though, you didn't go into the more exact, true physical / visual descriptions of him as per Howard's writings. .
@@conanthebarbarianofficial I hope you can! And I've always wanted to see Conan depicted in movie format as he was truly described. I grew up from a young lad reading Conan. I'll be tuning in and thank you for these videos. Great production value. Legends!
Conan the Barbarian was the first comic I ever got, my dad picked up an issue from the newsstand in the late eighties and read it to me when I was a small child. Over 30 years later, I'm picking up the new run, and it's better than I could ever remember! By Crom, it's good.
Conan is indeed the damndest bastard that ever was! I honestly believe he is the best character of all time due to his versatility. The amount of different kind of stories you can tell without compromising his essence is insane! Other protagonists wouldn't work as well in this matter. He can be pirate in a character driven story or mercenary, or a leader of an army fighting battles that define the future of entire kingdoms... He's amazing, and my favorite character of all time.
My 2 favorite fictional characters are Conan and Sherlock Holmes. Opposite ends of the spectrum, i know. I was always impressed with how smart Conan was with out any pretension. He was straight to the point with no bullsh!!t He was multilingual and wore more than a loincloth. In one story someone accused him of being dishonest and he said< “I’m not that civilized.” i always wanted to see a more faithful film adaptation but I’m not holding my breath. Anyway, this is a great video. I’m glad there are so many people that appreciate the real Conan.
Bob told us in his FIRST story where he was ALREADY King of Aquillonia..."Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen- eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet."-ReH
I think of Conan as more anti-hero than hero A muscular man with bipolar syndrom. Like it was said, " A sharp intellect that can survive decaying civilizations." That was make him entertaining.
The stories were a double theme, not just the contrast between barbarism and civilization but between rural people and cosmopolitans. You have to think of it as city folk vs country folk, as the environment that Howard lived in.
I grew up in the 70's-80's and my favorite Conan artist was Ernie Chan to me he depicted what Conan was all about i have every comic he ever penned god rest his talented soul.
I think the actor who looked most like Howard's Conan when playing the role, was Ralf Moeller. Much taller than either Arnie or Jason Momoa, very strongly built but still slender enough you could believe it was possible for him to be agile. Jason had the best Conan hair though. And none of them have the piercing blue eyes.
Amra, The Lion. The very last section was the underlying theme of all REH’s Conan books. (Civilization versus barbarism). It was very well summed up in the opening chapter of The Queen of the Black Coast. It was hammered home with the stories Beyond the Black River and Red Nails. It’s also worth noting that REH was friends with Lovecraft and you can see his influence in some of the Conan stories.
By the way, Cimmerians were the real anschient people in the Southern Ukraine. They were real warriors and had a lot of brutal clashes with a lot of civilizations in Middle East and even Egypt. So, some fantasy stories had real prototypes.
You're right! Howard LOVED history and almost all the people and cultures in his stories are built on historical foundations. We are looking to make a video with the Howard scholar Jeff Shanks in the future talking all about the influences that informed Howard.
I recently wrote one of the Conan shorts, so the essence of the character was at the forefront of my thoughts. With limited time, I could only explore a few of his attributes (in my case I chose to focus primarily, though not exclusively, on honesty). But in preparation, I reread Howard's works. Conan is far more complex than people who are unfamiliar with the source material think. It was great fun to read how Conan developed over the ten years Howard wrote him. I had read it before. But it was years ago - before I became a writer. On a surface level, I knew there was more to Conan than blood, sinew, and battle. But by the time I finished reading, I was a fan reborn. I think the world needs a hero like Conan right now.
Good to hear from you! Our team over here at Heroic Signatures loved your short, your research came through! We suggest everybody go read CONAN: THE CHILD by Brian D. Anderson!
@@conanthebarbarianofficial Thank you. I was so relieved by the way you are handling this legacy character. You let Conan be Conan. And fans have responded. Two stories had the strongest impact on my life as a reader of fantasy and later a writer - Lord of the Rings and Conan the Barbarian. Obviously for different reasons. One of the fears many fans had was that someone would turn our favorite blue-eyed barbarian into some man-bun sporting, emotionally fragile, tepid, soy boy, rather than recognize that Conan's is neither toxic nor antiquated. He is a strong man of fierce moral fortitude and conviction. He despises weakness, yet protects the helpless. He is confident, yet is aware of his own shortcomings. He is courageous, yet not reckless. He is a leader, yet knows when he should follow. He has great pride but is never arrogant. A loyal friend, but never a fool. Honest and true to his word, even when it could cost him his life. If you ask me, Conan's brand of masculinity is to be admired and something to which we should aspire.
I grew up reading SSOC, R.E. Howard's short stories, the continued short stories of L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter, and the long list of novels. The back story and timeline of the sinking of Atlantis up to the Hyborian Age piqued my fascination of ancient history. According to various sources, Atlantis was destroyed around 9600 BC. The rise of the Sons of Aryas occurred between 1800 to 1500 BC. That gives the Hyborian Age over 7,000 years in which to rise and fall. It certainly feeds the imagination to think it could've existed.
I read ALL the Howard Conan, and Burroughs Tarzan, back in middle school. That was a very long time ago. The Cimmerian struck a note with me then, and still does. A leader among leaders, but a true lone wolf. He has a code that most do not understand. Integrity and Honor. Lost words these days. A man of great strength, inner as well as physical. You mentioned a pack mentality in this video. Keeping a core group small, and protecting them with everything you have, is the only way. 2 men helped mold my personal code, one real, Bruce Lee, and Conan. OH, the Austrian did a fine 80s barbarian, but I have to admit, Mamoa fit the mold physically much better. Be well.
