Conan (Marvel Comics)

Conan is a fictional character based on Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian. He was introduced to the comic book world in 1970 with Conan the Barbarian, written by Roy Thomas, illustrated by Barry Smith and published by Marvel Comics.

The highly successful Conan the Barbarian series spawned the more adult, black-and-white Savage Sword of Conan in 1974 (published as part of Marvel's line of black-and-white magazines). Written by Thomas with most art by John Buscema or Alfredo Alcala, Savage Sword of Conan soon became one of the most popular comic series of the 1970s and is now considered a cult classic.

The Marvel Conan stories were also adapted as a newspaper comic strip which appeared daily and Sunday from September 4, 1978, to April 12, 1981. Originally written by Thomas and illustrated by Buscema, the Conan Comic strip was continued by several different Marvel artists and writers.

Marvel ceased publishing all Conan titles in 2000. In 2003, Dark Horse Comics acquired the license to publish the character. In 2018, Marvel reacquired the rights and started new runs of both Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword of Conan in January/February 2019.

Core appearances
Marvel Comics' Conan's core appearances include:

Comic strip stories

 * 1) The Coming of Conan, Roy Thomas & John Buscema (September 4–9, 1978)
 * 2) The Wizard's Daughter, Roy Thomas & John Buscema (September 10 – October 21, 1978)
 * 3) Red Sonja, Roy Thomas, John Buscema & Ernie Chan (October 22 – December 24, 1978)
 * 4) The Slavers, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (December 25, 1978 – February 10, 1979)
 * 5) The Stolen City, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (February 11 – March 25, 1979)
 * 6) The People of the Cataclysm, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (March 26 – June 10, 1979)
 * 7) The Castle of Vincenzo, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (June 11 – August 26, 1979)
 * 8) The Rescue of King Sohram, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (August 26 – October 28, 1979)
 * 9) Bride of the Black Book, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (October 29 – December 22, 1979)
 * 10) Red Sonja and Thulsa Doom, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (December 23, 1979 – March 15, 1980)
 * 11) The Jewel of the Ages, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (March 16 – April 27, 1980)
 * 12) Treasure Ship, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (April 28 – June 22, 1980)
 * 13) Island Warrior, Roy Thomas & Ernie Chan (June 23 – August 27, 1980)
 * 14) The Plague Demon, Roy Thomas & Alfredo Alcala (August 28 – October 19, 1980)
 * 15) The Tower of the Elephant, Roy Thomas, Rudy Nebres, Pablo Marcos. & Alan Kupperberg (October 20, 1980  – January 3, 1981)
 * 16) Revenge of the Son of Yara the Wizard Priest, Roy Thomas, Doug Moench, Alan Kupperberg, Pablo Marcos, & Tom Yeates (January 4 – Apr 12, 1981)

Marvel graphic novels

 * The Witch Queen of Acheron (Marvel Graphic Novel [MGN] #19, 1985)
 * Conan the Reaver (MGN #28, 1987)
 * Conan of the Isles (MGN #42, 1988)
 * The Skull of Set (MGN #53, 1989)
 * The Horn of Azoth (MGN #59, 1990)
 * Conan the Rogue (MGN #69, 1991)
 * The Ravagers Out of Time (MGN #73, 1992)

Marvel Conan the Barbarian mini-series

 * Stalker of the Woods 3 issues 1997
 * The Usurper 3 issues 1997
 * Lord of the Spiders 3 issues 1997
 * River of Blood 3 issues 1998
 * Return of Styrm 3 issues 1998
 * Scarlet Sword 3 issues 1998-1999
 * Death Covered in Gold 3 issues 1999
 * Flame and the Fiend 3 issues 2000

Marvel Universe appearances in the modern day

 * What If (Volume 1) #13 Conan appears in the modern-day Marvel Comics universe and in short order adapts to it before returning to his own world.
 * What If (Volume 1) #39 What If Thor battled Conan The Barbarian?
 * What If (Volume 1) #43 In the sequel (and an alternative ending) to What If? #13, Conan leads a gang of thieves and fights Captain America, who offers him a possible membership with the Avengers.
 * What If (Volume 2) #16 What If Wolverine Battled Conan The Barbarian? Conan fights Wolverine (in his own time) and, eventually warped to the moon at the time of the demise of Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix, throws a rock at Cyclops' head, thereby inadvertently dooming this alternative reality.
 * Avengers Forever #12 (1998) (pg11, final panel "A Tide of Heroes Surges Forward") This was Kurt Busiek's first writing of Conan. The Conan in this comic (1 panel) was the same Conan as the one in What If? #43.
 * Excalibur #47 (1992) with Saturnyne (last two panels pg 16 – no textual reference)
 * Fantastic Four #405 fighting Ant-Man, Iron Man 2020, and Zarrko.
 * Incomplete Death's Head #11 where he appears in one panel.
 * Green Goblin #10 What appears to be a robot of Conan fights Green Goblin in Arcade's Murderworld.
 * ''Earth X #0 (one panel)
 * Paradise X: Heralds #1 What may be a reincarnated Conan (and Red Sonja) by Kulan Gath appears and is apparently killed by Hyperion before issue 2 begins.
 * Savage Avengers series where Conan will team-up with Wolverine, the Punisher, Venom, Elektra, and Brother Voodoo.

The following occur in the Hyborean age:
 * Dr. Strange #11 (volume 3, 1989) versus Varnae
 * Dr. Strange #26 (volume 3, 1991) (second story Legacy of the Wolf Part I, final page, 2nd panel) A figure that bears a striking resemblance to Conan, but no reference within the text to confirm.
 * Thor Corps #3 Conan appears with an astronaut.
 * Marvel Feature Presents #1 (flashback) and #6–7: Red Sonja crossover with Conan the Barbarian #66–68.

Note: At least some of these appearances (e.g. What If?, Avengers Forever, and Excalibur), if not all, were not of Conan from Earth-616.

Miscellaneous appearances

 * Conan the Barbarian Movie Special (1982), 2 issues
 * Conan the Destroyer Movie Special (1985), 2 issues
 * Marvel Age, issues 1, 2, 8 and 13
 * What The issues 5 and 23
 * Conan vs. Rune (1995)

Reprints

 * Conan the Barbarian (1978 to 1979), six paperback-sized books published by Ace Books/Tempo Star. Reprints issues 1–3 (vol. 1); 4–6 (vol. 2); 7–9 (vol. 3); 10–11 (vol. 4); 12 (first story), 13 and 16 (vol. 5); 12 (second story), 14–17 and 87 (second story) (vol. 6).
 * Conan the Barbarian – Special Edition (1983), Red Nails
 * Conan Saga (1987–1995), 97 issues
 * Conan Classic (1994–1995), 11 issues
 * Marvel Treasury Edition, issues 4, 15, 19 and 23
 * Marvel Super Special, issues 2, 9, 21 and 35
 * Essential Conan (2000), vol. 1 (reprints issues 1–25)

Collections later published by Dark Horse

 * The Chronicles of Conan Vol. 1–34
 * The Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1–22
 * The Chronicles of King Conan Vol. 1–11