(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Countdown to Conan, a series ringing in the return of Robert E. Howard’s popular Cimmerian to Marvel Comics. We’ll be reviewing issues of Marvel’s original Conan the Barbarian series weekly. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #6.)

By JOESEPH SIMON – Paint Monk’s Library Associate Editor

The sixth issue of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian shows Roy Thomas’ continued enthusiasm for Conan and Barry Windsor-Smith’s always top-notch artwork.

“Devil Wings Over Shadizar!” begins with four pages that could be a great extra-short story by themselves.

Our tale opens with a narrative: “They call her Shadizar the Wicked—but a city, even one in thief rich Zamora, is no more good nor evil than the men who walk her torch-bare streets, her shadowed alleyways—or who clamber silently over walls that have witnessed a thousand grisly acts–”. The art, as one would expect with Barry Windsor-Smith, is great. It features a splash of Conan towering over the alleyways mentioned in the opening dialog.

Below Conan, captivating his interest, are two men arguing. One is small and thin while the other is a big, red haired fellow. Through their shouted words, we can tell that both are friends. Conan has snuck up on them as they argue how the two of them can divide three treasures that they acquired through dubious means.

Conan startles them as he drops to the ground. Inspired by their argument, Conan offers a solution: “No need for two friends to quarrel. Let me settle it—by taking that third piece.”

Through their arguing, we already know that their names are Blackrat and Fafnir. If you remember in my review of The Gray God Passes (Conan the Barbarian #3), Thomas uses different names for Odin and Brian Boru. He isn’t as tricky here, as these two are obviously Fritz Lieber’s famous characters Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.

As they were known to do in Lieber’s books, the two argued – even while fighting for their lives against Conan.

Unfortunately, the two are no match for our Cimmerian. As Fafnir yells “Hurry up and run him thru, rodent— before he dies of old age! By Mitra, do I have to shove him onto your—”

Interestingly Fafnir was going to say sword, but by then Conan dodged Blackrat’s sword thrust and instead, Blackrat’s sword fit into Fafnir and finished that sentence with “aarrrahh!”.

Page four shows Conan kicking Blackrat (The Grey Mouser) unconscious and taking all the treasure. Standing and having triumphed over what I feel was an easy battle, Conan head starts to spin. He decides, like anyone who’s head is spinning, to go to the nearest tavern thinking “Maybe a flagon of wine will help…”

Upon his arrival in the tavern, our real story begins.

Conan makes himself comfortable and a blond temptress approaches him, requesting to speak to him for a moment.  Conan, perhaps still savoring his recent fight and spoils, blusters “You’ve spied on me like a hawk since I came in. Sit with me—and save your eyes.”

Introductions are made and we discover the blonde’s name is Jenna. She shows interest in Conan and small talk and flirting begin. It should be mentioned that her interest started when Conan showed the tavern’s bartender that he indeed had gold coins to spend. Conan even responds to Jenna’s not-so-innocent request “Whats in the pouch?” with “Oh that! Just a few sweet-meats, and–”

Suddenly a man who is wrestling with another man accidentally crashes into Conan. Conan calls that man a Kushite, which the man takes as an insult – striking Conan squarely in the face. He strikes with enough force that Conan’s nose bleeds. The man continues “I’m no Kushite Dog– no savage eater of carrion—but a full-blooded prince of Zembabwei!”

Conan escalates the battle and quicker than the panel can show, a dagger appears in Conan’s hand.

The two wrestlers back out of the Conan’s escalated provocation  thanks to Jenna. She inadvertently makes a discovery and quickly says “I—have all your sweet meats, Conan.” Amazingly, Conan allows the bloodied nose a pass and says “Then let these two stay here and finish cracking each other’s bones. We’ll go where a man and a maid may talk in peace.”

Conan standing down from a fight? Jenna mentions that she knows that there are more than sweet meats in his pouch – gold, which she knew, because she was eyeing it the moment Conan showed it to the bartender! Conan, though, says “There were soldiers about—perhaps even members of the palace guard.” Jenna indicates that she understands and adds “They might ask how a barbarian came by so much gold–”. Conan, while quite adept at bravado, hasn’t quite mastered the art of lying and replies “They made me nervous.” referring to the possible soldier and guards.

Jenna, quicker with her wit, says “especially when an old goldsmith was robbed and murdered earlier tonight.”