Conan is like Ghost of Navigator from Iron Maiden. I have sailed to many lands Now I make my final journey On the bow I stand, west is where I go Through the night I plough Still my heart, calculate and pray As the compass swings, my will is strong I will not be led astray
The thing that I sometimes see that I think is incorrect is that some people really try to ennoble Conan. As I look back on the stories, I think that the baseness of many of the characters, Conan included, is one of the things that elevates the stories. Belit is a dark character. At one point she allows two of her crew to be crushed to death. She saves Conan but doesn't care enough to save the two crew members. Conan joins the crew of the Tigress after Belit and her crew murder everyone else on the Agros. This is in contrast to Conan's purported loyalty to his friend at the beginning of the story and even makes you question if he's a credible narrator. In the wake of GoTs, we saw some talk of a Conan series and I hope if we get one that they downplay the heroics and try to not make Conan into a chivalrous character. GoT when it was good, was good due to the characters being complex and having selfish motivations. That seems to me to the be differentiator between high fantasy and sword & sorcery. GoT walked the line between the two genres, and IMO, was good when it was grounded and leaned into the sword and sorcery side of fantasy, and was bad when it was more elves and dragons and noble heroes. I think that the essence of the character of Conan is literally anti-heroic, and if we get some adaption that it shows the desperateness of the Hyborian Age and Conan's High Plains Drifter-esque pragmatism.
Conan never stops. And he never breaks a promise or an oath ... unless someone else breaks it first. When he serves as a general in the Aquilonian army he knows the failings of King Numedides but he does not betray him until Numedides breaks the pact by trying to have him killed. I suspect some of the allies Conan eventually acquires on his way to becoming King may have suggested taking out Numedides before, but Conan served faithfully until the corrupt king acts "civilized." He sees Conan as a threat and tries to kill him. (Very Stalinesque.) The instant Numedides breaks the bond and his word, Conan is free of any idea of restraint. It is Numedides who is the traitor in Conan's eyes, not him. And while he might let some weakling follower to just leave for breaking faith, a King is a foe that has to be eliminated. And it is Numedides "civilized" action that leads to him dead on the floor and Conan taking his crown and throne.
The main problem with Arnold's Conan (and not Arnold's fault, I blame the script) is that in the canon lore Conan has NEVER been a slave...not as a child, not as a young man, not as a king. By age fifteen he was already a warrior and had gone over the walls of Venarium, an Aquilonian fortress on the southern border of Cimmeria and participated in the sacking of said fortress. He was a prisoner many times, incarcerated, chained and forced to flee various kingdoms, but while some of his enemies had him in custody and called him a slave...Conan never saw it that way. And pretty much anyone who did were quickly disabused. (And beheaded or disemboweled...or disemboweled and beheaded. Can't remember Conan beheading anyone he had already disemboweled. Maybe as a trophy?)
I knew Conan through the artwork of Frank Frazetta long before any other sources. Frazetta's depiction of Conan will always be the definitive aesthetic of the mighty Cimmerian in my mind.
4:41 I would think Conan's physique would be something closer to an NFL running back. Conan is suppose to be 6'0 tall, I think 220 is still a very imposing frame at that height, but at that weight, can still possess incredible agility and speed.
While Conan The Destroyer was a big step below Conan The Barbarian, it did get one thing right. When Conan was offered the role of a King, by his fair maiden, he scoffed at the offer and told her that he would be king by his own hand.
To me Conan is pure lifeforce. All a melancholic author wished to be, but could not . Imo its summed up best in this quote : I have known many gods. He who denies them is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply. I seek not beyond death. It may be the blackness averred by the Nemedian skeptics, or Crom's realm of ice and cloud, or the snowy plains and vaulted halls of the Nordheimer's Valhalla. I know not, nor do I care. Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content. Let teachers and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content.
Howard almost always ended up describing Conan's movements and abilities as "tigerish." I think I recall that image in most Conan stories. Tigers are not small. Conan is big. But Tigers are not big apelike hulks...muscular in a very distinct way. While he does win some combats by pure strength, more often than not he strikes down enemies by simply moving faster and without hesitation. Conan is almost pure offense...he doesn't so much defend as he evades enemy attacks. "Phoenix on the Sword" has him being wounded multiple times but always when he takes the wound in order to finish the opponent. After that opponent is down, he goes to the next. He accepts the risks in order to prevail.
Conan is the transition, a blend. If civilizations could both evolve and de-evolve in this universe, build grand kingdoms and return to ape men on a long enough timeline, Conan is like the blend of both worlds. He has the Strength and Endurance of such great ape ancestors, but the Brains and Cunning of more evolved humans. He has Instinct with well thought out Planning. He comes from a Barbarian live world and mingles with more "civilized" folks in their cities. Living in a blend between both worlds.
I remember as a kid, my dad had 6 comic book boxes full of nothing but Conan comics. Hundreds of them. They span from Marvel to Darkhorse comics. I read them all, many of them twice over.
I'm gonna get flak for this, but screw it: I liked Jason Momoa's portrayal of Conan in the 2011 movie. He was much closer to the source material than Arnold's portrayal. Sadly, the rest of the movie was really bad. According to Momoa, there was lots of studio meddling, the script was re-written several times during production and it shows. With a better script/ direction, Jason Momoa could have make a great Conan.
Precisely. Jason is like the perfect dude to play Conan, he just got stuck with a bad script and mediocre director. I'd absolutely love to see him get another chance as the character.
