101 replies to this topic

[Taranaich]

The biggest laugh is how pasty and pale the latext torso looks in comparison to the model. You'd think they'd at least dye it somewhat more like Momoa's skin tone.

... Why did I even think that.

[Taranaich]

Homemade costumes are better anyway. Here's my boy at Halloween a couple of years ago.

D'awww, the littlest barbarian!

[theagenes]

He hasn't killed any bulls with his bare hands yet, but he's still young.

[KG Thunder]

Homemade costumes are better anyway. Here's my boy at Halloween a couple of years ago.

What a badass! That's already way better than the official costume.

[Almuric]

I dunno, his muscles look kinda fake . . .

[theagenes]

I dunno, his muscles look kinda fake . . .

At least his hair is black and his eyes are blue.

[Skullface]

Nice mini Conan
We have not done that yet...lots of superhero outfits...maybe if I show me youngest this picture...?!

[amster]

Whoever is behind this outfit should throw themself on that fake sword until they die.
Just one more black eye for REH fans...
If I see anyone with that crap outfit ....I will make them cry.

I'm a little surprised by the level of indignation shown on this subject (but not really). Hear you nothing that I say? Do I really have to remind everyone that this is a Halloween costume, and that its supposed to be about having fun? Obviously it wasn't designed with the REH purist in mind, it wasn't designed to be used in either a film or a theatrical adaptation or REH's works, nor was it designed to be worn at Howard Days. If you feel that strongly about dressing as an authentic Conan and nothing less for Halloween, then go ahead. Shell out a few hundred dollars for a high quality men's long haired wig, and a few hundred more for authentic and historically accurate clothing, weapons, and armor. I can even point you to some sites if you'd like. But good luck explaining why you were willing to shell out such exorbitate amounts of cash for one day of the year that for the majority of people is really just about partying and having a good time. Who knows? Maybe you'll win "best costume" at your local bar and win back some of your investment. In the meantime, if you do happen to run into someone sporting this cheap Conan costume, you may just want to consider cutting him some slack rather than "making them cry". He may just turn out to be a genuine fan, though obviously not to the same extent that you are. It ain't that serious. Its just a Halloween costume. You know? Halloween? Hello? Anybody?

I would offer some of you the same advice that gave to myself: try going back and figuring out why you became a Conan fan in the first place. Was it really about getting angry at Halloowen costumes that aren't "authentic" enough?

Oh, and theagenes: great costume!!!!

Edited by amsterdamaged, 28 May 2011 - 07:17 PM.

[Officer Aggro]

You raise a good point, amster. I just want to say that I think most people here realize that yes, it is just a cheap Halloween costume meant for fun, but it's also fun to laugh at (especially those padded muscles!) and make jokes. Making fun of such things in the company of fellow Conan fans on an internet forum is pretty harmless, and I doubt anyone here would act the same way to a stranger offline. At least I hope they wouldn't! So I don't think everyone needs to be reminded...

[amster]

You raise a good point, amster. I just want to say that I think most people here realize that yes, it is just a cheap Halloween costume meant for fun, but it's also fun to laugh at (especially those padded muscles!) and make jokes. Making fun of such things in the company of fellow Conan fans on an internet forum is pretty harmless, and I doubt anyone here would act the same way to a stranger offline. At least I hope they wouldn't! So I don't think everyone needs to be reminded...

Glad to hear you say that. I guess it was the "slap in the face to REH fans" that made me think "Whoa! Let's try to have a little perspective here". Obviously it was never the intention of the costume designers to offer up a slap in the face to REH fans. Dare I say that the designers probably have never even read REH, nor were given advance copies of the film for that matter. They were probably just given a few photographs of Momoa in costume to work from. But I think this whole costume thing perfectly illustrates a broader point that many among us are loath to acknowlwdge: that Conan, like Tarzan, James Bond, Frakenstein, Dracula, Batman, Superman, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and arguably even Frodo Baggins and Harry Potter, has completely eclipsed his creator in terms of popularity. Personally, I hope to see a few people running around in cheesy Conan the Barbarian costumes this Halloween, because it will be a signal to me that the character is once again climbing to the level of popularity he enjoyed back in the 70s and 80s, and the more visibility he has in the public consiousness will inevitably lead more people to the original REH stories.

Edited by amsterdamaged, 28 May 2011 - 09:27 PM.

