Snake skin © http://www.iStock.com/gmnicholasCONQUEROR
Comic artist Cary Nord cites
Frank Frazetta as the defining Conan
painter. Frazetta painted this iconic
paperback cover in 1966.pieces are part of the pantheon. Only so
much could be done with Conan in the
Marvel style. The colour comic Conan the
Barbarian ended in 1993, followed by its
black-and-white sister, Savage Sword of
Conan, two years later.
“It’d lost all connection to the source
material,” says Cary Nord,
who later revived Conan for
Dark Horse. “I remember
seeing him drawn with
ridiculous giant battle axes
and he was given that Jim Lee-style cross-
hatching treatment.”
Conan comics returned to mind-blowing
effect in 2003. In the early ’70s, artists such
as Barry Windsor-Smith had won several
Shazam Awards, and with the fresh work
he produced in the new Conan issue 0,
Cary Nord won a 2004 Eisner Award.
The look and feel of the new books
was entirely different, with Cary
LUCKY SEVEN
The art board for page 7 of Conan the
Slayer issue 1, by Sergio Davila.TAKE TWO
Alternative cover for Conan the Slayer
issue 1, drawn by Mark Schultz.CONAN
THE SLAYER
The latest Dark Horse incarnation of Conan
promises a feast of muscle and furyJuly 2016 saw the release of Conan the Slayer, Dark Horse
Comics’ seventh regular series. The artwork is being produced
by Sergio Davila, and issue 1 will have a cover by Lee Bermejo,
and an alternative cover by Mark Schultz.
“I can’t say much about it because I haven’t
finished drawing issue 2 yet,” says Sergio. “But I
can say that these are the adventures of a younger
Conan, before he turns 30. He’s wilder, crazier,
more powerful and more aggressive. He’s also very
confident and doesn’t overthink situations. He’s
not scared of anybody or anything.”
Dark Horse writers and artists have taken a lead in their story
ordering from Dale Rippke’s article The Dark Storm Conan
Chronology, says editor-in-chief Dave Marshall.
“New readers will feel completely at home,” Dave
says. “But the events take place after Conan the
Avenger. Just like the previous Dark Horse series,
Slayer will be a mix of adaptations of Howard
stories connected together by original stories.”The very first
representation of
Conan in a comic book
was created in Mexico
and entitled La reina
de la Costa Negra – an
adaptation of Robert E
Howard’s The Queen
of the Black Coast.With art by newcomer
Barry Smith, Marvel
released issue 1 of
Conan the Barbarian,
written by Conan fan
Roy Thomas. Barry
pencilled the comic for
two years, followed by
John Buscema.Marvel’s early-’70s
burst of Conan
continued with Savage
Tales, which frequently
featured the
Cimmerian. The brutal
cover of the first issue
was painted by
John Buscema.1952 1970 1971
CRAZY NIGHTS
The set of his brow reminds us of Frazetta’s moody
Conan, but Sergio Davila is promising a wild and
crazy ride in the new comics.Marvel’s first rendition
of Red Sonja appeared
in issue 23 of Conan
the Barbarian. Gil Kane
drew the cover, and
Barry Smith did the
internal artwork. The
spin-off character
is still going.1973
Legends | The Art of Conan