Post by lordyam on Nov 27, 2021 17:01:31 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of both Marvel and Dark Horse's runs on Conan but also feel both have flaws. And as much as I like the works of Robert E Howard certain stories have NOT aged well in regards to portrayal of women or people of color. As such I will be trying to combine the two but also (on occasion) changing some plot elements both to get around the more unsalvageable elements while also having a more coherent plot line (For instance one BIG change I will make is that Epimitreus is the guy who defeated Xaltotun, and Acheron was destroyed 1500 years before the start of the story; it's more coherent and it cleans things up.)
So without further ado let's dig in
Series 1 - Conan the Barbarian
Issue 0: Conan the Legend
Issues 1-7: Hyperborea/Frost Giant's daughter: Sjarl and Einar's betrayal gets everyone captured, and most of the captives are enslaved to work to death. However, Vammatar (the witch Queen of Hyperborea) takes an interest in Conan and keeps him as a stud (and yes this is clearly shown to be rape). From his position he sees the horrors of the Hyperborean civilization (Old Gorm is sacrificed to Zernabog). However her enslaved handmaiden Iasmini befriends Conan, helping him cope with his situation. Eventually Iasmini helps Conan try to rescue his friends.....and he finds to late that most of them are dead, saving only a few. He sees Niord's body on the rack, lasting just long enough to see him expire (though he is glad to know that Conan did not in fact betray them). Unfortunately they're caught and Iasmini is killed when she's hit by an arrow shot. Conan and the survivors narrowly escape, with Conan heading down south to get revenge on Sjarl and Einar. He does so, but finds it still empty. He heads further south to Nemedia. We also get an image of Janissa in action as she protects Kalanthes
Issue 8: Born on the Battlefield Part 1
Issues 9-14: Opens up with Brave Thieves of Bertinus, leads into God in the Bowl. After that we get the Hanumar Road Arc. There are some changes from DH canon; firstly Hanumar is in north Nemedia. Secondly Janissa was not in Bertinus (since that would require teleportation a la Game of Thrones to pull off). Third, she doesn’t immediately reveal her past to Conan. Conan can still tell that in many ways she’s just a slave and can’t help but pity her. Janissa angrily reveals how she knocked Conan out as per the Bone Woman’s instructions. Fourth, the final battle is given a bit more explanation. Conan places Janissa’s Ibis feather around his neck, and it stays on even as the beast starts to absorb him into it’s body. In addition Conan’s sword has been blessed with Ibisite magic (as has Janissa). This explains how Conan was able to survive being absorbed long enough to mercy kill Davo. The Bone Woman makes her offer as per the original, but Conan sees through the lure and rejects her (much to the Bone Woman’s surprise and anger).
Issue 15: Born on the Battlefield Part 2
Issues 16-22: It starts out with Horror on Uskath Hill, but Issue 17 is a new story entirely. Instead Conan by chance saves a Zamoran Court Page and they become friends. The Page helps Conan learn the local tongue and also increases his ability to read. The page gets murdered and Conan avenges him in a manner most gory. Issues 18-20 are the Tower of the Elephant Adaptation, allowing Conan to immediately proceed to that story. Issues 21-22 are the story where he meets Osshur and the Crown of Tiamat respectively.
Issue 23: Born on the Battlefield Part 3
Issues 24-30: This also hews close to the Dark Horse run. Conan nails Surna’s teenage trophy wife and saves Ineri; he earns Nestor’s ire and gets run out of town without his gold. He and Nestor team up and have the Halls of the Dead Arc, and then we get the two part finale that sees Conan steal the potions, reunite with Nestor, and then head to Corinthia.
Issue 31: Born on the Battlefield Part 4
Issues 32-37: The Rogues in the house arc, albeit with some changes. Firstly, Conan doesn’t get slammed into a mirror. Secondly
Issue 38: Born on the Battlefield Part 5
Issues 39-43: Yaralet Arc (basically Dark Horse, with the original double sized finale being divided into two issues).
Issue 44: Born on the Battlefield Part 6
Issues 45-50: Cimmeria arc, with Issue 50 as a double sized finale.
Notes Born on the Battlefield Plays out a little differently. The Aquilonians initially come under seeming good intentions. The Cimmerians however are rather wary and so don't trust them. They send a spying mission in disguised as traders, and Conan is one. He ends up sleeping with Arianne, here the daughter of the Fort's Commander. They learn the plans, quickly escape, and mobilize. The Cimmerians crush the Aquilonians and Conan manages to ensure that Arianne and her father are spared.....though he and Arianne part under VERY VERY bad terms.