Yes...the first movie took liberties but I care not one whit...it is the GOAT of fantasy movies and in contention for cinema period...it's just nearly a perfect movie.
Happy to hear this is how I talked about Conan. A disruptor! Also, in his defense for the things he does that aren't civil, the civilization isn't great either, is it? A lot of times there is a corrupt politician, some evil sorcerer whispering into the ears of or secretly controlling some governor or king, someone abusing their power etc. He isn't abusive or goes out of his way to do bad things.
He's the monkey wrench in the cogs of civilization!
He is a mighty and complex character and want to get that out to the world. Glad you feel our video did him justice!
Red Nails, The Phoenix on the Sword, People of the Black Circle, The God in the Bowl, Rogues in the House, Beyond the Black River, True Conan Fans Know all of these. The original 17 published Howard stories will always be the Ultimate Conan.
Hard to disagree!
Nailed it
YES! Now this is the Conan content I have been craving!
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"I don't wanna know what kinda knock-off Conan stuff exists out there..."
He-Man.
The barbarian has inspired many a imitator!
He-Man is epic
Well, they couldn’t use Conan. So they had to make up He-Man.
I definitely don't think of either of the Conan movies when I think of Conan. The Savage Sword of Conan is my favorite source.
A true old school fan!
Hear hear!
Great deep dive into Conan. The host killed it!
We appreciate it and we are blessed by the gods to have him on tem CONAN!
Huge fan of Robert E. Howard's stories. I am more than pleased at how Titan has handled his legacy.
Just like old school marvel style
Heroic Signatures has many exciting plans on the horizon! Subscribe and stay tuned!
Good video. Conan's somewhat gray morality is interesting, especially if you compare him to Solomon Kane and realize Howard knew the difference between gray and white.
The essence of the "gray" character is freedom; the essence of the "white" character is vengeance. I love them both, so I have of course been loving the new Savage Sword mags.
Howard's characters have so much depth and we hope to showcase that with this channel. Glad you have been loving our comics as well!
It's always good to see new Conan content creators coming out, this series truly does deserve to be in the spotlight. Hell even I'm thinking of doing Conan content myself since I'm really heavy into the lore of the series.
Yes the more content creators the better! We are the official Conan account by Heroic Signatures but we welcome all fans to join us in creating more and spread the word of the world's greatest barbarian!
One aspect of Conan that none of these guys mentioned is that description REH gave of him, that he was a man of gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth. We would call him "bi-polar" -- a man who would quaff ale with war-buddies while roaring with laughter at rude jokes one minute . . . and later, when he's alone, would sink into a dark mood, haunted by all the evil shit he's seen, the people who had died undeserving of death in that brutal, unfair world. How many of the people he himself had killed, for whatever reason, might he have later regretted killing -- or regretted having to kill, like the minstrel in "The Phoenix on the Sword" whose singing had so enraptured him?
In "Beyond the Black River" Conan tells Balthus about how he -- then a 14-year-old -- had been one of the "screeching, blood-mad devils" who had sacked Venarium, akin to the hated Picts who were the current problem faced by these Aquilonian frontiersmen. Balthus tells how his uncle had told him about it, how "Men, women, and children were butchered."
I imagine Conan, as a battle-tested fighter barely into his teens, being fired-up with tribal self-righteousness, being convinced by his peers and Cimmerian elders, that the Aquilonian would-be colonizers attempting to annex Cimmerian territory DESERVE to all die by the most brutal of attacks those northern barbarians can muster . . . and I can well imagine Conan, following the example set by his blood-thirsty brothers-in-arms, participating in the butchery of -- yes -- men, AND women AND children.
But later, after the massacre was over, I can also imagine Conan beginning to feel haunted by what he'd done . . . MURDERING women with the helpless children they were trying vainly to protect from pitiless steel wielded by heartless savages. REH doesn't explicitly state that Conan's "gigantic melancholies" were caused by him being haunted by the memories of having been so cruel -- but think of it.
Conan didn't just remain in Cimmeria his whole life, like the vast majority of his fellow tribesmen. He LEFT. He went NORTH to seek experiences among equally barbarous Aesir and Vanir, almost as if he needed to get further away from the source of his melancholy regret, the people of Aquilonia to Cimmeria's south.
Eventually, of course, he wends his way to the kingdoms east and south of those Nordic lands, surviving as a thief at first -- undoubtedly finding it difficult to forge a path through those unfamiliar lands not being fluent in their languages (at least at first). But, ever the survivor, he learns what he must and becomes worldly wise -- the school of hard knocks. He learns how to enjoy the moments between violent crises, indulging in the "gigantic mirth" REH spoke of . . . but, even though it usually happens "off-screen" for the most part, Conan still will sink into a bleak mood -- just as REH must have, considering how he ended up -- and I suspect he remembers all-too-well those horrible moments when HE was the monster, slaughtering not only men, but their women and children.
Conan will grow to adulthood as a man who DOES have a moral code -- a man who will do what he can to SAVE good people, especially women and children, from the literal monsters that emerge from the dark places of the earth, conjured up by foul sorcerers. Conan will fight against the monsters, because he knows himself to have once BEEN a monster . . . back when he was a 14-year-old fighter at Venarium, full of piss and vinegar -- screeching and blood-mad, as Balthus' uncle had said.
Gigantic mirth, yes . . . but also gigantic melancholies. Not the trendy moodiness of an 'emo' douchebag wearing Goth makeup, but the haunted self-hatred of a man who had been caught up in a tribal frenzy, peer-pressured into mercilessly slaughtering men and women. And children.
