Questions
Who created Conan the Barbarian?
Conan was created by writer Robert E. Howard, who lived from 1906 to 1936. He is one of the most famous heroes of the sword and sorcery genre.
When and where did Conan first appear?
Conan debuted in the December 1932 issue of the pulp magazine Weird Tales. His first published story was "The Phoenix on the Sword."
Where is Conan from?
Conan is a Cimmerian, a fictional people descended from the lost civilization of Atlantis. His stories are set in the mythical Hyborian Age, an imagined epoch between the fall of Atlantis and recorded history.
Was Conan really the first sword and sorcery hero?
No. Howard created Kull of Atlantis earlier, and he reportedly turned a rejected Kull story called "By This Axe I Rule!" from 1929 into the first Conan tale, "The Phoenix on the Sword."
What was Conan’s childhood like?
According to the stories, Conan was born on a battlefield and raised by his blacksmith father. By age 15 he had already taken part in the destruction of the Aquilonian fortress of Venarium.
How does Howard describe Conan’s personality?
Conan is full of contradictions, brutish yet intelligent and mercenary yet chivalrous. Howard famously described him as having "gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth."
How many Conan stories did Howard actually write?
Howard wrote 21 complete Conan stories between 1932 and 1936, with 17 of them published before his death in 1936.
Does Conan ever become a king?
Yes. In his forties Conan seizes the crown of Aquilonia, the most powerful kingdom of the Hyborian Age, reportedly strangling the previous ruler on the steps of his own throne.
Where does the name Cimmeria come from?
The name comes from Howard’s 1932 poem "Cimmeria," which echoes passages in Plutarch’s Lives. In the tales the Cimmerians are portrayed as ancestors of the Irish and Scottish Gaels.
Who kept writing Conan stories after Howard died?
Writers led by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter completed Howard’s unfinished manuscripts and wrote original pastiches. More than 50 novels and dozens of short stories by other authors have followed.
How did Conan become a comic book star?
Marvel Comics launched a Conan series in 1970 written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith, which greatly boosted the character’s popularity. A Conan newspaper strip also ran from September 4, 1978 to April 12, 1981.
Who painted those iconic Conan covers?
Frank Frazetta painted covers for eight Lancer and Ace paperback volumes. For many fans those paintings became the definitive image of Conan and his world.
What is the most famous Conan movie?
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1982 film "Conan the Barbarian," directed by John Milius, remains the most iconic screen version. A 1984 sequel, "Conan the Destroyer," followed.
Did anyone else play Conan on screen?
Yes. Jason Momoa starred in a 2011 remake, though it met poor critical reviews and box office results. An abandoned Conan film script was also eventually repurposed into the movie "Kull the Conqueror."