Series 2 - Conan the Cimmerian
Issue 0: Conan reflects on his life up to this point as he he journeys East.
Issues 51-57: Conan gets captured in Agraphur and is given the option of death or enlistment. Conan chooses enlistment. He rushes through basic training (making enemies with Sergius) but then Vammatar declares war on Turan, unleashing her army of zombies on Turan's borders. What follows is a desperate war against Hyperborea, culminating in a do or die secret mission to Vammatar's capital to assassinate her. Conan is dispatched due to his personal history with Vammatar and the fact he’s been in the Aerie. Conan meets Janissa again when she’s also assigned to take out Vammatar. It's touch and go but Conan, Janissa and a small band succeed in taking Vammatar down (with Conan avenging Iasmini and his friends in the process), causing her army of zombies to collapse into dust; Janissa also takes Vammatar’s books for her mistress the Bone Woman. Because both sides are drained (King Tomar ascends to the throne of Hyperborea in the chaos, and the Turanian army has also suffered casualties and rather not get bogged down in Hyperborean winter) a peace treaty is concluded that result in some concessions being gained. Conan's star is able to rise because of this, and he and the survivors of the raid become sworn brothers due to the bond they forged in the heat of the raid.
Issues 58-64: Conan’s star in the Turanian army slowly begins to rise, but than his commander (a decent if pompous sort) is killed in battle and the guy replacing him (General Reshit) is for lack of a better word a complete ***hole. Conan reaches his breaking point when Reshit slaughters the city of Razadan after having promised mercy if they surrendered. Conan murders Reshit, and is slated for death before his friends discretely free him before they all go awol.
Issues 65-71: Conan and his crew manage to find shelter among the Hyrkanian tribesmen; they earn respect quickly, and things are pretty good. Janissa shows up however, and ropes the tribe into helping her in a raid by playing on the fact that she’s the long lost niece of the chief Conan’s currently serving. Conan is still wary of Janissa, but there is some trust left over from Hyperborea and Janissa even opens up about the full details of her past (she was a Hyrkanian whose tribe was massacred; she survived because the Bone Woman saved her). Things go pear shaped since it turns out Janissa just wanted them as a distraction. This leads to the Tribe getting routed. Conan angrily confronts Janissa, revealing how the Bone Woman offered her up to him on a platter back in Hanumar. Janissa flees, but is badly shaken. When she meets the Bone Woman again, the Bone Woman notices that she feels guilt for betraying Conan and in the process of berating her accidentally confirms Conan’s story. Janissa finally realizes that Conan was right all along about the Bone Woman and kills her in a rage and grief, fighting her way out of the fortress.
Issues 72-73: While crossing Brythunia he arrives in the village where Sjarl and Einar were buried. Turns out that because they were buried in the earth their souls continue to haunt the area as revanants, which damages trade. Conan is forced to help a Mitran priest exorcize the spirits (since this is kinda his fault) and heads West.
Issues 74-75: Conan arrives in Argos, befriending a soldier and his lady. Things go pear shaped and Conan is arrested as an accomplice. He’s offered a chance to snitch on them, but refuses and kills the judge, promptly taking his leave
Issues 76-78: Largely an adaptation of the Brian Wood version; unlike most of the adaptation it actually holds up pretty well. Conan does kill the guy who murdered Tito though as in Marvel.
Issues 79-82: Conan and Belit go on a pirate adventure, tangling with Thuthmekri. It’s established that Belit DOES have genuinely good qualities (she frees slaves and returns them to the Black Kingdoms)
Issues 83-89: Conan meets Kalanthes again, and agrees to help him in a mission into the depths of the Well of Skelos to retrieve a dangerous artifact. Between Thoth’s agent and a vicious toad monster things get hairy. They pull it off, and Kalanthes places Ibis blessing on them to protect them from Thoth’s retaliatory strikes. So Thoth Amon sics the Stygian Fleet on the Tigress (he can’t go after them with magic, but he sure as hell can make their lives miserable.) This prompts Conan and Belit to burn the Stygian fleet in the harbor
Issues 90-92: The Death Arc. This was the only story that Wood did on his own that wasn’t complete garbage and had a lot of potential (though some bits would be ironed out)
Issues 93-96: Abombi sack. Conan and Belit are in a rough spot, when they discover that a tribe that Belit has allied with has been slaughtered by the nearby Abombi settlement. Conan and Belit go to get revenge but Conan suffers with doubts by just how much he felt he failed Belit. The raid forces Conan to face his fears and he does so by saving Belit and defeating one of the twin kings. His brother ****s himself in terror and flees and Conan and Belit reconcile.