That aspect of REH's barbarian 'hero' is seemingly little recognized by too many Conan fans. When he feels the SHAME for what a monstrous man -- the wizard Yara -- had done to Yag-Kosha, a creature from the Beyond who may LOOK 'monstrous' but was NOT a monster, Conan shows a sympathy that he must have learned to feel in the aftermath of his own 'monstrous' behavior at Venarium.
That, to me, is the essence of this character, Conan the barbarian Cimmerian. I suspect that he sought out the crown of Aquilonia because, in a way, he wanted to make it up to those Aquilonian ghosts of Venarium, to depose the tyrant and rule in his stead as a king who will fight for his adoptive people. Aquilonia forms the book-ends of Conan's life, from the blood and slaughter of Venarium to the re-taking of his throne after each overthrow -- especially from Xaltotun -- when he takes Zenobia to be his queen, she having saved HIM from what otherwise would have been a sure death at the hands and teeth of a huge ape 'monster'. Conan doesn't end his days having gone back 'home' to Cimmeria, to impress the stay-at-homes with tales of his adventures in the civilized lands to their south. No, he gives his all to rule the greatest kingdom of the world of his time as the greatest king he can possibly be . . . perhaps to make up for the sins of his youth.
It would be fun to dive more into his psyche in a later video!
Outstanding, thanks for writing.
Well put. This is why the character is more complex than many realize. This aspect doesn't really come out in the movies. There is a cut scene with Conan and Subotai (that wasn't in the original release but was added back later) that shows this a little..
However, the first Conan film was basically a revenge movie, which IMO is contrary to Conan's literary character. If someone killed his parents, it was just the way the world worked for Conan. Although he sometimes exhibited a morality, he had no expectation of anyone else doing so. And would not try to apply some sort of "justice". At least in his younger years.
Of course, the contrast between civilization and barbarism was a fascinating aspect of Howard's character, and it came about because of Howard's own witnessing of how his home of Cross Plains changed when the oil industry came in and the town popped in size and character.
I wouldn't say he's bipolar. That line, to me, means that he has a somewhat surprising emotional range; many people, readers and characters alike, may assume that a barbarian wouldn't be capable of nuance and complex feelings. Conan experiences all the same things as us, just at a higher level. When he's happy he's happier than anyone and when he's sad he's more depressed than anyone, and so on for love and lust and rage.
Bless this channel, I'm a recent fan of Conan after ignoring his character for yearscause i had Arnold (stereotype) in my mind. Bought the complete collection of books recently and follow the comics slowly.
Weclome to Club Cimmerian, my friend! Subscribe and stay tuned for news and knowledge!
Arnold’s portrayal is pretty dang good really, he doesn’t say much sure but in the whole beginning of barbarian the narrator is telling us how he learned poetry and strategy from the greatest the world had to offer , bred to the finest stock…why would they do that if he wasn’t the stud that man wanted that gene pool to spread? Conan the barbarian is a noir film, and almost perfect. The destroyer is trash
Conan with Frank Castle and Dr Doom in the Savage Avengers comic series was epic.
Some are not fans of the Conan crossovers but we agree with you and think they are great fun!
I don't care about Conan in MCU, but enjoyed his crossover with Elric of Melnibone. Now that is another character i like to see adopted into comics.
That was such a good read. Wished it had gone on for longer
@@dotunfadairo8496 Glad it didn't run too long only for fear of spoiling it. Perhaps the most underrated title at that time. Very well written and perfectly in character! The interaction with others as well as the plot showed much effort and thought went into each issue.
@@marvelingabout8240 Yep. How Conan thought that the symbiote was Crom talking to him. All of Conan's interactions with Frank and Dr Doom. I need to go re-read it now
Conan is not A man, he is THE man! As far as non-powered fictional beings go, he is the absolute apex of the chain!
The lion himself!
Not a Conan fan but this was amazingly well done. Makes me want to read Conan. Can't say about other comic videos. Great job!
You better make sure to return your books on time... or else!
Read the original Howard stories.
Ha! Conan is unstoppable. The original Rambo
We all know who wins that battle!
I can't compare him to Rambo.
not even close
I think Conan is the original Riddick
The way you described him explains how he inspired the dnd barbarian. The skills that the class has. Perfectly reflect Conan .
Definitely! The creator of D&D, Gary Gygax, was an admitted huge Conan fan, that is why he created the class for D&D.
@@conanthebarbarianofficial now I have a better understanding about how to RP my next barbarian.
my father was a Conan fan. he recently passed away and I've picked up alot of his books by Robert E Howard and the marvel comics from the 70s and 80s ive become a huge fan. im happy i found this channel and grateful to share my love for this lore with all of yall. keep up the great work at this channel 👍🏻👍🏻
We're deeply sorry for your loss. It means a lot to us that our channel brings you comfort during this time. Enjoy your dive into the world of Conan, welcome to the Cimmerian crew!
Ernie Chan Savage sword of Conan ⚔️💪🏽⚔️
Ernie Chan inking ; John Buscema pencils
Yep Ernie Chan and John buscema drew Conan the best
I used to read the books before the movie came out. I pictured him more grim. Like an indian and a savage at the same time. Frazetta's barbarian paintings was more what Conan should have looked like 🗡️💥💪
Conan physical appearance was based on the concept of bronze age irish people who had dark olive skin , dark hair and blue eyes.
"With with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth"
@@conanthebarbarianofficial ya buddy
I give the new popularity of the comics to Roberto De a Torre, the new artist doing a magnificent John Buscema style art. Please consider doing a spotlight on Rob and his art and impact.
