A great podcast that talks about all things Fist of Khonshu. Worth checking out!
Our friends who host the Conan Podcast! Check out their other podcasts here.
The Paint Monk uses CBCS to grade all of his key comics. Check out their prices - lower than CGC and just as good.
A podcast featuring titles from the Golden Age of comics.
Keep up-to-date on all the comics coming out that are based on the works and worlds of Robert E. Howard!
All you ever wanted to know about the short-lived Atlas Comics of the 1970s and its equally short-lived revival in 2011-2013.
Our friends at "Diversions of the Groovy Kind" take a look at many different Bronze Age comics! Check them out.
Do you enjoy Marvel's beloved superhero "non-team?" This is a nice blog for Defenders fans!
Get Marvel Unlimited - and access to over 20,000 of the best comic books in the industry - for only $9.99 a month!
Digital INDY comic subscription service with some Marvel and DC Comics, too.
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor When I heard that Moon Knight was being relaunched this summer (followed in a month or two by my favorite Jungle Lord, Ka-Zar), I was filled with excitement but also with much […]
My interview with Donald Glut was reprinted in the latest issue of Comics Unlimited! If you haven’t read this new bi-monthly yet, it’s one of the best comic mags I’ve enjoyed since Comics Journal was on the shelves years ago. […]
(AUTHOR’S NOTE: It has been no secret that I have had issues with Marvel’s relaunch of Robert E. Howard’s Conan. The one bright spot has been the writing of Jim Zub. I was a fan before he took up the […]
“This editorial is full of spoilers for all three issues of Empyre: Avengers. If you haven’t read them or had your fill of modern comic book plots that have been beaten to death, go read the comics and come back […]
“As children, we all grew up and played together. Sometimes we even shared our toys, our bicycles, and our skateboards. But the cardinal rule was to take care of the toys or bicycle that you borrowed. Woe unto the kid […]
January 11th, 2020 
By Bob Freeman, Dynamite Entertainment, Red Sonja 
Comments Off on REVIEW: Red Sonja #12 – A Great Ending to A Good Tale 
“Know then, O Prince, that after two months of chasing Sonja The Red through the Hyrkanian steppes, Dragan and Sonja at last met in pitched battle. They fought, not for a bridge, as the great histories say, but for the future of the Hyborian Age. For what is a bridge, O Prince, but the choice of one realm over another?”
by BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
I had stepped away from this title around issue #6 or so, which surprised even me. I was quite taken with Mark Russell’s handling of Red Sonja at first, despite the injection of comedy into the narrative. As the title went on, that humor began to grate on me more and more, hence my focusing on other books.
I was still buying Red Sonja, but I found I wasn’t reading it, hence my reviews grinding to a halt.
Wally and I … (Read More)
January 9th, 2020 By Bob Freeman, Conan (2019), Reviews Comments Off on REVIEW: Serpent War #3 – Art, Writing Losing Focus 
“THE LAST STAND OF CONAN, DARK AGNES, SOLOMON KANE & MOON KNIGHT! CONAN and DARK AGNES against the servants of SET in STYGIA! SOLOMON KANE and MOON KNIGHT encounter a bizarre relic – but will it aid their quest, or doom their compatriots? And what lurks in the mind of JAMES ALLISON?”
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
I had to go back and revisit the first two chapters in Conan: Serpent War because “Chapter 3: The Faithful and the Fallen“ seemed so different from its predecessors, and not simply due to having another new artist on board.
Though to be fair, the art was simply a let down across the board. New illustrator Luca Pizzari is a bad fit for a Conan tale. The artwork is too manga for my tastes and just altogether unappealing. It was a major turn-off.
While I have been critical of … (Read More)
January 8th, 2020 Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews Comments Off on REVIEW: Aesir Redeemed, Buryat Conquered & Betrayal 
“Conan is finally ready to rally the Aesir to battle against the forces of King Aosoka and the Grandsons of Heaven. But once Buryat is liberated, are more sinister forces at work? Friends are not always friends and things are not always as they appear in the final part of this four-part story arc by Rascally Roy Thomas!”
(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, #112.)
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
This issue marks the end of Roy Thomas’ adaptation of the Norvell W. Page novel “Sons of the Bear God” – and I’m glad it’s over.
The late 1960s, 70s and 80s saw a resurgence of much of the … (Read More)
January 6th, 2020 Into the Knight Podcast, Moon Knight, Reviews Comments Off on REVIEW: Moon Knight Shines in Debut Appearance 
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Paint Monk’s Library, in collaboration with the enthusiastic fans over at the Into the Knight Podcast, is tackling the Moon Knight chronology! Each week we’ll take an in-depth look at the Fist Of Khonshu in a series of reviews, all in order of character appearance! These reviews will appear on Monday each week until we’ve covered them all, or until the enthusiastic Loonies get too exhausted to write, whichever comes first!)
By RUSSELL MORAN – Guest Writer
In 1975, writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin brought life to a character they intended to be a villainous foil for Werewolf By Night Jack Russell. Little did they know, that villain would blossom into one of the most complex, creative, and downright crazy heroes the Marvel universe had ever birthed. This is the debut of The Fist of Khonshu himself, Moon Knight, although his personality bears … (Read More)
January 1st, 2020 Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews Comments Off on REVIEW: A King, Plans Overheard & A Daring Escape 
“Roy Thomas continues his adaptation of Norvell W. Page’s “Sons of the Bear God”. In this third installment, Conan is taken away by dwarven guards on charges of treason and stirring up rebellion. Will the Cimmerian escape the clutches of King Aosoka and succeed in an attempt overthrow the dwarves?”
