Barry is who got me further into comics in the middle of the 70's. I thought they were the best artistic version I'd ever seen. Started collecting the comics. Then after the movie came out some time later I read all the Robert e. Howard stuff. Which I thought with amazement outdid the comics and the film 🎥 ❤😂
Marvel introduced me to Conan back in the ‘70s. That led me to reading a few of the original stories (along with those DeCamp and Carter pastiches) but it never really took. I was more into superheroes and science fiction than barbarians and magic in those days. Then Cimmerian September came along and I’ve been reveling in my Del Rey editions. I still have all those old Marvel Treasuries, so now I’ve gotta dig them all out and revisit them. THANK you for getting me to re-examine the real Conan. After all these years, I’ve become a fan of Howard’s original work.
Once you got rolling, you seemed to warm to the subject. Howard is good medicine, but for persisting, YOU are the most savage barbarian of all. Great thanks. Gil Kane was so sympatico with the genre, and he snuck in sword and sorcery elements whenever he could. I'd like to see your review of his creation Blackmark, a sword and science epic that appeared in 1971 as a mass-market paperback during a period when Kane was trying to break out of standard comics. It was chopped up and rearranged to fit the magazine format for reprinting in Savage Sword and an issue of Marvel Preview, and in 2002, restored and printed in an oversize paperback that was true to the original layouts. The first printing, in the smaller size it was meant for, is the best in my opinion. You really get the sense that Kane was discovering a new way to do comics.
Great stuff. I have all 4 of the Conan Treasury Editions. Some of the best Conan in comics. Regarding lecherous Conan, remember he was only in his early 20s or so at that time. A walking hormone. By chance I just listened to that Howard story Dark Man on audio a few days ago while doing yard work. Really good one.
Love those Treasury editions (enjoyed them then and also now), been buying many of these over the last year. The large format really worked for those issues. I used to spread them out over the floor as well. Was always slightly disappointed with the 'Red Sonja' treasury as it features very little Red Sonja, wished they had released a Red Sonja Treasury with Frank Thorne's work. Loved the Night Of the Dark God though The French editions are generally excellent but I agree, the Red Nails one by BWS is far better than the French version. They are oversized compared to the US ones, weirdly they are in colour versions as well as a more expensive (even bigger format) B&W version - I haven't bought any of the noir volumes as they are about £10 more and also most seem to be hard to find now, as I think they are a more limited availability. They are up to volume 14, hopefully more to follow. I really hope others bring out more Conan books, as they are (I assume, public domain) and we can see many more interpretations of those great stories. If only I could be bothered to sit down and create my own version of Red Nails (just not going to happen unless I can feed it into an AI generative art program) ABlaze have been bringing out the Cimmerian tales from the French comics, all in a standard US comic size.
So happy to still have the copies I bought via mail-order in the early 70s! I have read each many times over the years. Nice review, Michael, and I hope you are feeling better.
Had various Treasury Editions growing up. I don't remember having any of the Conan one's. One I remember most was a Tomb of Dracula one. The only one's I still own is a Star Wars one (with dog teeth punctures) and 2001: A Space Odyssey. I think I have a black n white reprint of 'Red Nails' from a run of reprints in a magazine called Conan Saga. Not sure what issue it was but bought the magazine for the first 12 issues or so before deciding I could get 2 new comics rather than reprints for the cost at the time. Pretty sure in the early issues they made a point to reprint all the BWS Conan stuff.
There was an unofficial reprint of Red Nails done in B&W, quite early on by a dealer from Liverpool in the UK. It was done original art sized, which was possibly slightly larger than the treasuries. I didn't know it was unoficial, until I presented my copy to Barry Smith to sign, at a UK comic con. Barry had never seen it before, and I ended up giving him my copy.
@@snakeoilkassett9198 It was simply called Red Nails. The cover was just the first page of the story. It was produced by a UK comic dealer, Trevor Hughes, in the mid-seventies, who moved on to become more involved in the rock band Hawkwind fandom. I've not seen a copy since I gave mine to Barry Windsor Smith at the UK Comic Art Convention a few years later. I can't narrow down the year, but he shared a table with Dave Sim & Gerhard. I highly doubt that I could find a copy in the UK now, so if you're in the USA, I suspect it'll be pretty much impossible.
