CONAN THE VICTORIOUS (PART 1)

The story beginning here today marks a historical point in the ongoing saga of Conan the Barbarian. Authored by Björn Nyberg and L. Sprague de Camp, it is the first original Conan tale written as a pastiche, that was not based on any of Robert E. Howard's stories, notes, outlines or rough drafts.

Fantastic Universe Science Fiction, Sept. 1957.

Original acrylic on board painting by Virgil Finlay.

First published in FANTASTIC UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION September 1957 as "Conan the Victorious", it would again be used the same year in chapters 2-5 of the novel, "The Return of Conan" for the Gnome Press edition. When Conan was revived and revitalized eleven years later in 1968, it was included in the Lancer paperback, "Conan the Avenger".

Frazetta's reworked painting for Conan the Avenger (aka Sacrifice).

While entertaining, the absence of the verve and dynamism that was the bedrock of Howard's Conan is lacking. But then again, there was only one Robert E. Howard.

Continued tomorrow.

VIRGIL FINLAY ART FOLIO

I hold Virgil Finlay's art in very high regard. His imaginative, ethereal illustrations and stunningly meticulous technique is rarely matched.

While his work spanned numerous genres in many different books and magazines, along with Lee Brown Coye and Margaret Brundage, I find his contributions WEIRD TALES to be among his finest.

This fanzine, published about two years after Finlay's death by Trek Publications of Texas showcases fine examples from across his subjects. Hard to see from this scan is the slick paper wrap-around cover and the interior pages printed on heavy card stock.

See more about Virgil Finlay HERE.