Issues 97-98: Two part story. Belit tells Conan her origins, how her father was dethroned in a Stygian back coup, how N’Gora raised her, how she got revenge only to realize that the throne wasn’t what she wanted. It’s somewhat lighter but this only sets things up for the inevitable finale
Issues 99-100: Death on the Black Coast. Issue 100 is Double sized as per every 50 issue. Conan buries N’Gora and Belit’s causing her soldier’s deaths is more due to the malign influence. Conan flees sadly into the jungle at the end of the issue
Vale would be released as a short three issue miniseries in between the runs.
Series 4 - Conan the Avenger
Issues 101-106: Conan among the Bamula; Vale of Lost Women gets included but the Bamula themselves are more fleshed out. It's made very clear that Conan is grieving Belit's death and in a major "**** it all" state of being. Helping Livia helps him snap back somewhat, but also costs him his position amongst the Bamula and forces him to flee.
Issues 107-112: Basically DH snout in the dark adaptation. Artwork aside it was damn near perfect (though the poor guy who gets burned in the original actually lives. The Demon arrives and fingers Meru just as the stake is about to be lit). Diana's backstory is that her father made a play for power and lost, forcing him and Diana to flee the country.
Issues 113-118: Conan and the Bastards have made their way north and manage to integrate themselves into Amalric's Mercenary army - considered the best of it's kind. This leads into the Black Colossus adaptation, which is again largely like the DH version. Conan's initial reticence is due to the fact that it's his first time in command of an entire army. He's commanded small units before but never a whole army.
Issues 119-120: Breather issues. We cover Conan and Yasmela's relationship. It starts out strong (they both love the sex) but it declines fairly quickly, partially because Conan is still mourning Belit, but also because he and Yasmela are two VERY different people. Diana and Abit become closer (Since I rather liked the relationship the two had in the actual comic).
121-126: Like in the DH run this is told largely through flashbacks. Conan is drowning in shame (and the fact he's trying desperately to survive in a cruddy swamp isn't helping things either.) Conan and Yasmela fall out of love, as was bound to happen eventually. The dashing prince Julion showing up doesn't help. Conan calls in his favor with Princess Ereshka in order to spring Khossus out (notably Ineri and Ereshka are in a full blown lesbian relationship here). Ineri warns Conan that he will be facing a crisis point that will either make or break him. The rescue causes Khossus to sue for peace, and Conan takes his leave with the free companions. Diana and Abit however stay behind (Diana is visibly pregnant by this point with Abit's child.) We also get the fall of the Free Companions thanks to Sergius being a jackass and snitching on them (Afreet is captured and Matak is murdered). This leads into a sequence where Conan is honestly at the edge of breaking, haunted by every one of his failures. However Afreet and Belit appear to him, and give him the words he needs to face his fear. Afreet makes a bow appear and Conan uses it to wreck havoc on Amurath's soldiers before enacting a messy revenge on the sadistic Amurath.
Issues 127-130: Iron Shadows. Plays out similarly to the Dark Horse version.
Issues 131-133: Conan has established himself amongst the Red Brotherhood, but Olivia is still haunted by what happened in Akif. So Conan decides to cheer her up by sacking the hell out of the place. Conan comes up with an ambitious plan to use the Illbars River to lead a massive pirate fleet up the River and use it to sack Akif during a festival. The plan works and the pirates make off with a hefty amount of plunder. Conan realizes that he considers the Red Brotherhood too strict, but Olivia has a taste for the Pirate's life and so decides to stick around. She and Conan part amicably.
Issues 134-137: Conan arrives in the Oasis of Akrel, meeting Valerius and Taramis (might replace Kerim Shah). Janissa manipulates Conan into attacking the tower and clearing out the monks, and Conan is of course still royally pissed off at her for when she got that Hyrkanian tribe wiped out and now for using him again. Janissa claims she's turned over a new leaf but Conan is skeptical, believing she's still a servant to the Bone Woman. They fight....and the fight is interrupted when it's revealed that the Flame has gone out. "Sanna" reveals that she is merely the Bone Woman; she survived the attempt to kill her, but it took her a few years to recover. This forces a desperate alliance in order stop the Bone Woman from carrying out her master plan......controlling the Great Old One Nazu and using him to ravage the world of man. A few changes that stick out. Firstly, the Bone Woman reveals that she had managed to fake her death using an illusion at the last second. She also spitefully reveals that SHE was the one who caused the massacre of Janissa's tribe. Ultimately Conan and the others are able to activate the chime and destroy Nazu. Janissa is able to use this to decapitate the Bone Woman.....for real this time.