GO. TO. BED! Update: That was a little presumptuous of me! After I knew you were feeling better, I came back and watched the rest of this video. Aside from your obvious distress, it was another great one. I have and love the first of the Conan Treasury Editions, and after watching this I went looking for the others. I did not even know they existed! I was able to find 15 and 19, but am still looking for the other one. 15 and 19 are both awesome: the color treatment and the increased size really add to the wonder of these great stories. Thanks for talking them up! And I am glad you are feeling better.
Great video! Thanks for being a troop and charlie-miking (continuing mission). I never knew there more than the BWS edition. Thanks for putting those on my radar. Feel better soon.
I just discovered your channel and immediately subscribed. Just an excellent video! As a teen Conan reader in the Seventies I remember buying all of these at the general store. They were precious. Keep up the good work and get well.
ooOO giant comics, you have such wonderful treasures. Gil Kane's art was transformed by those artists inking, a very different look. Hope you feel better soon, helpful medicine thats makes you feel crappy is rotten.
I feel your pain. Slightly older than you (year or two), last year got my shingles vaccine, coincidentally the same time I contracted that C word that was going around. Didn't even get a sniffle from the C word, but the shingles vaccine took me out for a day. Getting old sucks!
Gil Kane illustrated a sword & sorcery paperback, called Blackmark, in which there were 14 pages drawn, uncredited, by Neal Adams. It was fun spotting the pages he did i believe it was later reprinted in larger formats.
When you said you were delirious I assumed you were delirious from the joy of reading them. Get well soon. I've got the Windsor-Smith version, and have had almost spiritual experiences from reading it slowly with a beer or two in my hand. Just the best.
Treasury editions were so awesome! The art really got to shine in those books! I've still got several from back in the day. An Avengers one, several Superman treasuries, and the big ole complete Star Wars book! And they're all worn out. Like you, I read those poor books to death. I miss the format! Feel better, Michael!
A little suffering now is infinitely better than contracting shingles in the future Michael, having seen both my father and aunt go through it. However, you certainly have my sympathy (you too Roger though I'm not sure how a mummy several thousand years old can have a reaction to a shot, or why he'd need the shot in the first place). I used to have nearly all the Marvel Treasury Editions but sold most except a couple of superhero ones and the Conan Treasuries. I consider these a prototype Artist's Edition format but without the huge cost. And I will never sell my Conan Treasuries. Early BWS art reminds me too of a Steranko/Kirby hybrid and this is very evident in his early superhero issues. But by the time he was working on Avengers, say #98-100, he had developed his own signature style. He was on Conan The Barbarian from #1 to 24 but #16 was a coloured reprint of "The Frost Giant's Daughter" from Savage Tales #1 and 17-18 were drawn by Gil Kane. Maybe this several months break was what BWS really needed because to me, his final issues from #19 to 24 are just amazing and he cranked it up to a whole new level. Conan's treatment of women has been a topic of debate for a long time and might be worth a video in your own inimitable style in the future Michael. If you can find it, I recommend Gil Kane's Blackmark, his creator-owned barbarian character which has been collected in a trade in the last ten or fifteen years. Alfredo Alcala is one of the best inkers for John Buscema in my view, even though many have accused Alcala of being too heavy-handed in his inks. Marie Severin: a deity among colourists, from the Golden Age and EC to the end of the Bronze Age. And she was a mighty fine artist and caricaturist too.
I'm fairly certain that I have some of those treasury editions stashed away somewhere. Your video has persuaded me to go look for them and read some of them. Thank you, Michael.
I've been reading as Roy and Barry improve their work, honestly there were some really silly moments in the early issues, and they're not totally gone, because it 70's Marvel, but I really enjoyed "Devil Wings over Shadizar" and "Beware the Wrath of Anu". I've just got to Rogue's in the House, the last issue in this 1st collection (all the library has unfortunately) which means I need to read Howard's original today, because it has to be my first exposure. Looking forward to both though, they did a good job with the God in the Bowl - what they added really worked well. This collection (by Dark Horse) is recoloured, which may be sacrilege to some but I personally think aids the art greatly.