Subscribe and stay tuned! 😉
Authentic is what Robert E. Howard wrote. Period.
Indeed! But we love all the other fabulous creators that have added to the legacy like Roy Thomas as well!
Howard told he could see huge Conan next to him when he wrote, saying " go on" . He had not Choice. 😊
Love the interviews. Really shows the amount of influence Conan has had over numerous people.
We hope to do a video down the line on Conan's cultural influence in pop culture!
Long after the oceans drank Atlantis, there was a RUclips channel undreamed of. Shining subscribers lay poised for each video. Hither came Conan, a man of great mirth and great melancholies, destined to tread the algorithm beneath his sandled feet. Now, let us watch the tales of high adventure!
BRAVO! 👏
❤
I think you captured it. I've been following Conan for over 60 years. Courage is his number one quality, and that ties directly into his Willpower. His authors sometimes take him to brink of death or beyond, but he never despairs and gives up. When I think of all the attributes you listed, you really got them all. I could add Focus. He never seems to lose track of what he's trying to do at ay given time. I could add Adaptability. Whatever the circumstance, Conan adapts to be whatever is needed to survive and master the situation. He doesn't always get the optimal results he wants, but he never dies from it. You might add Leadership and Inspiration. Conan wants to be the Leader, and the older he gets, the better he is at it. The nature of his character inspires other people to want to be like him--certainly it inspired me in a deeper sense, so that my number one rule of life has become: Never (really) give up!
Ah, a true fan you are!
Dude this is awesome! You even got grim Jim zub!
Glad you like it, warrior! It's not too hard to get him when he is writing our Comics 😉
This is a fantastic video.
One point i think was missed out: Conan's unbelievable luck. His luck is right up there with Batman's plot armor and has got him out of dead ends so many times. I still remember one issue where Conan was about to be beheaded and his executioner got struck by a random bolt of lightning. Mind you, it was NOT raining🤣
Hahaha all heroes need a little luck, or maybe is it the gods smiling upon them?!
This is only in comics not in the original books.
Love this! So interesting!!
Thank you, adventurer! Only more knowledge to come, stay tuned!
I will always promote and consume anything about everyone's favourite barbarian.
We appreciate it brother!
Nice video. Not gonna comment on any of that stuff, but I just wanted to say that it wasn't until I read the original Conan stories in my 30s that I fully came to appreciate the Conan: The Adventurer cartoon. It's astonishing how many of the original tales were directly adapted for the show. (Also, it seems like EVERY version of Conan adapts the Tower of the Elephant story).
Subscribe and stay tuned! We'll soon be dropping a podcast episode featuring Christy Marx (Creator of Conan the Adventurer Animated Series). 🔥
Solid. Excellent guests!
Many more to come!
Patrice Louinet always told me Malmberg said "Conan is biker Jesus" I just never heard it from his mouth😂 I love to see the collection of "Howard Heads" (Zub, Shanks, Malmberg) good job
Bylos, I absolutely dig the "alpha" allusion 🤙
@@jimhoward7624 Bylos is a true fan, expert, and great man to have an ale with!
It is one of our favorite things that Fred says around the office too so we had to get him saying it in this video!
I'd agree with both, though I don't think I got Bylos to drink with me in Cross Plains the last we met; maybe I'll bring a Foster's and demand it. 😆
And well met (even if it's virtual) Sean, I've got a Shiner with your name on it in a month if you'd like. Assuming you'll be in retinue at REH days?
I think most people overlook the intelligence Conan shows in the original stories. He is NOT a stupid savage getting by on physical abilities.
He is very cunning and observant!
Although, on occasion, it is pure physicality and will that allows him to survive.
After being crucified, for instance.
Thank you for this video.
Conan is an amazing character worthy of respect.
Couldn't agree more!
The Savage Sword of Conan was and still is the best comic book series I have ever read.
It is back in a glorious retro format! you should go check it out!
@@conanthebarbarianofficial man thanks I had no idea. Definitely will go check it out
Hey guys, really well done 👍 Keep up the good work
Thank you! Subscribe and stay tuned for monthly content!
🤯 I didn’t know any of this!! 🙌
Glad to hear it! We hope you find our future videos just as informative and adventurous!
Great work on this. Loved this video. Loving the current Titan title with Jim Zub.
Thanks, Warrior!
As a kid the first thing I thought of when I thought of Conan was definitely Arnie's portrayal. As a teen, it would've been John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala's rendition of the Cimmerian. Now, I absolutely think of Frazetta's iconic covers for the Lancer paperbacks that helped redefine fantasy imagery in the generations since. So many legends have contributed to Conan's saga. REH would be proud.
Agreed! 🔥
Best. Conan. Video. Ever.
Pray thee keep up thy labors, O Chronicler, and let the word go forth from the highest towers to the lowest sûks…..aye dogs, blench when thee heareth the name of Conan! For, ‘tis true, he SHALL tread the kingdoms of the world under his sandaled feet…..
High praise mighty one! We appreciate the kind words and hope to bring you more very soon!
Fantastic video 👏👏 Now that's our boy
You know it
The one comic I loved above all others was the one where he is captured by a wizard and had his fortune told and in the first three possible lives he died ( which never happens) but as the wizard gloats his hold on him fades and Conan kills him and in the end he looks at the final card and it’s a king on a throne
As you mentioned Concn doesn't fear death and as grim and dark he often appears he knows to enjoy live to the fullest. He had many woman but Belît, Valeria and Zenobia where the ones he truly loved. So what makes Conan still today such an intruiging character, the archetype of the barbarian?
