REDACTED (The Barbarian)
On Saturday I was forced to sit still all day, which is always dangerous. I find that time goes at about half the normal speed when I don't feel well, which is obviously bad because it prolongs the misery, but as one turns the corner toward recovery it can open up the door in my head to the feeling of days sick off school when one could mainline strangely adult Australian soap operas like The Sullivans or Sons And Daughters, tapping a primal creativity. Into this rich, primordial soup was poured the new knowledge that Conan The Barbarian is out of copyright in Europe.
Now I don't know how my Conan crossover comic would work. The simple answer, perhaps, is that it wouldn't work. Mostly because my knowledge of the "Cimmerian" is limited to watching the 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger film version fairly recently, a film that I enjoyed a great deal.
Now, I'm no lover of research, but you can really tell when I've done some, so I reckon if I read one of these barbarous novels, I could deliver on every level. It probably wouldn't be satisfying to anyone who likes Conan, or indeed my comics, with each part of the crossover cancelling the strengths of the other. But the landscapes of the Hyborian age are a lot easier to draw than the infernal metropolitan locales of my recent works. You can't imagine the artist's paradise of a background of "just some rocks and some sky" or "just a cave" or "just a bit of scrubland and some bones". That makes me think that I could be tempted.
No no, I won't be tempted. I'm not that foolish. Or am I? I shouldn't be allowed to make decisions with a headache. I might have accidentally reverse engineered Groo The Wanderer.
NOTE: The final picture of the five at the top is Conan vs Chloe Noonan, as I told Marc Ellerby that he needs to get on this too. Such is my professionalism that I even coloured that one in.
Comments (25)
Conan Noonan?
(I assume that Conan would find Fallow moderately worthy of respect, and Shelley would mostly have to be persuaded to stop drooling.)
I find it very touching that people still care about Fallon Young, a character who hasn't done anything of note in more than 15 years.
I recall Fallon Young briefly falling into conflict with ninjas who emerged from a portal to medieval Japan - I think it was in Tim's back garden - and Tim himself did invent that time teapot, and for that matter the Ministry of History might overshoot on some missions, so the idea of a trip to the Hyborean Age, or a visit from Conan, really shouldn't be out of the question for some of the Tackleford crowd.
Conan is no stranger to crossovers, having recently appeared in Marvel's Savage Avengers. He also was in a comic with Groo a few years back. If Conan did appear in one of your comics, I could see him fitting in with the Steeple cast. He and Rev Penrose could bond over fighting monsters, although Penrose might have to stop Conan from going after Magus Tom. Destroy History might work as well, maybe one of Shelley's missions takes her back to Hyborian Age
At the very least, next Halloween: Shelley Barbarian Queen.
Is Conan coming out of copyright the reason that Ablaze began their Conan interpretations that were more true to the original Howard stories? Also, I'm pretty sure that "Crom" is just how you say "Cheese Dip" in Cimmerian.
Yes - they're sold as Conan in Europe and "The CImmerian" I think in the US?
Shelley as the barbarian queen ABSOLUTELY MADE MY DAY
Hm, could this be the opportunity to reintroduce Zebus, Warrior Child?
imagine Arnie pronouncing “Mordawwa”
It's barbarians time? HOORAY!!!!
If Conan is taken, how about "The Trigan Empire" ? That used to be in 'Look and Learn' comics section when I was a lad.
Many will fall ere Trigo falls out of copyright!
This brings to mind "Paul Warrior"—Lottie's Ideal Dream Man as drawn by Mildred.
I'm sure the epic conflict between Mr. Warrior and Michael Harbottle could make for a dynamic series if your other wells ever run dry.
GURPS Conan. All the research, done for you already. 22 pounds in your country. https://www.amazon.co.uk/GURPS-Conan-Curtis-M-SCOTT/dp/155634953X/ I will send you a gift card to cover the purchase. DOOOOOOOO IT.
Seriously, just tell me the email to send the gift card to.
If there's one hallmark of Groo comics, it's that the backgrounds are "easy to draw" and "just some rocks."
John, you cannot show us Barbarian Queen Shelley and then say "naah" and walk away. You simply cannot.
As it happens, I have The Complete Chronicles of Conan, collecting every published Conan story written by Howard, on the bookshelf next to my computer table and it's just under 1000 pages. And it's almost entirely short stories. :-)
Marius do you trust me to do right by the Cimmerian warrior?
I heard Marvel is losing the (American) Conan license, clearly the new licensor needs to look no further for their new Conan direction!
I don't think there will be a licensor - I think the estate of Robert E Howard are going to do it themselves as the clock runs out. US copyright begins to expire in 2028 and will have completely lapsed by 2032. I had a lot of time on my hands yesterday!
Don't know where I expected this to go, but I wasn't expecting Groo!