Michael, feel better. Great video. I had most of these, especially the Conans, i think there were 4. The size made them unweildly and cumbersome, too big, but they did show that great Barry Smith artwork to true advantage. Smith’s art was unique and still unmatched, only Frazetta and Krenkel surpass him. Those big comics bring back some old memories. Cheers.
It may interest you to know that just before Star Wars (original) was released, the story was serialized in one of the Washington, DC daily newspapers. I was interested because of all the hype, and so I read it, waiting for the paper to come in for the next installment. However, it was when I heard that Alec Guinness was going to play Obi-Wan that I grabbed my sister and her boyfriend, (which should tell you about MY social life at the time!) and told them that we had to go see Star Wars. We stood outside through two showings to be able to get in. (I did not know that the fellow nerd I would marry went to see it in the theater multiple times.) Oh, I went back, I took my mother and my nieces (again, dead social life) and I think I went again with for some excuse to see it. My points,I read the story before the movie. Hardly anyone believes me.
Tetanus and shingles !!🤔 They look great, even better than the epic collections. Shame they're so hard to get. You really need to find the other two. Get well.
You should also devote a Wednesday episode to the old "Power Records". They were right up there with the Treasury and Famous First Editions for we children of the 70's.
I still have the first one. Never seen the 2nd anywhere. But there is also a regular sized version of Red Nails reprinted on nice slick paper. It's too bad the Treasury Editions used such cheap paper.
I hope you feel better soon, Michael. My doc says the same thing. Love the robes, although Roger should have his own and not be such a mooch. FYI, my son got shingles when he was nineteen and I had shingles when I was eight.
Yes Michael, bang on. Those editions are superb. Get well soon and sort out The Robert E Howard Show episodes in numerical order. I need some way to find them, it's driving me mad.
Stan gave the Conan gig to Barry because John Buscema's page rate was too steep. The cost of the rights hurt the bottom line. Once it became a smash hit then a higher page rate was allowed.
Sonja's chain mail bikini is sexy and all, but it couldn't be comfortable and provides no real protection in battle. I read REH's Rogues in the House last night. A lot of fans consider this one of the best Conan stories, but, while I don't think it's terrible anything, it's not my favorite. He just kills an ape, that's about it. More like something Tarzan would do.
Would not be surprised if the blood work shows you low on Vit D. Most people are if you live above the latitude of Atlanta Georgia. (From Oct to say April, even if you sre out in the sun all day). Are you taking statins like most? I have more vitamin recommendations if you are.
Conan the Librarian.
LOOOOOL
I would love to see that. Guaranteed no one would be misbehaving in that library.
Conan the Rastafarian.
@@QueenoftheBlackCoast You *can* see it - it's a small skit from Weird Al's 1989 movie UHF. The punishments for misbehaving are lethal!
Those issues are tremendous. The art looked great over-sized. I cherished those books as a kid.
I hope you feel better soon Mr Michael. Roger looks smashing today, very regal in his dressing-gown 😁
Barry is who got me further into comics in the middle of the 70's. I thought they were the best artistic version I'd ever seen. Started collecting the comics. Then after the movie came out some time later I read all the Robert e. Howard stuff. Which I thought with amazement outdid the comics and the film 🎥 ❤😂
Marvel introduced me to Conan back in the ‘70s. That led me to reading a few of the original stories (along with those DeCamp and Carter pastiches) but it never really took. I was more into superheroes and science fiction than barbarians and magic in those days. Then Cimmerian September came along and I’ve been reveling in my Del Rey editions. I still have all those old Marvel Treasuries, so now I’ve gotta dig them all out and revisit them. THANK you for getting me to re-examine the real Conan. After all these years, I’ve become a fan of Howard’s original work.
What a trooper, the show must go on!!!
Best Conan Artist/Inker combo for me: Buscema / Chan. Whenever those two worked together, it was just magical.
