486 replies to this topic

[cromsguts]

Somebody should produce a "Barbie the Barbarian" figure. Just take a Barbie doll and strip her and dress her in furs and leather.

They did that back in the 70's. It's called Mego Conan. That hair---yikes!


Great collection Warduke!

I had that. Gave it to my kids to play with.
Regret not keeping it now.

[Patrice Louinet]

Nothing like a deep orange cover...

[Aza9]

Somebody should produce a "Barbie the Barbarian" figure. Just take a Barbie doll and strip her and dress her in furs and leather.

They did that back in the 70's. It's called Mego Conan. That hair---yikes!


Great collection Warduke!

GRRRRR!

[theagenes]

Nothing like a deep orange cover...

Beautiful! No spine fading at all.

[theagenes]

Somebody should produce a "Barbie the Barbarian" figure. Just take a Barbie doll and strip her and dress her in furs and leather.

They did that back in the 70's. It's called Mego Conan. That hair---yikes!


Great collection Warduke!

GRRRRR!

Awesome!

[doomflower]

Thank you to everyone who has shared their collections. It's interesting to see what treasures are around.

I don't have much, but here goes:

[Taran]

Picked this up two days ago:



Haven't been able to find one with the fold-out poster still included...until now!

[theagenes]

Very nice find Taran! And doomflower, great collection you have there!

[theagenes]

This one really has me hooked.

[Dan N.]

Here's my own collection, missing only #0 from the Dark Horse comics, which I loaned to a friend a few days ago. Shortly after taking this picture, I took A Means to Freedom back down to keep reading (you can see my bookmark!).

[theagenes]

Very nice Dan. Are you enjoying A Means to Freedom? I've been rereading some of the early letters in the exchange this past week as I'm starting to work on a Children of the Night/Worms of the Earth article.

[Dan N.]

I go back and forth on whether I can say I'm enjoying A Means to Freedom, though I do find the letters enormously fascinating and insightful. On the one hand, I truly enjoy reading two of my favorite writers talking about everything from Irish history, to local legends in New England and the Southwest, to their respective family histories. But I would like to read more about how they write. So far, at least, the most mention there has been of the actual craft of writing is them (usually Lovecraft) saying, "You could get a great weird story out of that."

The thing I'm most uncomfortable with is the discussion of race, such as when they're talking about immigrants ruining the country. I was particularly stung when Howard wrote that he would ban all immigrants who weren't "Britons...higher class Scandinavians and French." This comes a little after he praised the Germans for starting such orderly and prosperous towns, so I do take it with a grain of salt. Howard, of course, is the younger writer trying to go by what Lovecraft wrote to him, since he has such respect and admiration for Lovecraft. But I know I'm rehashing old arguments, and I know racism in these writings is a powderkeg topic, so I'll say no more on that.

In more practical terms, I'm sorry such a large part of Lovecraft's letters were lost, but I find what we have of these letters fascinating. I'm drawn in by some of the stories they tell each other, which are as interesting as the stories that appeared in publication. And although I find some of the pseudo-history a little boring from a modern perspective, it's also interesting to see them trying to piece together the history of different races from what they knew (and also more than a little wishful thinking and guesswork on their part). I'm impressed by the depth of their knowledge and detailed curiosity. I also have to admit that I get a little jealous, wishing that I could write and receive such long and interesting letters on such a variety of topics, instead of living in the vapid world of Twitter and Facebook. But then I remember they wrote about one or two letters a month to each other, and we're used to much briefer, quicker correspondence.

But I don't want to hijack the thread talking about one book (or two books, technically). I might post some more detailed thoughts about the letters later on. Either way, thanks for the heads up about the books on sale on eBay. They're the best purchase I've made in a while!

[theagenes]

I go back and forth on whether I can say I'm enjoying A Means to Freedom, though I do find the letters enormously fascinating and insightful. On the one hand, I truly enjoy reading two of my favorite writers talking about everything from Irish history, to local legends in New England and the Southwest, to their respective family histories. But I would like to read more about how they write. So far, at least, the most mention there has been of the actual craft of writing is them (usually Lovecraft) saying, "You could get a great weird story out of that."

The thing I'm most uncomfortable with is the discussion of race, such as when they're talking about immigrants ruining the country. I was particularly stung when Howard wrote that he would ban all immigrants who weren't "Britons...higher class Scandinavians and French." This comes a little after he praised the Germans for starting such orderly and prosperous towns, so I do take it with a grain of salt. Howard, of course, is the younger writer trying to go by what Lovecraft wrote to him, since he has such respect and admiration for Lovecraft. But I know I'm rehashing old arguments, and I know racism in these writings is a powderkeg topic, so I'll say no more on that.

In more practical terms, I'm sorry such a large part of Lovecraft's letters were lost, but I find what we have of these letters fascinating. I'm drawn in by some of the stories they tell each other, which are as interesting as the stories that appeared in publication. And although I find some of the pseudo-history a little boring from a modern perspective, it's also interesting to see them trying to piece together the history of different races from what they knew (and also more than a little wishful thinking and guesswork on their part). I'm impressed by the depth of their knowledge and detailed curiosity. I also have to admit that I get a little jealous, wishing that I could write and receive such long and interesting letters on such a variety of topics, instead of living in the vapid world of Twitter and Facebook. But then I remember they wrote about one or two letters a month to each other, and we're used to much briefer, quicker correspondence.

But I don't want to hijack the thread talking about one book (or two books, technically). I might post some more detailed thoughts about the letters later on. Either way, thanks for the heads up about the books on sale on eBay. They're the best purchase I've made in a while!

I think you are echoing how I felt the first time I read them---cringing at the racist comments, frustration at the missing HPL letters, etc. But what I love is seeing the bits of conversation that would turn into the germs of future stories. Its also interesting to so see how REH evolves from fanboy to confident equal in their interaction over the years. Sometimes the sausage-making isn't pretty, but it's intergral to a contextual understanding of his post-1930 work. I would love to hear your thoughts as you work through them, but as you say this isn't the place. Here's the appropriate thread:

http://www.conan.com...+means +freedom

Edit: In fact if there is mod reading this, maybe they can move these last couple of post over there.

Edited by theagenes, 13 May 2012 - 11:43 AM.

[cromsguts]

Patrice that copy looks like it just came out of the bindery! Amazingly good shape. The copy I had looked like someone ate lunch while reading it every day for a year. Your dust jacket is as close to perfect as I've ever seen.

Congrats.

[Patrice Louinet]

Patrice that copy looks like it just came out of the bindery! Amazingly good shape. The copy I had looked like someone ate lunch while reading it every day for a year. Your dust jacket is as close to perfect as I've ever seen.

Congrats.

It's a flawless copy indeed. Orange vs. sunlight is usually a lost battle; this copy was always stored in the dark.

[theagenes]

How cool is this? Cuentos de Abuelito no. 58 from 1953. One of the first Conan comic books and rare as hen's teeth.

[alfredbonnabel]

Wow Jeff, that really is a great find. Do we have any idea how many copies were ever produced?

[alfredbonnabel]

Got a couple of items for the collection in the mail today myself.

Coven13 - January 1970







The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction - August 1966

[theagenes]

Wow Jeff, that really is a great find. Do we have any idea how many copies were ever produced?

No idea, but they certainly don't turn up very often. Not a whole lot is known about these Mexican Conan comics from the 50's snd 60's but more and more info is beginning to come to light in recent years thanks to the internet.

And nice pick-ups, yourself, Alfred!

[alfredbonnabel]

Got another surprise in the mail today. My very first Weird Tales. Cover is a little rough but the interior is holding up well.