His will, his strength, his intelligence, his observation skills and to adapt and learn. This is in my opinion why he survived so many careers and all of them shaped him to become the King of Aquilonia. Simply fantastic. If you haven't done already, try to find the original writings of Robert E. Howard. They are powerful written and he was a true master of writing.
I rise my mug of beer in memory of Conan and his father, Robert E. Howard. To thank them for all the wonderful hours I had and still have reading, books, comics and even playing (TTRPG) in the hyborian world. Not many authors have influenced my like this from my teenage years till know, over 40 years. 🍺
Aye! A stein of ale in celebration of your fandom! Thank you, for sharing Cromrade!
REH Conan stories are fantastic.
Frazetta Conan paintings are awesome.
Original Conan film with Arnold is a classic.
That said, to me the definitive look of Conan is how Big John Buscema drew him along with Ernie Chan, that’s magical work there.
Artist Roberto De La Torre captures the flavor of Buscema very well & I hope he draws The Cimmerian for a long while, such good stuff.
More cover art by Joe Jusko would be much appreciated as well.
The comic stories can be hit or miss but I want them to continue so Conan can live on for years & years.
Everybody you have listed are legends in their own right, but Buscema's shadow definitely looms large over the history of the franchise.
Buscema pencils with Ernie Chan ink is my favorite Conan --
Boris Vallejo is second
Excellent video! 🔥⚔🔥 Subscribed. Immediately.
Surprised, though, you didn't go into the more exact, true physical / visual descriptions of him as per Howard's writings.
.
There will be many more videos to come, hopefully we can go into more detail down the line!
@@conanthebarbarianofficial I hope you can! And I've always wanted to see Conan depicted in movie format as he was truly described. I grew up from a young lad reading Conan. I'll be tuning in and thank you for these videos. Great production value. Legends!
Well done! ⚔️
Hey, I recognize you! 😉
😉
Frank Frazetta's powerful artistic rendition of conan to me is the definitive image
We just interviewed his granddaughter, Sara Frazetta. Subscribe and stay tuned for the episode.
Awesome seeing all that artwork I grew up with.
We hope to feature more in ucomming videos! Conan has such a reich history of amazing art, it would be a crime not to showcase it.
Conan the Barbarian was the first comic I ever got, my dad picked up an issue from the newsstand in the late eighties and read it to me when I was a small child. Over 30 years later, I'm picking up the new run, and it's better than I could ever remember! By Crom, it's good.
We are glad to have you join our forces yet again!
Conan is indeed the damndest bastard that ever was! I honestly believe he is the best character of all time due to his versatility. The amount of different kind of stories you can tell without compromising his essence is insane! Other protagonists wouldn't work as well in this matter. He can be pirate in a character driven story or mercenary, or a leader of an army fighting battles that define the future of entire kingdoms... He's amazing, and my favorite character of all time.
He has had quite a varied career that is for sure!
My 2 favorite fictional characters are Conan and Sherlock Holmes. Opposite ends of the spectrum, i know. I was always impressed with how smart Conan was with out any pretension. He was straight to the point with no bullsh!!t He was multilingual and wore more than a loincloth. In one story someone accused him of being dishonest and he said< “I’m not that civilized.” i always wanted to see a more faithful film adaptation but I’m not holding my breath. Anyway, this is a great video. I’m glad there are so many people that appreciate the real Conan.
Bob told us in his FIRST story where he was ALREADY King of Aquillonia..."Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen- eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet."-ReH
Indeed! It is very telling that the first time we ever see Conan, he is not in the heat of battle, but as a king going over maps and correcting them.
I think of Conan as more anti-hero than hero A muscular man with bipolar syndrom. Like it was said, " A sharp intellect that can survive decaying civilizations." That was make him entertaining.
Yes one of the originals!
Fantastic images used in your piece, well done!
Many thanks!
Conan is KING!
Long may he reign!
Thank you for being such fantastic stewards of such an Iconic character
We try our best!
The stories were a double theme, not just the contrast between barbarism and civilization but between rural people and cosmopolitans. You have to think of it as city folk vs country folk, as the environment that Howard lived in.
We love this channel
Thank you, mighty crusader! Spread the word that The official Conan channel is up and running!
I grew up in the 70's-80's and my favorite Conan artist was Ernie Chan to me he depicted what Conan was all about i have every comic he ever penned god rest his talented soul.
LEGEND
I think the actor who looked most like Howard's Conan when playing the role, was Ralf Moeller. Much taller than either Arnie or Jason Momoa, very strongly built but still slender enough you could believe it was possible for him to be agile. Jason had the best Conan hair though. And none of them have the piercing blue eyes.
An underrated pick! You're right he does have that more lean appearance that is discussed in the video.
Amra, The Lion.
The very last section was the underlying theme of all REH’s Conan books. (Civilization versus barbarism).
It was very well summed up in the opening chapter of The Queen of the Black Coast.
It was hammered home with the stories Beyond the Black River and Red Nails.
It’s also worth noting that REH was friends with Lovecraft and you can see his influence in some of the Conan stories.
By the way, Cimmerians were the real anschient people in the Southern Ukraine. They were real warriors and had a lot of brutal clashes with a lot of civilizations in Middle East and even Egypt. So, some fantasy stories had real prototypes.
You're right! Howard LOVED history and almost all the people and cultures in his stories are built on historical foundations. We are looking to make a video with the Howard scholar Jeff Shanks in the future talking all about the influences that informed Howard.
Really great video.
Thank you, subscribe and stay tuned for much more!