She and Conan finally make peace, with Conan accepting that Janissa is trying to make amends for what she's done.
Issues 138-140: Prelude to AWSBB. Conan becomes friends with Taramis (Their relationship is strictly professional); we also meet a young Khaurani servant named Khajara. Khajara's a sweet idealistic girl who's got an overly naive view of the world.....yeah she isn't going to last long. We also meet Constantius the Falcon, and see him conferring with a partner in the shadows
Issues 141-146: AWSBB adaptation. Again, weird art aside Dark Horse hit it out of the park storywise. With Khajara we also see her amongst the girls being sold off to Turan. This sets up a future arc for her.
Issue 147: This is an unusual issue in that it focuses on the aftermath. Taramis has a LOT of ptsd that Valerius has to help her through. Conan appears but not as much. We also catch up with Khajara and learn that the poor girl's gone through hell; she hears the rumors of Taramis and Salome but is so broken she doesn't believe it. She decides she isn't going to be one of the weak and decides to become the strong.
Issues 148-150 (150 being a Double Sized issue). Conan encounters a Kozaki chieftain, and the two decide that they'll settle things in a single duel to the death, with the winner getting the other's army. The other guy tries to cheat but Conan is able to turn the tables on him and wins. Khajara meanwhile secretly works to get revenge on her hated master. She exposes his treason to Yezdigerd and parleys this into a position in Yezdigerds Seraglio.
Series 4: Conan the Slayer
Issues 151-157: Issues 1-5 are the Devil in Iron (Dark Horse actually did a good job for the most part) and the only real change is that Conan doesn't kiss Octavia into submission. He says he'll show himself worthy of her (and it's also clear she's somewhat attracted to him). Issues 6-7 cover the sacking of Kharwezeim (Octavia kills Ghanzavi as revenge.) We also get to see a bit more about Khajara as she navigates the treacherous politics of the Seraglio and become closer to Yezdigerd. Yezdigerd shows a human side; Khajara is initially reluctant to sleep with him because she still remembers her previous master (who like Amurath raped his servants), flinching at his touch. Yezidgerd is surprisingly understanding when she explains and they end up talking.
Issues 158-164: Yezdigerd dispatches his elite agent Fassir of Shusan aka the Red Eagle to take Conan down. Fassir tries to lure Conan into a confrontation by holding villages aligned with the Kozaki hostage. As all of this is going on Khajara and Yezdigerd grow closer and closer to the point that some of the other wives start to notice. Conan turns the tables on Fassir and defeats him, sending Yezdigerd his head. Khajara, having interacted with Conan a few times, suggests using an agent to destroy the Horde from within. The next issues follow Kerim Shah as he infiltrates the horde, framing one of Conan's subordinates for treachery and working his way into the inner circle.
Issues 165-168: Kerim Shah keeps manipulating Conan as Khajara's star continues to grow in the court. Eventually Khajara's chief rival makes a move against her; Khajara heads it off and then brutally takes her rival down in a power play. She dances and than asks for a gift. Yezdigerd grants it.....and Khajara asks for her rival's head on a plate. Shortly after this Kerim Shah manipulates Conan in his hubris into attacking Agraphur itself. He even manages to persuade Olivia to help him carry out the attack. Things go wrong and most of the horde is annihilated, with Conan and a few others getting captured and thrown in the cells for a very public execution. Khajara is rewarded by being made Yezdigerd's head wife.
Issues 169-172: Janissa hears about how Conan has been captured and is slated for execution, so she masterminds a cunning plan to break Conan out. She and her warriors have to infiltrate Agraphur and save Conan before he and his fellows are executed at the climax of a religious festival. Janissa manages to save Conan and his followers, who all disperse. Conan heads further east, into Ghulistan while Janissa goes back to her crusade.
Issue 173-174: Conan falls in with the Afghulis, proving his worth as a fighter and managing to become the new leader.
Issues 175-180: People of the Black Circle Adaptation. Largely plays out like Howard's tale, though Conan is a little more reluctant to work with Kerim after the trap in the previous arc. Conan defeats the Master of the Black Circle and saves Yasmina. They part amicably.