It was revealed earlier during Fafnir and Blackrat’s arguing that they were the ones who murdered the goldsmith (and it was the spoils of that crime they were arguing about). Conan, of course, is no stranger to being accused of another person’s villainy. Even though she suspects Conan of murder, Jenna asks the Cimmerian to follow her into the home of the “finest blacksmith in Shadizar,” her uncle, Maldiz.

In a series of even odder out-of-character behavior, Jenna somehow manipulates the situation, as Conan allows his gold to melted into a golden heart with Maldiz doing the re-casting. While her uncle is as mystified as Conan is at her request, he indicates it might be wise to do “if the gold came from where I suspect” and Conan agrees. For a pre-internet civilization, everyone seems pretty updated with the goings-on of others in Shadizar!

After the casting is done, Conan and Jenna leave. The story’s narrative here implies “The dark of the moon: a time for young lovers in the shadowed groves near Shadizar–” and appears to be indicating or foreshadowing a new relationship for Conan.

Like lovers, the two of them are already bickering. Conan asks if there was a “need to recast all my gold, girl?  It does make it harder to spend” to which Jenna says “but easier to carry, don’t you think?”

Conan agrees, but their conversation is ended by Jenna’s sudden embrace. He reacts as one would expect, only to be stopped by Jenna pushing him away. She claims that she is not “some bear that you are wrestling. Besides, those horns on your helmet bruised my forehead.”

She takes the helmet off saying “There that’s better. It makes you look like a Yak, anyways.” as their romantic interlude continues.

The love affair is short-lived, as red robed men with staves approach from behind Conan, striking him. Jenna, whose alarmed look caught Conan’s attention but not in time, fights  like a hellcat (the men claim) and they strike Conan again until he falls unconscious. It seems Jenna might be bad fortune for Conan – first a brawl with two brigands, then losing his gold in the tavern, and now he’s knocked unconscious by cultists. Before everything goes dark, Conan hears that the men are in the service of the “Night God.”

Conan wakes up, still in possession of the golden heart, but Jenna is gone. He marvels at the strange ways of Shadizar, and returns to Maldiz the blacksmith. The Cimmerian explains how they were attacked, and when he mentions the red robes and the Night God, Maldiz says “Forget her, lad. She is—as good as dead.”

Conan is shocked by the response. Things become even more confusing when Maldiz admits that he has no niece – apparently, Jenna is a charming woman, but a liar. Maldiz humors her because he enjoys her company.

He explains to Conan the dire situation at hand: “Once each month, in the dark of the moon, a  young girl vanishes from our streets. We know that the devotees of the nameless night god taker her there—to that minaret. A small price to pay—for peace with a dark and sinister god!”

Conan asks why the top of the dome on the minaret is open and he is told “Only the worshipers of the Night God know that, lad. And they’re not likely to say, are they? So now you must see why you must forget poor Jenna, don’t you Conan?.”

But Conan is already gone and on his way to Jenna’s rescue..

Two different licensed properties meeting for the first time is wildly interesting. This would not be the first time such an occurrence happens in Conan. It shows Marvel’s commitment and Thomas’ ability.  Their appearances in Conan is remarkable because they were, to a degree, created to be more realistic characters who happen to be in a fantasy setting by Leiber. Leiber’s setting, some have implied, may have been created as a “reaction” to the creation of characters like Conan or Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

— Fear not for Fafnir! He will appear in future comics. Blackrat will also appear in a future Conan story, though not in the actual Conan the Barbarian series we are reviewing.

Interestingly enough, Fafhrd and Grey Mouser’s Lieber-penned stories were adapted for Marvel by Howard Chaykin, Mike Mignola and Al Williamson. The notorious pair of loveable brigands also appeared at DC in an issue of Wonder Woman (#202) in 1972, as written by talented science-fiction writer Samuel Delany.

— No more helmet for Conan! We can thank Jenna for finally taking off the helmet that makes the Cimmerian “look like a yak.” While having appeared in all six issues of Conan the Barbarian thus far, this issue marks the last appearance of the famous helmet – at least for awhile. 

— I give this issue a 7.4 rating overall  for creativity, especially the scenes with Fafnir and Blackrat, subplots aplenty and some great banter with a woman we may see more of in future issues.

— The events that begin in this issue will affect stories further down the road.  Roy Thomas must have felt confident enough to start laying down a continuity for Conan to follow beginning here in issue #6.

– Joeseph Simon