(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 were published from 1970 to 1993. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #21.)

By JOESEPH SIMON – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Conan the Barbarian #21 has a thought-provoking cover, but symbolically it’s not what you might think. It shows Conan standing over foes who have fallen but aren’t dead. It’s not really a standard look for a Conan frontispiece, and not so inspiring at first look. But a keener eye will catch the slogan on the cover – “Winner of the Comic Book Industry’s own Academy Award for Best Comic-Mag!”

Due to its context and lack of standard cover art, one can infer that symbolically the fallen yet still-living foes are the comic books that didn’t win the award. An interesting side note is Marvel’s own spelling of comic book as “comic-book” and comic magazine as “comic-mag.”

The award in question is the Academy of Comic Book Arts Shazam Award, a short-lived but then prestigious honor. This was not the only time Conan won that particular recognition. In 1970, as many fans applauded, Barry Smith received the award for best new talent. In 1971, Conan was honored for both best continuing feature and best writer (Roy Thomas.)

This would not be the last award for Conan either! You can, in fact, expect one coming very soon in upcoming issues. I believe many fans might be able to predict accurately what the next award Conan received might have been – please leave your guesses in the comments section below.

Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #21

We find Conan in a situation continued from Conan the Barbarian #20, or depending on your viewpoint, from issue #19 or earlier, where we see the Cimmerian washed up on the shore and wounded from battle after trying to save his Vanir friend Fafnir.

Conan is fortunate enough to have survived the watery grave that otherwise would have been his fate. His luck runs out onshore where workmen of the men from Makkalet find him. These men attack him, thinking he is a Turanian mercenary who has recently menaced the city. In truth, Conan recently did fight with the Turanians – but Conan’s attempt to correct the men falls on fists and swords. The Cimmerian, not only weary from his previous battle and survival in the sea, also suffers from an arrow still sticking in his body.

Our barbarian is overpowered and the men, close to killing Conan, are stopped by Haram-Pyr, commander of the Makkalet King’s Guard. Conan is then thrown into a prison, where his presence creates palace intrigue.

A court physician is called to help Conan with his wounds by the Queen’s command, and he’s prepped to meet Queen Melissandra, King Eannatum, and the supreme priest of the true Tarim. Conan is led out of jail by Khurusan,  a man that Conan sizes up as someone to watch and in time deal with.

Once in front of the King, Queen and Supreme Priest, things start to snap into place. The queen wanted to see Conan for a reason – she was seen in Conan the Barbarian #19 and was going by the name Caissa at the time. Conan and Caissa (or Melissandra) acknowledge each other silently as the king demands to know Conan’s story. The barbarian explains the events and King Eannatum decides, with the queen’s approval, to let Conan help the kingdom.

Conan agrees, but only if he receives a fast horse in return, as well as the shortest route west.

The barbarian is sent to recruit the help of the queen’s father. Caissa (Melissandra) sees Conan off and even gives him a rune-carved armband to protect him. As Conan, Khurusan and several other soldiers ride out of town, they encounter Turanian troops attempting to blockade the roads. Making short work of the Turanians, the group approaches an altar made of towering obelisks.

Present are the obelisk’s caretakers, a man named Justin and his daughter. Justin is an old, blind hermit. After mysterious words and warnings from Justin, Khurusan and his soldiers kill the old man and then beat Conan into unconsciousness.

 

On the opening page of this issue, it’s mentioned that this issue is inspired by a Robert E. Howard horror story called “The Black Stone.” The second half of the issue has significant impact with the story from which it was inspired. In a way, the second act of the issue has just begun. 

 

What exactly does that mean? And will Conan ever save Fafnir?

 

CAPSULE REVIEW:  The art in this issue is rounded out by several legends of comic book and fantasy illustrations. The art, while rendered by Barry Windsor-Smith, is rounded out by P. Craig Russell and Val Mayerik. How far each of these artists has come!

 

Illustration-wise, just the name of these talents should elevate the rating of this book past what I have graded this review! The story on its own merit could have been better. There’s a lot going on, but most of it is left unresolved. 

 

Within the context of a story arc that has a grasp far wider than I believe even Marvel expected at the time, everything fits in. This issue is just a piece of the puzzle that helps make my choice of rating this issue an 8 on a scale of 1-10 just right (please see our review and grading standards here.)

 

Eagle-eyed readers might remember that the Tarim Incarnate, the living body of the greatest Hyrkanian deities, and a man-god that Conan has heard of, was also mentioned in King Kull. 

 

On eBay, copies of this issue ungraded are readily available for less than $10.

 

– Joeseph Simon