Issues 181: Conan realizes that his position amongst the Afghulis is untenable following the events of People of the Black Circle (since the chieftains you know DIED) and so Conan gets overthrown. He kills his usurper but realizes he's lost any chance of regaining his followers and so decides to high tail it out of there
So without further ado let's dig in
Series 1 - Conan the Barbarian
Issue 0: Conan the Legend
Issues 1-7: Hyperborea/Frost Giant's daughter: Sjarl and Einar's betrayal gets everyone captured, and most of the captives are enslaved to work to death. However, Vammatar (the witch Queen of Hyperborea) takes an interest in Conan and keeps him as a stud (and yes this is clearly shown to be rape). From his position he sees the horrors of the Hyperborean civilization (Old Gorm is sacrificed to Zernabog). However her enslaved handmaiden Iasmini befriends Conan, helping him cope with his situation. Eventually Iasmini helps Conan try to rescue his friends.....and he finds to late that most of them are dead, saving only a few. He sees Niord's body on the rack, lasting just long enough to see him expire (though he is glad to know that Conan did not in fact betray them). Unfortunately they're caught and Iasmini is killed when she's hit by an arrow shot. Conan and the survivors narrowly escape, with Conan heading down south to get revenge on Sjarl and Einar. He does so, but finds it still empty. He heads further south to Nemedia. We also get an image of Janissa in action as she protects Kalanthes
Issue 8: Born on the Battlefield Part 1
Issues 9-14: Opens up with Brave Thieves of Bertinus, leads into God in the Bowl. After that we get the Hanumar Road Arc. There are some changes from DH canon; firstly Hanumar is in north Nemedia. Secondly Janissa was not in Bertinus (since that would require teleportation a la Game of Thrones to pull off). Third, she doesn’t immediately reveal her past to Conan. Conan can still tell that in many ways she’s just a slave and can’t help but pity her. Janissa angrily reveals how she knocked Conan out as per the Bone Woman’s instructions. Fourth, the final battle is given a bit more explanation. Conan places Janissa’s Ibis feather around his neck, and it stays on even as the beast starts to absorb him into it’s body. In addition Conan’s sword has been blessed with Ibisite magic (as has Janissa). This explains how Conan was able to survive being absorbed long enough to mercy kill Davo. The Bone Woman makes her offer as per the original, but Conan sees through the lure and rejects her (much to the Bone Woman’s surprise and anger).
Issue 15: Born on the Battlefield Part 2
Issues 16-22: It starts out with Horror on Uskath Hill, but Issue 17 is a new story entirely. Instead Conan by chance saves a Zamoran Court Page and they become friends. The Page helps Conan learn the local tongue and also increases his ability to read. The page gets murdered and Conan avenges him in a manner most gory. Issues 18-20 are the Tower of the Elephant Adaptation, allowing Conan to immediately proceed to that story. Issues 21-22 are the story where he meets Osshur and the Crown of Tiamat respectively.
Issue 23: Born on the Battlefield Part 3
Issues 24-30: This also hews close to the Dark Horse run. Conan nails Surna’s teenage trophy wife and saves Ineri; he earns Nestor’s ire and gets run out of town without his gold. He and Nestor team up and have the Halls of the Dead Arc, and then we get the two part finale that sees Conan steal the potions, reunite with Nestor, and then head to Corinthia.
Issue 31: Born on the Battlefield Part 4
Issues 32-37: The Rogues in the house arc, albeit with some changes. Firstly, Conan doesn’t get slammed into a mirror. Secondly
Issue 38: Born on the Battlefield Part 5
Issues 39-43: Yaralet Arc (basically Dark Horse, with the original double sized finale being divided into two issues).
Issue 44: Born on the Battlefield Part 6
Issues 45-50: Cimmeria arc, with Issue 50 as a double sized finale.
Notes Born on the Battlefield Plays out a little differently. The Aquilonians initially come under seeming good intentions. The Cimmerians however are rather wary and so don't trust them. They send a spying mission in disguised as traders, and Conan is one. He ends up sleeping with Arianne, here the daughter of the Fort's Commander. They learn the plans, quickly escape, and mobilize. The Cimmerians crush the Aquilonians and Conan manages to ensure that Arianne and her father are spared.....though he and Arianne part under VERY VERY bad terms.
Series 2 - Conan the Cimmerian
Issue 0: Conan reflects on his life up to this point as he he journeys East.