(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) #111.)
By BOB FREEMAN — Paint Monk’s Library Writer
Roy Thomas’ near perfect run on Conan the Barbarian is almost at its end. This issue has to rank as near the lowest of his creative output. It’s a pain for me to read, truthfully. The only thing that gets me through it is the absolutely beautiful … (Read More)
January 1st, 2020 By Wally Monk, Editorial, Into the Knight Podcast, Moon Knight Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Moon Knight Chronology Launches Jan. 6 
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
As many of you know, Paint Monk’s Library launched in early 2017 on eBlogger as my personal blog. Receiving only a few hits a week, I’d talk about my collecting habits, dollar bin comic hunting and painting an occasional RPG miniature (badly).
Since that time (really since the launch of our Classic Conan Countdown), the Library has grown to include current comic reviews, editorials, weekly features, interviews and a loyal compadre of associate librarians. The site has grown from a dozen hits a day to nearly 5-7K hits a week with nearly 1,000 new visitors. We’ve moved from eBlogger to a nicer format on WordPress, with our own URL. Paint Monk’s Library isn’t quite a “huge” site yet, but we’re growing each day, and I’m truly blessed.
This year – next week, in fact – Paint Monk’s Library will be embarking … (Read More)
January 1st, 2020 By Wally Monk, Editorial Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Paint Monk’s Library 2019 in Review 
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
“Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Robert Burns, 1788
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.”
A happy and blessed New Year to all of our readers! As we make the plunge into a brand new year in a mere five hours (as I write this, it’s 7 p.m. EST), I’d like to take a moment to look at all the neat things Paint Monk’s Library has done this year and give a shout out to the people who made 2019 possible for this site.
Sadly, we’ve also lost some familiar faces along the way. Dean Plakas, one of our regular feature writers and a contributor to our Classic Conan Countdown, put the temporary brakes on library blogging as did Troy Chrisman and associate editor Joeseph Simon. To the three of you, your … (Read More)
December 25th, 2019 By Andy Maglothin, Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews Comments Off on REVIEW: Arena – Conan Battles A “Heaven Bear” 
“This time, the bear is no illusion. King Aosoka puts Conan in the pit, where he goes face-to-face with the Heaven Bear! This issue is the third part in Roy Thomas’ adaptation of the Norvell W. Page novel ‘Sons of the Bear God’.”
(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) #110.)
By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
Picking up after the events in the previous issue, Conan is face to face with a giant bear but he quickly realizes the bear is an illusion – it is not displacing any of the surrounding grass. The bear quickly changes to a mist enveloping the Cimmerian, rendering our hero unconscious.
Conan slowly rouses … (Read More)
May the warmth of family and good friends fill you with good cheer as we begin the Christmas season. And hearty wishes for your favorite comics under the tree, of course!
Blessings to you as we approach the new year, and as always, thank you for your support of this monk’s humble library.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
December 22nd, 2019 Conan (2019), Interviews, Slider Comments Off on INTERVIEW: Scott Oden Brings Fantasy, History To Life 
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Ever the Robert E. Howard scholar and pulp enthusiast, Paint Monk’s Library scribe and Occult Detective Bob Freeman spent some time chatting with Scott Oden about Conan, historical fiction, writing pastiches, and his numerous best-selling novels.)
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
If you’ve been following Marvel’s re-acquisition of our favorite Cimmerian for the past year, then you’ve probably already caught on to one of the shining highlights of an otherwise uneven relaunch of Savage Sword of Conan — Author Scott Oden’s brilliant novella, The Shadow of Vengeance.
Set after Robert E. Howard’s “The Devil in Iron” (Weird Tales, August 1934), Oden takes us on a breathtaking adventure of daring and swashbuckling sword and sorcery that is immediately reminiscent of Howard’s legendary writing.
Oden’s tale is vivid and positively dripping with the pulp sensibilities that call to mind the original stories … (Read More)
Do you enjoy Robert E. Howard's classic Cimmerian in comic book form? Join Paint Monk's Library bloggers, as we review all 275 issues of Marvel's original Conan the Barbarian series. New installments added regularly!
REVIEW: OAR #2 Renews, Refreshes An RPG Classic
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Musings from the Monk, a semi-regular column written by the chief archivist and comic nut who organizes Paint Monk’s Library ...
REVIEW: Red Sonja #19 a Good “Jumping Off” Point
"JUMPING-ON POINT FOR NEW READERS. Sonja The Red, victorious. But ruling is impossible. And a young, old foe returns with a plan ...
Moon Knight Squares Off with The Sun King
REVIEW: MOON KNIGHT #193 (Written by Max Bemis with art by Jacen Burrows)
When the avatars of the sun and the moon get ready ...
INTERVIEW: Will Barry Windsor-Smith work on New Conan?
By WALLY MONK - Paint Monk's Library Editor
Marvel Comics has announced the release of a new omnibus edition of their Conan the Barbarian ...
Are you a fan of Mordheim? Discuss Proxy Miniatures and New Warbands on Facebook
"Alt-Heim" debuted on 5/10/18 for discussion of proxy warbands in GW's Mordheim
Paint Monk's Library has a new community group on Facebook for Mordheim!
Paint ...
Do you enjoy surfing through comic book bargain bins? Join the Paint Monk as he discovers discounted treasures at comic book stores throughout the Midwest.
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish