(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the Classic Conan Countdown, a series of reviews focusing on the original 275 issues of Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian, which was published from 1970 to 1993. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1, #1.)

By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor

Conan the Barbarian is a Marvel Comics legacy thanks largely to editor and writer Roy Thomas.

In 1970, Marvel put up an offer to license fantasy author Lin Carter’s Thongor as a comic book property. But according to a 2010 article in Comic Book Resources, Carter’s agent wanted more money than Marvel was willing to pony up at the time. That’s what prompted Roy Thomas to reach out to the estate of Robert E. Howard for Conan.

The deal was inked, but because Conan was a new idea for Marvel, outside the realm of their standard super-hero fare, the House of Ideas wasn’t willing to spend much on the project. As Roy Thomas told the publication Alter Ego in 2007:

“At the time, Marvel was owned by Martin Goodman, and he felt that my rate was too high to take a gamble [with] on some new kind of [project]. It wasn’t a superhero or anything that had been done before. The closest thing to that would be Tarzan. Anyway, he had no confidence in spending too much money on the book, and that’s where Barry Smith came in — [he was] very cheap. I know what he got paid, and I’d be embarrassed to tell you how much it was, because I’d be embarrassed for Marvel.”

Roy Thomas

Roy Thomas would continue writing Conan the Barbarian for Marvel from the first issue through issue #115 and would return to close out the series, writing a large number of the last thirty or forty issues up until the very end. And the “gamble” on Barry Windsor-Smith, of course, paid off – he won the 1970 Academy of Comic Book Arts Shazam Award for Best New Talent. Windsor-Smith drew most issues of Conan the Barbarian until issue #24.

Following the success of Conan as a comic, Lin Carter would later allow Thongor – the property that “could have been” the introduction to the swords-and-sorcery genre in comics – to be published by Marvel. Thongor, Warrior of Lost Lemuria appeared in several issues of Creatures on the Loose (as did Robert E. Howard’s King Kull.)  

*** Spoiler Alert ***

Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #1

It doesn’t take long for Conan to start doing what Conan does best! In the premier issue of Marvel’s barbarian adventures, we’re treated to a beautiful full-page splash by Windsor-Smith. This premiere issue doesn’t have the Conan introduction that we know and love – the one that begins with “Know, O Prince, that before the oceans drank Atlantis..” It’s a true introduction to an unknown comic, one that invites readers to visit the Hyborian Age, where “a man’s life-worth was no more than the strength of his sword arm.“

After this brief introduction, we’re thrust right into a battle. A young Conan has hired himself out as a sell-sword, and is fighting with the Aesir in a battle against the Vanir of Vanaheim. Conan makes it only to the second page before he slays his first Vanir! 

Conan sees Olav, the leader of the Aesir warriors outmatched by three Vanir, and he quickly steps in to save his ally. Olav compliments Conan on his honesty when the Cimmerian simply says he fights for the Aesir because they pay better. “Hmph! An honest Cimmerian!” Olav says, as the Aesir collect their fighters and bury their dead, letting the Vanir retreat. Olav makes it clear that when the group is rested, they’ll march to finish off their Vanir enemies.

Back at the Vanir encampment, the outlook is grim. Despite outnumbering the Aesir before this battle, now their numbers are seriously depleted. In the fashion of true villains, Vanir chieftan Volff decides it’s time to make a break for it, leaving his own men to die. 

As Volff and his lackey Hothar beat feet for greener pastures, they find a cave marked with strange sigils. From inside, a voice beckons to them both. Warily entering the cave, Volff and Hothar meet The Shaman and a woman named Tara. The Shaman has a way for Volff to defeat his enemies – the power that comes from the Star-Stone. It’s apparently a device that fell from the sky and allows The Shaman to call forth winged demons and see the future. All he needs is Conan’s body to fulfill an ancient ritual, and in exchange, he’ll help Volff be victorious.

Volff eagerly agrees, and Conan and his Aesir companions are soon beset upon by winged nightmares called forth from the Star-Stone. Olav is overcome by these demonic adversaries, and they eventually manage to capture Conan, as he’s knocked unconscious after being dropped by one of the demons from a dizzying height.

Conan awakens in a room with Tara, where he learns he is to be part of a “ceremony of transferal.” The Star-Stone begins glow, showing the future to all in the room. The Shaman is horrified when he witnesses the Cimmerian he is planning to sacrifice being crowned King of the Hyborian Empire.

How can Conan have a “future” if he is going to be sacrificed in the transferal ceremony? And what exactly is this mysterious ritual?

CAPSULE REVIEW:  It’s hard to argue that Conan the Barbarian #1 is anything less than an exciting and compelling introduction to the sword-and-sorcery genre in comics. It’s a gamble Marvel Comics took that paid off. Roy Thomas’ scripting is poetic in many ways, and it’s only complimented by the excellent artwork of newcomer (at the time) Barry Windsor-Smith. The art and story go hand in hand, and both are high quality.

If you’re familiar with the fantasy novels of the 60s and 70s, and their rich covers by Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo, this comic book tries to channel that spirit. It’s a book that sets the bar for fantasy comics of that era, and one of the examples of quality fantasy that made names like Windsor-Smith, Frank Thorne and John Buscema household names in fantasy artwork.

The storytelling here is so good that both the story and artwork could stand alone – yet together they weave an intriguing tale that kept readers coming back again for decades. On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue a 9.5 for trend setting artwork and story, the introduction of a genre, and the team of Windsor-Smith and Thomas. 

High grades of this issue are expensive, but not cost prohibitive for such a key comic. As of this review, two CGC 9.4 graded copies sold on eBay for $670 and $699 respectively. Mid grade copies at CGC 7.0 sold for less than $200. Ungraded copies claiming to be in “F/VF” condition sold for less than $100. 

As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)