[Officer Aggro]

Glad to hear you say that. I guess it was the "slap in the face to REH fans" that made me think "Whoa! Let's try to have a little perspective here". Obviously it was never the intention of the costume designers to offer up a slap in the face to REH fans. Dare I say that the designers probably have never even read REH, nor were given advance copies of the film for that matter. They were probably just given a few photographs of Momoa in costume to work from. But I think this whole costume thing perfectly illustrates a broader point that many among us are loath to acknowlwdge: that Conan, like Tarzan, James Bond, Frakenstein, Dracula, Batman, Superman, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and arguably even Frodo Baggins and Harry Potter, has completely eclipsed his creator in terms of popularity. Personally, I hope to see a few people running around in cheesy Conan the Barbarian costumes this Halloween, because it will be a signal to me that the character is once again climbing to the level of popularity he enjoyed back in the 70s and 80s, and the more visibility he has in the public consiousness will inevitably lead more people to the original REH stories.

It's the way you said it in your last post (or the way I read it) that made me think you were casting the whole lot of us as angry fans. Hence my above post where I was stating, "Hey, some of us are just having some fun with the topic." But yeah, I gotcha. I agree that it's not the intention of anyone involved with the character of Conan to slap REH fans in the face. Any attention is good attention, I suppose. I wouldn't mind seeing some cheesy Cimmerians roaming the streets in October either hehe.

Edited by Officer Aggro, 28 May 2011 - 10:28 PM.

[JainkhulTamhair]

I've read enough pages of defending the unacceptable on this forum.

(How could some find Conan the Adventurer cartoon -better - than the 1982 movie?)

When will this theacher's pet type of reaction cease?

If this Halloween costume is such a great deal for the money, those who find it decent should buy it with the appropriate XXXL belt, or order a custom tailored version.

It's an insult to the Conan franchise.

[Dave the Rage]

I'mn with Amster on this one, we seem to getting out of the spirit of what Conan was for at the beginning, to entertain the masses in a pulp magazine. He is surely going to entertain people this halloween in this fake outfit, and I will there to get my cheap crap copy to run about stabbing and pillaging my local area in my corny outfit, all 220 lbs of me at 6ft 2" and swinging my plastic sword in a drunken barbaric rage.....BY CROM!

[Taranaich]

(How could some find Conan the Adventurer cartoon -better - than the 1982 movie?)

With surprising ease.

[Seamvs]

(How could some find Conan the Adventurer cartoon -better - than the 1982 movie?)

With surprising ease.

Oh great, any respect I had for you; right out the window!

[theagenes]

(How could some find Conan the Adventurer cartoon -better - than the 1982 movie?)

With surprising ease.

Oh great, any respect I had for you; right out the window!

I'll back Al on this one. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it really does have more elements from REH stories than either of the Arnold movies or the live-action TV show.

[Seamvs]

So, because it had more Howardian elements than the Milius film it was better? That may work in theory, but not in practice. I can put together a play with more Howard elements that was seen thus far and believe me it would suck.

To me it just disgraces Howard even more; to add Howardian elements to a crap project. While the Milius film may not have had the REH Conan we all wanted it was a well written and directed film.

Now, I know that Taranaich was just being glib and as thus I gave a glib response but to take this any further seems ridiculous. Truly, I have much respect for Taranaich.

[JainkhulTamhair]

Tell me which elements are the most Howardian in the Conan cartoon:

- a glittering feisty blabbering phoenix, who acts cowardly

- a slimy bigheaded anthropoid cobra

- Conan not killing any human foe, he only punches them

- Conan being an ignorant savage, spending his time making dumb mistakes and acting like a ten year old kid

- Conan's family being cast into stone by King Hiss, err, what's his name again?

- Conan has a sword made out of star metal, which lends to it some magical properties. Deprived of his only weapon, Conan is pretty much useless.

- Conan's main goal in life is to free mom and pop and to eradicate serpent men into another dimension

[amster]

Tell me which elements are the most Howardian in the Conan cartoon:

- a glittering feisty blabbering phoenix, who acts cowardly

- a slimy bigheaded anthropoid cobra

- Conan not killing any human foe, he only punches them

- Conan being an ignorant savage, spending his time making dumb mistakes and acting like a ten year old kid

- Conan's family being cast into stone by King Hiss, err, what's his name again?

- Conan has a sword made out of star metal, which lends to it some magical properties. Deprived of his only weapon, Conan is pretty much useless.

- Conan's main goal in life is to free mom and pop and to eradicate serpent men into another dimension

Sooo....what do you guys think of the Conan Halloween costume?

[Axerules]

Sooo....what do you guys think of the Conan Halloween costume?

Thanks for getting them back on track. The thread on the animated series is here: http://www.conan.com...ch=1