Once you got rolling, you seemed to warm to the subject. Howard is good medicine, but for persisting, YOU are the most savage barbarian of all. Great thanks.
Gil Kane was so sympatico with the genre, and he snuck in sword and sorcery elements whenever he could. I'd like to see your review of his creation Blackmark, a sword and science epic that appeared in 1971 as a mass-market paperback during a period when Kane was trying to break out of standard comics.
It was chopped up and rearranged to fit the magazine format for reprinting in Savage Sword and an issue of Marvel Preview, and in 2002, restored and printed in an oversize paperback that was true to the original layouts. The first printing, in the smaller size it was meant for, is the best in my opinion. You really get the sense that Kane was discovering a new way to do comics.
Matching embroidered robes…top-notch detail.😁
I absolutely love that Roger has on a matching robe! 😂😂😂
'Red Nails' is REH at his best, and the Marvel adaptation is the BWS at his best.
Feel better, Michael. Conan will slay those Shingles!
Great stuff. I have all 4 of the Conan Treasury Editions. Some of the best Conan in comics. Regarding lecherous Conan, remember he was only in his early 20s or so at that time. A walking hormone. By chance I just listened to that Howard story Dark Man on audio a few days ago while doing yard work. Really good one.
Love those Treasury editions (enjoyed them then and also now), been buying many of these over the last year. The large format really worked for those issues. I used to spread them out over the floor as well. Was always slightly disappointed with the 'Red Sonja' treasury as it features very little Red Sonja, wished they had released a Red Sonja Treasury with Frank Thorne's work. Loved the Night Of the Dark God though
The French editions are generally excellent but I agree, the Red Nails one by BWS is far better than the French version. They are oversized compared to the US ones, weirdly they are in colour versions as well as a more expensive (even bigger format) B&W version - I haven't bought any of the noir volumes as they are about £10 more and also most seem to be hard to find now, as I think they are a more limited availability. They are up to volume 14, hopefully more to follow. I really hope others bring out more Conan books, as they are (I assume, public domain) and we can see many more interpretations of those great stories. If only I could be bothered to sit down and create my own version of Red Nails (just not going to happen unless I can feed it into an AI generative art program)
ABlaze have been bringing out the Cimmerian tales from the French comics, all in a standard US comic size.
So happy to still have the copies I bought via mail-order in the early 70s! I have read each many times over the years. Nice review, Michael, and I hope you are feeling better.
Had various Treasury Editions growing up. I don't remember having any of the Conan one's. One I remember most was a Tomb of Dracula one.
The only one's I still own is a Star Wars one (with dog teeth punctures) and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
I think I have a black n white reprint of 'Red Nails' from a run of reprints in a magazine called Conan Saga. Not sure what issue it was but bought the magazine for the first 12 issues or so before deciding I could get 2 new comics rather than reprints for the cost at the time. Pretty sure in the early issues they made a point to reprint all the BWS Conan stuff.
There was an unofficial reprint of Red Nails done in B&W, quite early on by a dealer from Liverpool in the UK. It was done original art sized, which was possibly slightly larger than the treasuries. I didn't know it was unoficial, until I presented my copy to Barry Smith to sign, at a UK comic con. Barry had never seen it before, and I ended up giving him my copy.
Hi, you remember what is was called, where to try to get the bootleg? Thanks
@@snakeoilkassett9198 It was simply called Red Nails. The cover was just the first page of the story. It was produced by a UK comic dealer, Trevor Hughes, in the mid-seventies, who moved on to become more involved in the rock band Hawkwind fandom. I've not seen a copy since I gave mine to Barry Windsor Smith at the UK Comic Art Convention a few years later. I can't narrow down the year, but he shared a table with Dave Sim & Gerhard. I highly doubt that I could find a copy in the UK now, so if you're in the USA, I suspect it'll be pretty much impossible.
GO. TO. BED!
