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Tags: Ground-Breaking Artist Didn’t Revisit the Cimmerian until 1987
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| Barry Windsor-Smith returned to Marvel in 1987, completing nine covers for the black and white Conan Saga magazine. |
Out with the old and in with the new.
For twenty-two of the initial twenty-four issues of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian, Barry Windsor-Smith’s artwork graced the pages of the experimental fantasy title. In tandem with Roy Thomas, the two laid the foundation for a series that would span 275 issues, numerous annuals, one-shots and Giant-Size features. That’s not taking into account the spin-off magazine Savage Sword of Conan, which ran for 235 issues itself, evading the Comics Code Authority with its black-and-white magazine format.
The popularity of Conan in comics and paperbacks would lead to movies, action figures, role-playing games, t-shirts and even Slurpee cups. Marvel’s Conan was a big risk for the publisher that became an “innovation” and launch pad for an entire genre in the industry of sequential art.
Beginning with Monday’s review of Conan the Barbarian #25, John Buscema will take over the artistic reins, changing the look of Conan substantially and taking the book in different directions. Gone will be the lithe, thin lines and feel of the character, as Conan is replaced with a more muscular, husky barbarian and a dramatically different artistic style.
While Buscema is a legend in his own right (and the artist many people claim created the look of the barbarian we know today) there’s something wistful about Windsor-Smith’s departure apart from his alleged frustration with Marvel Comics’ treatment of artists.
We won’t see Windsor-Smith’s work again in a Marvel Conan book again until 1987, when he tackled nine full-color covers for the Conan Saga magazine, which reprinted his early stories in magazine format. Sadder still is that many of the high-quality reprints by Dark Horse Comics offer “re-mastered” artwork, which modernizes yet eliminates many of the artistic subtleties found in Windsor-Smith’s work. His work on Malibu’s Conan Vs. Rune was re-colored in a manner which once again eliminated the subtle colors and fine line-work the artist worked so hard to prepare.
Windsor-Smith’s Conan swan song for Marvel was found in another black-and-white magazine, Savage Tales #2 and #3 from the tail end of 1973, which blogger John Jack will review Sunday.
Joeseph Simon will review his last regular series issue – Conan the Barbarian #24 – later today.
Joeseph Simon will review his last regular series issue – Conan the Barbarian #24 – later today.
To read more about Barry Windsor-Smith and his time on Conan, you can visit the website of Windsor-Smith Studios here:
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| http://barrywindsor-smith.com/ |
Mr. Windsor-Smith, thank you for your contributions to Conan the Barbarian and for helping make my early days of comic collecting a joy!
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
