Ernie Chan really brings it in this issue, featuring everyone's favorite Cimmerian taking on a really disgusting monster:
The story opens with said disgusting monster breaking up out of the ground of a small village, and grabbing an unsuspecting villager.
The victim's screams are heard throughout the town, even to the people inside a nearby tavern, which include Conan and a guy who has a lot of guts:
The victim's screams are heard throughout the town, even to the people inside a nearby tavern, which include Conan and a guy who has a lot of guts:
I just love the idea of this guy, hurling one insult after the other at Conan, it makes me laugh. Luckily for him, the fight is stopped before it starts by a squirrely-looking thief who is on the run from some local authorities.
Conan of course gets drawn into the fight (it doesn't take much), and ends up in chains along with his thieving pal Trollo:
Conan of course gets drawn into the fight (it doesn't take much), and ends up in chains along with his thieving pal Trollo:
With the help of a young kid, Conan and Trollo escape, and once again fight the authorities. After getting away from them (but not after spilling some blood), they try and figure out a way out of the city.
But that's when they see this:
But that's when they see this:
...this is another moment that makes me laugh: the creature just sort of slithering by, sort of minding its own business. This is the kind of crazy stuff that takes place in Conan's world.
Figuring its a way to escape the city and the authorities, Conan and Trollo climb down the giant hole the beast climbed into, leading into a series of tunnels. But they discover something they didn't expect: a cult of hooded men about to sacrifice a woman to the creature!:
Figuring its a way to escape the city and the authorities, Conan and Trollo climb down the giant hole the beast climbed into, leading into a series of tunnels. But they discover something they didn't expect: a cult of hooded men about to sacrifice a woman to the creature!:
Just as the girl's about to be pushed off the plank, Conan, ever the gentleman, swings by, cutting one of the beast's limbs off and grabbing the girl.
The hooded men swarm, leaving Conan and the girl trapped:
The hooded men swarm, leaving Conan and the girl trapped:
Conan makes his way through the crowd (with the inadvertent help of the creature, since it grabs some of them itself), and tries to find a way out. The girl, brainwashed, refuses to come along, leading Conan to lightly tap her into unconsciousness. Dames, by Crom!
The creature, now on a rampage since its a little hungry, lets it rip, as does Ernie Chan:
As the creature tears up the town, Conan escapes on horseback. Later, the girl comes to, thanking Conan for rescuing her. Even better, he managed to grab some gold from the monster's lair. Conan and the girl hop back on their horse, and head south.
A very fun story by Chuck Dixon, with a great, oogly monster. Ernie Chan really did a fine job here; the monster is just so ridiculous and ugly its a perfect Conan foe.
In addition to this story, there's a Conan pin-up by Dave Simons, and a back-up story titled "Uprising!":
The creature, now on a rampage since its a little hungry, lets it rip, as does Ernie Chan:
(click to embiggen)
As the creature tears up the town, Conan escapes on horseback. Later, the girl comes to, thanking Conan for rescuing her. Even better, he managed to grab some gold from the monster's lair. Conan and the girl hop back on their horse, and head south.
A very fun story by Chuck Dixon, with a great, oogly monster. Ernie Chan really did a fine job here; the monster is just so ridiculous and ugly its a perfect Conan foe.
In addition to this story, there's a Conan pin-up by Dave Simons, and a back-up story titled "Uprising!":
A fairly gory story, its not bad, but nothing to write home about.
The issue wraps up with another Conan pin-up. With all this (not to mention the spiffy Earl Norem cover), you've got one fine issue of Savage Sword of Conan!
The issue wraps up with another Conan pin-up. With all this (not to mention the spiffy Earl Norem cover), you've got one fine issue of Savage Sword of Conan!
2 comments:
Ha! I just read this one last week. I was complaining to Chuck Dixon that I'd only read a couple of his issues back in the day, so he sent me a few I missed! This was the first one I grabbed to read.
You're right - Chan really rocks the tentacles and slime with this issue and Chuck's script is a lot of fun.
Yeah, Ernie really brought it with this issue!
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