Issues 51-57: Conan gets captured in Agraphur and is given the option of death or enlistment. Conan chooses enlistment. He rushes through basic training (making enemies with Sergius) but then Vammatar declares war on Turan, unleashing her army of zombies on Turan's borders. What follows is a desperate war against Hyperborea, culminating in a do or die secret mission to Vammatar's capital to assassinate her. Conan is dispatched due to his personal history with Vammatar and the fact he’s been in the Aerie. Conan meets Janissa again when she’s also assigned to take out Vammatar. It's touch and go but Conan, Janissa and a small band succeed in taking Vammatar down (with Conan avenging Iasmini and his friends in the process), causing her army of zombies to collapse into dust; Janissa also takes Vammatar’s books for her mistress the Bone Woman. Because both sides are drained (King Tomar ascends to the throne of Hyperborea in the chaos, and the Turanian army has also suffered casualties and rather not get bogged down in Hyperborean winter) a peace treaty is concluded that result in some concessions being gained. Conan's star is able to rise because of this, and he and the survivors of the raid become sworn brothers due to the bond they forged in the heat of the raid.
Issues 58-64: Conan’s star in the Turanian army slowly begins to rise, but than his commander (a decent if pompous sort) is killed in battle and the guy replacing him (General Reshit) is for lack of a better word a complete ***hole. Conan reaches his breaking point when Reshit slaughters the city of Razadan after having promised mercy if they surrendered. Conan murders Reshit, and is slated for death before his friends discretely free him before they all go awol.
Issues 65-71: Conan and his crew manage to find shelter among the Hyrkanian tribesmen; they earn respect quickly, and things are pretty good. Janissa shows up however, and ropes the tribe into helping her in a raid by playing on the fact that she’s the long lost niece of the chief Conan’s currently serving. Conan is still wary of Janissa, but there is some trust left over from Hyperborea and Janissa even opens up about the full details of her past (she was a Hyrkanian whose tribe was massacred; she survived because the Bone Woman saved her). Things go pear shaped since it turns out Janissa just wanted them as a distraction. This leads to the Tribe getting routed. Conan angrily confronts Janissa, revealing how the Bone Woman offered her up to him on a platter back in Hanumar. Janissa flees, but is badly shaken. When she meets the Bone Woman again, the Bone Woman notices that she feels guilt for betraying Conan and in the process of berating her accidentally confirms Conan’s story. Janissa finally realizes that Conan was right all along about the Bone Woman and kills her in a rage and grief, fighting her way out of the fortress.
Issues 72-73: While crossing Brythunia he arrives in the village where Sjarl and Einar were buried. Turns out that because they were buried in the earth their souls continue to haunt the area as revanants, which damages trade. Conan is forced to help a Mitran priest exorcize the spirits (since this is kinda his fault) and heads West.
Issues 74-75: Conan arrives in Argos, befriending a soldier and his lady. Things go pear shaped and Conan is arrested as an accomplice. He’s offered a chance to snitch on them, but refuses and kills the judge, promptly taking his leave
Issues 76-78: Largely an adaptation of the Brian Wood version; unlike most of the adaptation it actually holds up pretty well. Conan does kill the guy who murdered Tito though as in Marvel.
Issues 79-82: Conan and Belit go on a pirate adventure, tangling with Thuthmekri. It’s established that Belit DOES have genuinely good qualities (she frees slaves and returns them to the Black Kingdoms)
Issues 83-89: Conan meets Kalanthes again, and agrees to help him in a mission into the depths of the Well of Skelos to retrieve a dangerous artifact. Between Thoth’s agent and a vicious toad monster things get hairy. They pull it off, and Kalanthes places Ibis blessing on them to protect them from Thoth’s retaliatory strikes. So Thoth Amon sics the Stygian Fleet on the Tigress (he can’t go after them with magic, but he sure as hell can make their lives miserable.) This prompts Conan and Belit to burn the Stygian fleet in the harbor
Issues 90-92: The Death Arc. This was the only story that Wood did on his own that wasn’t complete garbage and had a lot of potential (though some bits would be ironed out)
Issues 93-96: Abombi sack. Conan and Belit are in a rough spot, when they discover that a tribe that Belit has allied with has been slaughtered by the nearby Abombi settlement. Conan and Belit go to get revenge but Conan suffers with doubts by just how much he felt he failed Belit. The raid forces Conan to face his fears and he does so by saving Belit and defeating one of the twin kings. His brother ****s himself in terror and flees and Conan and Belit reconcile.
