“The Drellik King K’Chama believes he has found a suitable peer in Conan, and offers the barbarian the vampire’s curse and a lifetime conquering kingdoms at his side. Conan, of course, refuses – but will he be able to save his own life and that of his Bamula tribesmen and escape from the Men Who Drink Blood?”

(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, #103.)

By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

In the aftermath of the Belit cycle, Roy Thomas was looking toward his exit strategy. In slightly more than a year, his time on Conan the Barbarian would come to an end. While he’d still navigate the superior black and white magazine, The Savage Sword of Conan, the color comic was the more profile monthly title.

How would the color Conan fare once Thomas was no longer at the helm? Thomas set out rebuilding the Cimmerian’s character in the wake of Belit’s death. As in this issue I am about to recap and review for you, Conan continues to reflect and pine for the She-Wolf of the Black Coast, which is terrific character development. It shapes him, helps redefine him moving forward, all without losing touch with what made Conan great, without altering the man Howard had given birth to.

That’s a nifty trick, showing change and development without altering the character. It’s that ability to play in the creative sandbox and ensure that all the toys are still there, unbroken and ready to be played with by the next creative team, that made Roy Thomas one of the greats.

Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #103

The savage Bamula are placed in a large cell by the blood drinking Drellik as their war chief, Conan, was carried away by K’Chama, the Drellik’s vampire king. The unconscious Cimmerian was laid upon an altar stone, when he suddenly  awoke and attacked the vampire, but the undead fiend merely shrugged off the mighty barbarian’s punch like it was nothing.

K’Chama then shared his story with Conan. Originally from a tribe to the east, he was attacked by a vampire while out seeking to further bolster his warrior status. He managed to slay the creature, stabbing it through the heart with the shaft of his spear, but not before being infected with its vampiric curse. Using his newfound powers, he took command of another tribe and, through hypnotic mind control, had them reshape their ears and trained them to drink blood in ceremonies when they were just children and file their teeth upon reaching manhood — all that they would become vampire-like.

The Drellik King withheld transforming any of his subjects into actual vampires until he found one worthy of the secret of eternity… but no one impressed him, until he discovered Conan. The Cimmerian, of course, refused and was thrown into a cell with Eesee, the bride of K’Chama. Eesee’s life had been extended by the vampire king but now she was beginning to show her age and K’Chama had tired of her. Still, she loved him despite his change in feelings for her.

Conan attempted to escape, but failed, thus the next day he was taken before K’Chama. The vampire slayed one of the Bamula in front of the Cimmerian, so, in order to save the others, Conan agreed to join the Drellik so long as the rest of the Bamula were freed. Conan barters for Eesee’s life as well, but K’Chama degraded her to the Cimmerian. Eesee charged out and stabbed the vampire with a spear.

The spearhead had no effect on the creature and he swats her away, fatally injuring her. Conan, despite being chained, used the distraction to flee. The Drelliks chased after the barbarian but they were met by Bosatu and the Bamula who had returned in force to rescue their War Chief.

Meanwhile Conan took cover as K’Chama stalked him, the spear still sticking from his back. Conan, recalled K’Chama’s story of how he killed the vampire that made him. The Cimmerian kicked K’Chama over the side of a cliff, the shaft of the spear piercing the vampire’s heart. To ensure the fiend’s death Conan cut off its head even as Eesee crawled over to die with the creature she loved.

As Conan and the Bamula left, with the Drellik encampment in flames, the Cimmerian promoted Basotu to sub-chief and offered him a bride, Felida, the widow of the warrior Yorubo, who had been given to him. Conan will not be tied down, believing he travels highest who travels lightest. Thinking of Belit, he returns to the Bamula village.

CAPSULE REVIEW:  A good story, penned by Thomas, that showcases Conan’s intellect over brute strength. Easily outmatched by the vampire’s superior physical strength, Thomas, along with terrific art from Buscema and Chan to highlight this, was able to convey the cunning nature that is something far too people overlook. Conan was not an unintelligent brute. He was smart, agile, and calculating. Arnold’s shadow is long, however, and it is the image of the dunderheaded barbarian that far too many people imagine when they think of Conan.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue 7 skulls of my enemies. On eBay, this issue generally is available for less than $10, and often lower than $5.

Alba Gu Brath – Bob Freeeman (aka The Occult Detective)