CONAN THE BARBARIAN Vol. 1 No. 76, JULY 1977 “Swordless in Stygia”

CONAN THE BARBARIAN Vol. 1 No. 76, JULY 1977 “Swordless in Stygia”

Writer: Roy Thomas            
Artist: John Buscema          

Inker:             Ernie Chan                
Cover Artists: Gil Kane, Ernie Chan

Letters: John Costanza                   

Editor:            Roy Thomas 

Colorist: George Roussos

Cover Price: $.30 (Current Near Mint Price $6.00)

Cast:

Conan

Bêlit

Hor-Neb

Mer-Ath

Gods fall…

Conan is haplessly chasing Bêlit, who is being taken towards Harakht, Stygia: a city that is devoted to the Stygian hawk-god. He dons the headdress of a hawk rider and enters the city only to be discovered because he is wearing the wrong type of boots. Conan dispatches those who identify him as an intruder and carries on his search. On the other side of the city, Bêlit is being fought over by Hor-Neb and Mer-ath who are the rulers of Harakht. Soon, they are interrupted by a loud commotion outside caused by none other than our Cimmerian hero. Bêlit screams for Conan’s attention, but cannot be heard over Conan’s victim’s death thralls. Hor-Neb realizes Bêlit and this intruder must know each other, so he sends Bêlit to solitary confinement while his soldiers dispatch Conan.

Conan leaps and bounds through the city, wreaking havoc and killing Stygian heroes all in attempt to free Bêlit. Conan then uses his impressive strength to topple a large statue of the Stygian’s hawk god down upon a charging group of pursuers, the others flee at the sight of their god’s earthly form being desecrated.

During all of this commotion, Mer-Ath is blabbering on and on to a slave girl about a sacred rock that fell from the sky. His brother, Hor-Neb, has kept the rock from Mer-Ath- who doesn’t appreciate it. The slave girl pays no attention but nods her head and agrees with everything he says, like a slave girl is expected to do. Hor-Neb holds Bêlit hostage at blade’s edge and Conan agrees to surrender, so long as his lover is not harmed. When Conan is being escorted to a cell, he pulls away from the guards just long enough to make a quick escape down a water-less well. When he hits the bottom, there is a faintly glowing rock on an altar. He is drawn to it, and touches it- but is stopped by a gargantuan man that attacks him for touching the “Sacred Stone”.

Crom’s Verdict-

                                

I really enjoyed this one, because it offered a chase scene where Conan literally IMPRESSED people with his agility and ability to perform under pressure. The art was fantastic, and followed up by a strong story of love. The ultimate sacrifice of Conan, in the end, was a fantastic addition to the story and it had me sitting up in my bed screaming “NO! CONAN! She’s not worth it!” In attempt to shake him out of it (If I could, I would). Definitely worth your time.

Review By: Set’s Disciple