Issues 97-98: Two part story. Belit tells Conan her origins, how her father was dethroned in a Stygian back coup, how N’Gora raised her, how she got revenge only to realize that the throne wasn’t what she wanted. It’s somewhat lighter but this only sets things up for the inevitable finale
Issues 99-100: Death on the Black Coast. Issue 100 is Double sized as per every 50 issue. Conan buries N’Gora and Belit’s causing her soldier’s deaths is more due to the malign influence. Conan flees sadly into the jungle at the end of the issue
Vale would be released as a short three issue miniseries in between the runs.
Series 4 - Conan the Avenger
Issues 101-106: Conan among the Bamula; Vale of Lost Women gets included but the Bamula themselves are more fleshed out. It's made very clear that Conan is grieving Belit's death and in a major "**** it all" state of being. Helping Livia helps him snap back somewhat, but also costs him his position amongst the Bamula and forces him to flee.
Issues 107-112: Basically DH snout in the dark adaptation. Artwork aside it was damn near perfect (though the poor guy who gets burned in the original actually lives. The Demon arrives and fingers Meru just as the stake is about to be lit). Diana's backstory is that her father made a play for power and lost, forcing him and Diana to flee the country.
Issues 113-118: Conan and the Bastards have made their way north and manage to integrate themselves into Amalric's Mercenary army - considered the best of it's kind. This leads into the Black Colossus adaptation, which is again largely like the DH version. Conan's initial reticence is due to the fact that it's his first time in command of an entire army. He's commanded small units before but never a whole army.
Issues 119-120: Breather issues. We cover Conan and Yasmela's relationship. It starts out strong (they both love the sex) but it declines fairly quickly, partially because Conan is still mourning Belit, but also because he and Yasmela are two VERY different people. Diana and Abit become closer (Since I rather liked the relationship the two had in the actual comic).
121-126: Like in the DH run this is told largely through flashbacks. Conan is drowning in shame (and the fact he's trying desperately to survive in a cruddy swamp isn't helping things either.) Conan and Yasmela fall out of love, as was bound to happen eventually. The dashing prince Julion showing up doesn't help. Conan calls in his favor with Princess Ereshka in order to spring Khossus out (notably Ineri and Ereshka are in a full blown lesbian relationship here). Ineri warns Conan that he will be facing a crisis point that will either make or break him. The rescue causes Khossus to sue for peace, and Conan takes his leave with the free companions. Diana and Abit however stay behind (Diana is visibly pregnant by this point with Abit's child.) We also get the fall of the Free Companions thanks to Sergius being a jackass and snitching on them (Afreet is captured and Matak is murdered). This leads into a sequence where Conan is honestly at the edge of breaking, haunted by every one of his failures. However Afreet and Belit appear to him, and give him the words he needs to face his fear. Afreet makes a bow appear and Conan uses it to wreck havoc on Amurath's soldiers before enacting a messy revenge on the sadistic Amurath.
Issues 127-130: Iron Shadows. Plays out similarly to the Dark Horse version.
Issues 131-133: Conan has established himself amongst the Red Brotherhood, but Olivia is still haunted by what happened in Akif. So Conan decides to cheer her up by sacking the hell out of the place. Conan comes up with an ambitious plan to use the Illbars River to lead a massive pirate fleet up the River and use it to sack Akif during a festival. The plan works and the pirates make off with a hefty amount of plunder. Conan realizes that he considers the Red Brotherhood too strict, but Olivia has a taste for the Pirate's life and so decides to stick around. She and Conan part amicably.
Issues 134-137: Conan arrives in the Oasis of Akrel, meeting Valerius and Taramis (might replace Kerim Shah). Janissa manipulates Conan into attacking the tower and clearing out the monks, and Conan is of course still royally pissed off at her for when she got that Hyrkanian tribe wiped out and now for using him again. Janissa claims she's turned over a new leaf but Conan is skeptical, believing she's still a servant to the Bone Woman. They fight....and the fight is interrupted when it's revealed that the Flame has gone out. "Sanna" reveals that she is merely the Bone Woman; she survived the attempt to kill her, but it took her a few years to recover. This forces a desperate alliance in order stop the Bone Woman from carrying out her master plan......controlling the Great Old One Nazu and using him to ravage the world of man. A few changes that stick out. Firstly, the Bone Woman reveals that she had managed to fake her death using an illusion at the last second. She also spitefully reveals that SHE was the one who caused the massacre of Janissa's tribe. Ultimately Conan and the others are able to activate the chime and destroy Nazu. Janissa is able to use this to decapitate the Bone Woman.....for real this time.
