Conan and Age of Conan Blog and Fan Site

There have not been any Age of Conan Community Lore Library updates since May. In the ever growing world of AoC and the rich pool of resources available in the world of Conan fiction is there nothing more to be added to the lore of the realms? Although the frequency of updates to this library was slow at best and came mostly in spurts it is a great resource for new players interested in the history of AoC up to this point (or at least up to the 9th of May). If you read through it you might even learn something you didn’t already know about the places and people of the Hyborian Age.

Will the Age of Conan game content actually become a part of the Conan lore? There are already short fiction stories being written about adventures in the game. Will Conan, Inc allow it? Letting the people who enjoy the creation of Robert E. Howard control the path of the Hyborian Age might inject more interest in Conan and fresh talent should always be welcome. It remains to be seen if everything will need the stamp of approval from Conan, Inc. Time will tell.

I decided to hold off on discussing the first official issue of Conan the Cimmerian until I had more of a story to work with. In these 2 issues the reader is introduced to Connacht, Conan’s grandfather, through the mysterious hermit. The hermit assists Conan by frightening away some Vanaheim raiders seeking revenge for the carnage Conan delivered to their kin in Conan the Cimmerian #0.

In Issue #1 (”Hunter’s Moon”) the hermit begins the tale of how Connacht saved 2 children from a gruesome death at the hands of the marsh folk by being bound and tossed into the depths of the marshes.

In Issue #2 (”Mark of the Wolf”) the hermit continues the story of Connacht with the discovery of the grizzly remains of Connacht’s horse. Forced to travel by foot the trio come upon a farm and Connacht attempts to make the children look hard working and useful in hopes the farmer will take them in. When night comes the farmer’s daughter and one of the children go missing…

The story so far is good. I’m not thrilled about the art used in the tale about Connacht. I’m wondering if it was intentionally drawn this way. Many of the characters seem to be distorted or caricatures and the creatures are, in a word, terrible. I’ll admit to not being an art critique but I would like to hear from someone else. Is it just me or is that art really just that bad?

My Dad is currently in the hospital suffering from congestive heart failure and kidney failure. This is taking a huge toll on them financially. My mother is an author and has written two books. “The Little Old Lady Next Door” and “An Awfully Lonely Place“. The first was nominated for a literary award in Virginia the second was publish earlier this year. Both are very good. If you, your spouse, family or friends enjoy a good book please consider buying one and helping them out or, at least, let others know about them. The Amazon links are referral links and all proceeds from any sales (even if it isn’t one of moms books) will go directly to them. Thanks for your help.

Border Kingdom has some great original art centering around Conan. Blog author Zack put out a call for some Conan related artwork and soon discovered there were some very talented artists ready to answer that call. The contributions range from established artists like Staz Johnson to relative unknowns but each image is a snap shot from REH stories. Although Zack hasn’t had a lot of time to post some of the newer drawings he has received it is worth taking a look at the Gallery.

If you are a Robert E. Howard purist you must run to your local comic shop and see if they still have this issue. Writer Timothy Truman based the story around the poem “Cimmeria” which Howard wrote in February 1932. Artist Tomás Giorello and colorist José Villarrubia create a fantastic visual tale of Conan returning to Cimmeria and encountering a group of Vanaheim raiders. Priced at only $0.99 it is an inexpensive introduction to the world of Conan comics.

Finally. This movie has been a long time coming. It will be a must see for me. I would love to get my hands on the script (legally, I will sign an NDA!). I’d even be happy with a press kit (how do you go about getting those, anyway?). Mike Kane’s review of the script is short but to the point:

“…Conan: Crown of Iron will be enjoyed by more than just Conan Fans. With a twisting plot and tremendous battle scenes, with sneaky assassins and bloody battle-axes, this film will definitely entertain…”

I’ve come across fictional stories based around the Age of Conan realms written by Michael Lafferty. He has written 7 stories so far and the few I’ve read are nicely done. The images used in the shorts are shots from the game and appear to be selected with care to match the story. Interestingly, they could have quest spoilers in them so use caution when reading (or go read up and discover something useful for your next adventure).

Being a reader of the existing Conan series currently being published by Dark Horse Comics I was delighted to see what looks like a new series being produced: Age of Conan Hyborian Adventure. You can find a PDF of the premiere issue in Age of Conan Newsletter #11.

“By his forty-fifth summer, brawn and cunning had gained Conan of Cimmeria the throne of Aquilonia, jewel of the dreaming west…”

Thus begins the tale of King Conan. The art is typical of Dark Horse Comics’ other Conan series and as usual the story (stories in this case) are well written. I’ll not spoil them for you as both tales are good reads. I especially enjoyed the second tale, as everyone should know, before Conan the Barbarian became Conan the King he was a helpful thief.