I recently wrote one of the Conan shorts, so the essence of the character was at the forefront of my thoughts. With limited time, I could only explore a few of his attributes (in my case I chose to focus primarily, though not exclusively, on honesty). But in preparation, I reread Howard's works. Conan is far more complex than people who are unfamiliar with the source material think. It was great fun to read how Conan developed over the ten years Howard wrote him. I had read it before. But it was years ago - before I became a writer. On a surface level, I knew there was more to Conan than blood, sinew, and battle. But by the time I finished reading, I was a fan reborn.
I think the world needs a hero like Conan right now.
Good to hear from you! Our team over here at Heroic Signatures loved your short, your research came through! We suggest everybody go read CONAN: THE CHILD by Brian D. Anderson!
@@conanthebarbarianofficial Thank you. I was so relieved by the way you are handling this legacy character. You let Conan be Conan. And fans have responded. Two stories had the strongest impact on my life as a reader of fantasy and later a writer - Lord of the Rings and Conan the Barbarian. Obviously for different reasons.
One of the fears many fans had was that someone would turn our favorite blue-eyed barbarian into some man-bun sporting, emotionally fragile, tepid, soy boy, rather than recognize that Conan's is neither toxic nor antiquated.
He is a strong man of fierce moral fortitude and conviction. He despises weakness, yet protects the helpless. He is confident, yet is aware of his own shortcomings. He is courageous, yet not reckless. He is a leader, yet knows when he should follow. He has great pride but is never arrogant. A loyal friend, but never a fool. Honest and true to his word, even when it could cost him his life.
If you ask me, Conan's brand of masculinity is to be admired and something to which we should aspire.
@@conanthebarbarianofficialI would like to add is that Conan hated slavery.
RUclips recommended me something amazing.
We are glad the whim of the algorithm gods brought you to our domain!
And meanwhile, in a parallel universe, Conan The Librarian quietly stacks books in the restricted section......
You better be sure to return his books on time... or else!
Reminds me of Den of Heavy Metal magazine. 🤣
And manages to find the Eldritch texts.
Badgers? Badgers? We don't need no stinking badgers... 🤘😁🤘
You don’t know the Dewey decimal system?!
I grew up reading SSOC, R.E. Howard's short stories, the continued short stories of L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter, and the long list of novels. The back story and timeline of the sinking of Atlantis up to the Hyborian Age piqued my fascination of ancient history. According to various sources, Atlantis was destroyed around 9600 BC. The rise of the Sons of Aryas occurred between 1800 to 1500 BC. That gives the Hyborian Age over 7,000 years in which to rise and fall. It certainly feeds the imagination to think it could've existed.
First off, Conan doesn't scream like, "GyyAAeeYAAAGeeeeAAAAAGH"
I could hear the way you spelled it in my head! lol
Yes!
I read ALL the Howard Conan, and Burroughs Tarzan, back in middle school. That was a very long time ago. The Cimmerian struck a note with me then, and still does. A leader among leaders, but a true lone wolf. He has a code that most do not understand. Integrity and Honor. Lost words these days. A man of great strength, inner as well as physical. You mentioned a pack mentality in this video. Keeping a core group small, and protecting them with everything you have, is the only way. 2 men helped mold my personal code, one real, Bruce Lee, and Conan. OH, the Austrian did a fine 80s barbarian, but I have to admit, Mamoa fit the mold physically much better. Be well.
Interesting! Host is pretty hot
A fine male specimen for sure!
I'm particular to the 1970s comic series & Thr Savage Sword of Conan. Those were awesome
Conan is like Ghost of Navigator from Iron Maiden.
I have sailed to many lands
Now I make my final journey
On the bow I stand, west is where I go
Through the night I plough
Still my heart, calculate and pray
As the compass swings, my will is strong
I will not be led astray
LOVE Iron Maiden! Perhaps we'll add this song to the official Savage Sword of Conan playlist!
The thing that I sometimes see that I think is incorrect is that some people really try to ennoble Conan. As I look back on the stories, I think that the baseness of many of the characters, Conan included, is one of the things that elevates the stories. Belit is a dark character. At one point she allows two of her crew to be crushed to death. She saves Conan but doesn't care enough to save the two crew members. Conan joins the crew of the Tigress after Belit and her crew murder everyone else on the Agros. This is in contrast to Conan's purported loyalty to his friend at the beginning of the story and even makes you question if he's a credible narrator.
In the wake of GoTs, we saw some talk of a Conan series and I hope if we get one that they downplay the heroics and try to not make Conan into a chivalrous character. GoT when it was good, was good due to the characters being complex and having selfish motivations. That seems to me to the be differentiator between high fantasy and sword & sorcery. GoT walked the line between the two genres, and IMO, was good when it was grounded and leaned into the sword and sorcery side of fantasy, and was bad when it was more elves and dragons and noble heroes. I think that the essence of the character of Conan is literally anti-heroic, and if we get some adaption that it shows the desperateness of the Hyborian Age and Conan's High Plains Drifter-esque pragmatism.