Update: That was a little presumptuous of me! After I knew you were feeling better, I came back and watched the rest of this video. Aside from your obvious distress, it was another great one. I have and love the first of the Conan Treasury Editions, and after watching this I went looking for the others. I did not even know they existed! I was able to find 15 and 19, but am still looking for the other one. 15 and 19 are both awesome: the color treatment and the increased size really add to the wonder of these great stories. Thanks for talking them up! And I am glad you are feeling better.
The #gotobed project
Great video! Thanks for being a troop and charlie-miking (continuing mission). I never knew there more than the BWS edition. Thanks for putting those on my radar. Feel better soon.
I just discovered your channel and immediately subscribed. Just an excellent video! As a teen Conan reader in the Seventies I remember buying all of these at the general store. They were precious. Keep up the good work and get well.
I remember seeing the BWS cover in comic book shops back in the day, but sadly never owned it. Thanks for sharing!
ooOO giant comics, you have such wonderful treasures. Gil Kane's art was transformed by those artists inking, a very different look.
Hope you feel better soon, helpful medicine thats makes you feel crappy is rotten.
I feel your pain. Slightly older than you (year or two), last year got my shingles vaccine, coincidentally the same time I contracted that C word that was going around. Didn't even get a sniffle from the C word, but the shingles vaccine took me out for a day. Getting old sucks!
Gil Kane illustrated a sword & sorcery paperback, called Blackmark, in which there were 14 pages drawn, uncredited, by Neal Adams. It was fun spotting the pages he did i believe it was later reprinted in larger formats.
Sorry you are not feeling well, Michael! Sending healing wishes your way.
Matching Stygian Priest Robes! By Crom!
When you said you were delirious I assumed you were delirious from the joy of reading them. Get well soon. I've got the Windsor-Smith version, and have had almost spiritual experiences from reading it slowly with a beer or two in my hand. Just the best.
You feel terrible, but you look good -- and that is what's important.
Ha! Thanks!
Get better my friend! Classic review, Barry Smith's Conan was second to Frank Frazetta! They were good times!
Man, those look like some incredible issues. Thanks for sharing, Michael, hope you feel better soon!
Get well soon Michael ..but poor Roger look like death 😮..poor guy needs some sun..
Treasury editions were so awesome! The art really got to shine in those books! I've still got several from back in the day. An Avengers one, several Superman treasuries, and the big ole complete Star Wars book! And they're all worn out. Like you, I read those poor books to death. I miss the format! Feel better, Michael!
A little suffering now is infinitely better than contracting shingles in the future Michael, having seen both my father and aunt go through it. However, you certainly have my sympathy (you too Roger though I'm not sure how a mummy several thousand years old can have a reaction to a shot, or why he'd need the shot in the first place).
I used to have nearly all the Marvel Treasury Editions but sold most except a couple of superhero ones and the Conan Treasuries. I consider these a prototype Artist's Edition format but without the huge cost. And I will never sell my Conan Treasuries.
Early BWS art reminds me too of a Steranko/Kirby hybrid and this is very evident in his early superhero issues. But by the time he was working on Avengers, say #98-100, he had developed his own signature style. He was on Conan The Barbarian from #1 to 24 but #16 was a coloured reprint of "The Frost Giant's Daughter" from Savage Tales #1 and 17-18 were drawn by Gil Kane. Maybe this several months break was what BWS really needed because to me, his final issues from #19 to 24 are just amazing and he cranked it up to a whole new level.
Conan's treatment of women has been a topic of debate for a long time and might be worth a video in your own inimitable style in the future Michael.
If you can find it, I recommend Gil Kane's Blackmark, his creator-owned barbarian character which has been collected in a trade in the last ten or fifteen years.
Alfredo Alcala is one of the best inkers for John Buscema in my view, even though many have accused Alcala of being too heavy-handed in his inks.
Marie Severin: a deity among colourists, from the Golden Age and EC to the end of the Bronze Age. And she was a mighty fine artist and caricaturist too.
I do have Blackmark around here somewhere. That deserves a video.
Awesome editions!
Feel better soon. My shingles vaccine knocked me out too.
I'm fairly certain that I have some of those treasury editions stashed away somewhere. Your video has persuaded me to go look for them and read some of them. Thank you, Michael.