She and Conan finally make peace, with Conan accepting that Janissa is trying to make amends for what she's done.
Issues 138-140: Prelude to AWSBB. Conan becomes friends with Taramis (Their relationship is strictly professional); we also meet a young Khaurani servant named Khajara. Khajara's a sweet idealistic girl who's got an overly naive view of the world.....yeah she isn't going to last long. We also meet Constantius the Falcon, and see him conferring with a partner in the shadows
Issues 141-146: AWSBB adaptation. Again, weird art aside Dark Horse hit it out of the park storywise. With Khajara we also see her amongst the girls being sold off to Turan. This sets up a future arc for her.
Issue 147: This is an unusual issue in that it focuses on the aftermath. Taramis has a LOT of ptsd that Valerius has to help her through. Conan appears but not as much. We also catch up with Khajara and learn that the poor girl's gone through hell; she hears the rumors of Taramis and Salome but is so broken she doesn't believe it. She decides she isn't going to be one of the weak and decides to become the strong.
Issues 148-150 (150 being a Double Sized issue). Conan encounters a Kozaki chieftain, and the two decide that they'll settle things in a single duel to the death, with the winner getting the other's army. The other guy tries to cheat but Conan is able to turn the tables on him and wins. Khajara meanwhile secretly works to get revenge on her hated master. She exposes his treason to Yezdigerd and parleys this into a position in Yezdigerds Seraglio.
Series 4: Conan the Slayer
Issues 151-157: Issues 1-5 are the Devil in Iron (Dark Horse actually did a good job for the most part) and the only real change is that Conan doesn't kiss Octavia into submission. He says he'll show himself worthy of her (and it's also clear she's somewhat attracted to him). Issues 6-7 cover the sacking of Kharwezeim (Octavia kills Ghanzavi as revenge.) We also get to see a bit more about Khajara as she navigates the treacherous politics of the Seraglio and become closer to Yezdigerd. Yezdigerd shows a human side; Khajara is initially reluctant to sleep with him because she still remembers her previous master (who like Amurath raped his servants), flinching at his touch. Yezidgerd is surprisingly understanding when she explains and they end up talking.
Issues 158-164: Yezdigerd dispatches his elite agent Fassir of Shusan aka the Red Eagle to take Conan down. Fassir tries to lure Conan into a confrontation by holding villages aligned with the Kozaki hostage. As all of this is going on Khajara and Yezdigerd grow closer and closer to the point that some of the other wives start to notice. Conan turns the tables on Fassir and defeats him, sending Yezdigerd his head. Khajara, having interacted with Conan a few times, suggests using an agent to destroy the Horde from within. The next issues follow Kerim Shah as he infiltrates the horde, framing one of Conan's subordinates for treachery and working his way into the inner circle.
Issues 165-168: Kerim Shah keeps manipulating Conan as Khajara's star continues to grow in the court. Eventually Khajara's chief rival makes a move against her; Khajara heads it off and then brutally takes her rival down in a power play. She dances and than asks for a gift. Yezdigerd grants it.....and Khajara asks for her rival's head on a plate. Shortly after this Kerim Shah manipulates Conan in his hubris into attacking Agraphur itself. He even manages to persuade Olivia to help him carry out the attack. Things go wrong and most of the horde is annihilated, with Conan and a few others getting captured and thrown in the cells for a very public execution. Khajara is rewarded by being made Yezdigerd's head wife.
Issues 169-172: Janissa hears about how Conan has been captured and is slated for execution, so she masterminds a cunning plan to break Conan out. She and her warriors have to infiltrate Agraphur and save Conan before he and his fellows are executed at the climax of a religious festival. Janissa manages to save Conan and his followers, who all disperse. Conan heads further east, into Ghulistan while Janissa goes back to her crusade.
Issue 173-174: Conan falls in with the Afghulis, proving his worth as a fighter and managing to become the new leader.
Issues 175-180: People of the Black Circle Adaptation. Largely plays out like Howard's tale, though Conan is a little more reluctant to work with Kerim after the trap in the previous arc. Conan defeats the Master of the Black Circle and saves Yasmina. They part amicably.
Issues 181: Conan realizes that his position amongst the Afghulis is untenable following the events of People of the Black Circle (since the chieftains you know DIED) and so Conan gets overthrown. He kills his usurper but realizes he's lost any chance of regaining his followers and so decides to high tail it out of there