Conan
Punisher
Agent 47
Blade
Tommy Monaghan
Are some of my favorite characters
Next time you can discuss the friendship between Howard and Lovecraft, and how that friendship influenced som of their work.😉
Subscribe and stay tuned! 😉
Brutal 👌
As befitting the barbarian 🤜⚔
Conan never stops. And he never breaks a promise or an oath ... unless someone else breaks it first. When he serves as a general in the Aquilonian army he knows the failings of King Numedides but he does not betray him until Numedides breaks the pact by trying to have him killed. I suspect some of the allies Conan eventually acquires on his way to becoming King may have suggested taking out Numedides before, but Conan served faithfully until the corrupt king acts "civilized." He sees Conan as a threat and tries to kill him. (Very Stalinesque.) The instant Numedides breaks the bond and his word, Conan is free of any idea of restraint. It is Numedides who is the traitor in Conan's eyes, not him. And while he might let some weakling follower to just leave for breaking faith, a King is a foe that has to be eliminated. And it is Numedides "civilized" action that leads to him dead on the floor and Conan taking his crown and throne.
just, willpower. Something the movie got right
Willpower is his greatest strength!
He's the God Emperor from 40k x3
He clearly inspired Sigmar from the old world as well if you look at some of the classic Warhammer art!
Conan represents the indomitable will of mankind. He lives to the fullest the brutal pleasures of human existence.
The main problem with Arnold's Conan (and not Arnold's fault, I blame the script) is that in the canon lore Conan has NEVER been a slave...not as a child, not as a young man, not as a king. By age fifteen he was already a warrior and had gone over the walls of Venarium, an Aquilonian fortress on the southern border of Cimmeria and participated in the sacking of said fortress. He was a prisoner many times, incarcerated, chained and forced to flee various kingdoms, but while some of his enemies had him in custody and called him a slave...Conan never saw it that way. And pretty much anyone who did were quickly disabused. (And beheaded or disemboweled...or disemboweled and beheaded. Can't remember Conan beheading anyone he had already disemboweled. Maybe as a trophy?)
The Northman was the best Conan movie ever
Definitely captures the spirit of Conan!
Robert E. Howard! Full stop!... ok, ill admit, Savage Sword back in the 70s was my first taste of blood...
REH + 70's Savage = THE BEST
I knew Conan through the artwork of Frank Frazetta long before any other sources. Frazetta's depiction of Conan will always be the definitive aesthetic of the mighty Cimmerian in my mind.
Thats hard to argue with form many of us as well!
Conan is a force of nature, the wild hurricane that sweeps through all. ⚔
AYE!
4:41 I would think Conan's physique would be something closer to an NFL running back. Conan is suppose to be 6'0 tall, I think 220 is still a very imposing frame at that height, but at that weight, can still possess incredible agility and speed.
A very good comparison. In the office we often like to describe him as a MMA fighter, big and powerful but still lean and quick!
While Conan The Destroyer was a big step below Conan The Barbarian, it did get one thing right. When Conan was offered the role of a King, by his fair maiden, he scoffed at the offer and told her that he would be king by his own hand.
Aye! Destroyer has it's merits!
"A potent force for change." Change leads to civilization, and civilization is both weak and vile.
Conan challenges and change civilizations to be more in line with his "barbarian" ways
I saw the movies and then read the actual books. i got all 3 trilogy anthologies off of amazon. So while arnold is awesome, the books are WAY better!!
Agreed, we love the original Howard!
mongol+viking=Conan
To me Conan is pure lifeforce. All a melancholic author wished to be, but could not .
Imo its summed up best in this quote : I have known many gods. He who denies them is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply. I seek not beyond death. It may be the blackness averred by the Nemedian skeptics, or Crom's realm of ice and cloud, or the snowy plains and vaulted halls of the Nordheimer's Valhalla. I know not, nor do I care. Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content. Let teachers and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content.
Howard almost always ended up describing Conan's movements and abilities as "tigerish." I think I recall that image in most Conan stories. Tigers are not small. Conan is big. But Tigers are not big apelike hulks...muscular in a very distinct way. While he does win some combats by pure strength, more often than not he strikes down enemies by simply moving faster and without hesitation. Conan is almost pure offense...he doesn't so much defend as he evades enemy attacks. "Phoenix on the Sword" has him being wounded multiple times but always when he takes the wound in order to finish the opponent. After that opponent is down, he goes to the next. He accepts the risks in order to prevail.
So Glad this is a thing.
So glad your comments are a thing! Thanks, for the support Cromrade!
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Conan is the transition, a blend.
If civilizations could both evolve and de-evolve in this universe, build grand kingdoms and return to ape men on a long enough timeline, Conan is like the blend of both worlds.
He has the Strength and Endurance of such great ape ancestors, but the Brains and Cunning of more evolved humans.
He has Instinct with well thought out Planning.
He comes from a Barbarian live world and mingles with more "civilized" folks in their cities. Living in a blend between both worlds.
I remember as a kid, my dad had 6 comic book boxes full of nothing but Conan comics. Hundreds of them. They span from Marvel to Darkhorse comics. I read them all, many of them twice over.
Seems like your father knew the value of a good tale!
I'm gonna get flak for this, but screw it: I liked Jason Momoa's portrayal of Conan in the 2011 movie.
He was much closer to the source material than Arnold's portrayal.
Sadly, the rest of the movie was really bad.
According to Momoa, there was lots of studio meddling, the script was re-written several times during production and it shows.
With a better script/ direction, Jason Momoa could have make a great Conan.
Precisely.
Jason is like the perfect dude to play Conan, he just got stuck with a bad script and mediocre director.
I'd absolutely love to see him get another chance as the character.
We love Arnold and Jason, both excellent portrayals!
With you on this
Yes...the first movie took liberties but I care not one whit...it is the GOAT of fantasy movies and in contention for cinema period...it's just nearly a perfect movie.
Conan is a cimmerian who just did as they wished, he put it best to Belit in queen if the black sea.
Indeed he did!
Belit should have been the love interest in the first movie --
Who the hell is Valeria?
We ever gonna get another movie?
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