I've been reading as Roy and Barry improve their work, honestly there were some really silly moments in the early issues, and they're not totally gone, because it 70's Marvel, but I really enjoyed "Devil Wings over Shadizar" and "Beware the Wrath of Anu". I've just got to Rogue's in the House, the last issue in this 1st collection (all the library has unfortunately) which means I need to read Howard's original today, because it has to be my first exposure. Looking forward to both though, they did a good job with the God in the Bowl - what they added really worked well.
This collection (by Dark Horse) is recoloured, which may be sacrilege to some but I personally think aids the art greatly.
Michael, feel better. Great video. I had most of these, especially the Conans, i think there were 4. The size made them unweildly and cumbersome, too big, but they did show that great Barry Smith artwork to true advantage. Smith’s art was unique and still unmatched, only Frazetta and Krenkel surpass him. Those big comics bring back some old memories. Cheers.
It may interest you to know that just before Star Wars (original) was released, the story was serialized in one of the Washington, DC daily newspapers. I was interested because of all the hype, and so I read it, waiting for the paper to come in for the next installment. However, it was when I heard that Alec Guinness was going to play Obi-Wan that I grabbed my sister and her boyfriend, (which should tell you about MY social life at the time!) and told them that we had to go see Star Wars. We stood outside through two showings to be able to get in. (I did not know that the fellow nerd I would marry went to see it in the theater multiple times.) Oh, I went back, I took my mother and my nieces (again, dead social life) and I think I went again with for some excuse to see it. My points,I read the story before the movie. Hardly anyone believes me.
Tetanus and shingles !!🤔 They look great, even better than the epic collections. Shame they're so hard to get. You really need to find the other two. Get well.
I remember those. They were awesome!😮😮😮
You should also devote a Wednesday episode to the old "Power Records". They were right up there with the Treasury and Famous First Editions for we children of the 70's.
Power Records! Yes!
I have the Star Wars Treasury somewhere. Love those Conan ones though. Hope you get to feeling better.
Hope you get feeling better soon! Peace.
I still have the first one. Never seen the 2nd anywhere. But there is also a regular sized version of Red Nails reprinted on nice slick paper. It's too bad the Treasury Editions used such cheap paper.
Shingles vaccine is the worst! Hope you feel better soon!
I hope you feel better soon, Michael. My doc says the same thing. Love the robes, although Roger should have his own and not be such a mooch.
FYI, my son got shingles when he was nineteen and I had shingles when I was eight.
Yes Michael, bang on. Those editions are superb. Get well soon and sort out The Robert E Howard Show episodes in numerical order. I need some way to find them, it's driving me mad.
I’ll get on it when I have some time, I promise.
Thank you, you're too kind. xx
@@michaelk.vaughan8617
Stan gave the Conan gig to Barry because John Buscema's page rate was too steep. The cost of the rights hurt the bottom line. Once it became a smash hit then a higher page rate was allowed.
Sonja's chain mail bikini is sexy and all, but it couldn't be comfortable and provides no real protection in battle.
I read REH's Rogues in the House last night. A lot of fans consider this one of the best Conan stories, but, while I don't think it's terrible anything, it's not my favorite. He just kills an ape, that's about it. More like something Tarzan would do.
Are you reading the new ‘Titan’ published comic books?
They are awesome!
You need soup..and some rest. I haven’t slept for long periods for ages… hope you recover from the shingles vax.
Would not be surprised if the blood work shows you low on Vit D. Most people are if you live above the latitude of Atlanta Georgia. (From Oct to say April, even if you sre out in the sun all day). Are you taking statins like most? I have more vitamin recommendations if you are.
I have slowly began to read original stories of Conan and am really like them and I am not a fantasy fan.
did conan ever come across Groo?
I hope so.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 me too
Now that Conan is in the public domain, it's entirely possible that that could happen. Is Sergio Aragonés still drawing?
@@lordzaboem something to look in to!
I remember buying those at the news stand. Did you ever aee the album with 4 stories? I also have the conan action figure.😊