107 replies to this topic

[TheFreebooter]

There is news of an upcoming Thoth-Amon mini series coming from Dark Horse comics.

here is a link

http://darkhorse.com...conan/index.php

[SonOfCimmeria]

How neat is that folks! A mini-series based on Conan's arch-nemisis Thoth Amon. A unique idea. I myself would buy this as a sister book to the new Conan series, just think we would ( maybe ) see the beginings or development of this character and what brought him to where he is today. Now why didn't anyone else think of doing this awhile back? Darkhorse continues to keep me excited over the rebirth of Conan and his world!

"Make Mine DarkHorse!"

[Strom]

Crom & Mitra! A fully fleshed out Thoth - without the headgear! I'm making the call - this will rock! In the tradition of Marvel:

"If you only read one mini-series this year... make this the one!"

[Primeval]

"That arc will also introduce new characters - probably to the initial chagrin of the most devout Howard aficionados, but we hope you'll all come to it with an open mind."

That line has me a bit concerned, but I will wait and see what they do with it. So far so good, so I will trust that the series will continue to be excellent.

[Bri]

"That arc will also introduce new characters - probably to the initial chagrin of the most devout Howard aficionados, but we hope you'll all come to it with an open mind."

That line has me a bit concerned, but I will wait and see what they do with it. So far so good, so I will trust that the series will continue to be excellent.

I say let 'em have their fun with all the mini-series'. If it's too far away from REH, I'll just did ignore it like I do most of the non-Thomas stuff from Marvel. As long as Dark Horse keep their current REH-friendly attitude with the regular Conan series, I'll be happy.

-Bri

[Ironhand]

"That arc will also introduce new characters - probably to the initial chagrin of the most devout Howard aficionados, but we hope you'll all come to it with an open mind."

That line has me a bit concerned, but I will wait and see what they do with it. So far so good, so I will trust that the series will continue to be excellent.

I say let 'em have their fun with all the mini-series'. If it's too far away from REH, I'll just did ignore it like I do most of the non-Thomas stuff from Marvel. As long as Dark Horse keep their current REH-friendly attitude with the regular Conan series, I'll be happy.

-Bri

I pretty much echo the above sentiments, but I would like to point out that REH's original Thoth-Amon didn't have much to do with Conan, and probably didn't have much feeling about him one way or another.

The idea of TA as a nemesis of Conan's is an invention of LS deCamp, and to a lesser extent, Roy Thomas. In REH's stories, they only interacted twice, and rather indirectly. In both "God in the Bowl" and "Phoenix on the Sword", Conan is basically a witness, a bystander, to TA's schemes of vengeance on someone else who Conan didn't even know. In neither story did Conan do anything to thwart TA's purposes, so TA has no reason to feel enmity towards Conan. In GitB, TA doesn't even know that Conan exists. In PotS, TA knows that Conan exists, in the same way that I know that the governor of my state exists, but has no feelings about him, and inadvertantly saves his life.

Conceivably, TA might feel an impersonal hatred for Conan because the latter killed a son of Set, if he knew about it, which he didn't.

So if Dark Horse starts a mini-series about TA, it will be entirely their invention, as much as the Hyperborean who "owns" Conan. But it may be entertaining, so I will probably buy it.

[Strom]

So if Dark Horse starts a mini-series about TA, it will be entirely their invention, as much as the Hyperborean who "owns" Conan.  But it may be entertaining, so I will probably buy it.

However, DH and Kurt (will you write it? ) do have a template of not only Thoth-Amon but also the Stygian race and thus should remain faithful to both. I just feel the Stygian race is an interesting topic within the Hyborean World. The connection to Acheron, the worship of the snake God Set, human sacrifices and black magic... This is solid material and in the hands of a great writer, could add some depth to the Conan mythos.

No one here is asking for a Doc Doom vs. FF relationship between Thoth and Conan. I agree that the writer of both the series and the mini-series have to be careful that doesn't happen.

[Steel Monger]

I can't wait for it. I like the concept of this. From what i know if Thoth he is a hulking Stygian worshiper of Set and a powerful sorcerer. I hope Thoth Amon will be a nasty, virgin sacrificing heathen in the new mini series.
Has anyone seen any artist's impressions of Thoth? I never picture him as looking like Pat Roach in The Destroyer as i think he wasn't dard skinned and he looked too D&Ds.
If Cary Nord is doing the artwork it'll be great.

[Dragon Girl]

I think REH described Stygians as dusky-skinned on a few occasions, which would be sort of tan or olive-toned, but not real dark.

I hope Thoth Amon will be a nasty, virgin sacrificing heathen in the new mini series.

Oh, yeah, so do I!

[Ironhand]

If I could pick any actor who ever lived to play Thoth-Amon, I would pick Yul Brynner. Interestingly, YB is rumored to have been born Egyptian. Imagine YB in Phoenix on the Sword!

[Strom]

If YB played Thoth-Amon in a movie, he would steal the show and I would be cheering for him to skrag Conan! Sick choice!

Ya know...Sick in a good way!

[Ironhand]

It just dawned on me - the big story about TA is not his adventures as a pimply-faced student, but how he obtained the Ring! That has to be a story of epic stature!

[sat]

It just dawned on me - the big story about TA is not his adventures as a pimply-faced student, but how he obtained the Ring!

Sauron was done with it.

[Kane]

My only worry about the TA series is how they will handle Thoth-amon's origins.
There has been a trend in written material to give villians a background that explains their anti-social activeties. Some trama or abuse that leads them down the path of evil.
I would really hate it if this was done to ole Thoth.
To me, he has always been about power and the willingness to eliminate anyone, or thing, that prevents him from achiving his desired goal.
If DH does portray him as an evil. or amoral, character, please let him enjoy his actions!!!
Don't show him as a powerful mastermind hiding from his own fears.

[skeletorjr]

Amen, I don't want any child-abuse flashbacks or anything to water down that fact that the man is just plain baaaaaaad news

[Dragon Girl]

I don't think his childhood needs to be shown at all. It's nice having some mystery involved, so we don't really know where he came from or why he is the way he is. There was no mention of how old he's supposed to be by the time Conan enters the picture. He might be hundreds of years old, his origins known only to him and lost in the mists of time to everyone else.

If they do depict his earlier years, I would hope one of two scenarios would happen:

A.) Thoth starts out as a normal person, but turns evil gradually as he starts to realize his power. He's a badass because he wants to be, and not because of some horrible emotional trauma that makes him bad.

B.) He's a "bad seed" right from the start, marked by some ancient god to be an agent of destruction.

[Ironhand]

He's just a normal, red-blooded, black-hearted Stygian. What more do you need?

[Winterghost]

Okay, I finally sat down and read the first issue of Book of Thoth. I really enjoyed it. The sory is interesting and revealing. The art, however, took some getting used to. Too often one character looked hardly like he did from one panel to the next. In the the first haf, the art looked a bit like something out of Disney's Sword In The Stone. By the end of the book, people-- or at lest Thoth-- was being drawn with more realism. I was okay with either one, but not when they would go back and forth.

I have not read the Anok books, but was wondering how close the two stories were, knowing a bit about it.

One thing, the city seems diverse in it's population, but Thoth and his family, and fellow beggars, look more like Europeans/ Hyborians than Egyptian/Stygian.

Though the cost was more than the monthly title, the 40 pages was very satisfying.

Definately recomend this one.

[Strom]

Book of Thoth #1 was a great read - I could really get used to 40 page stories - very satisfying. I had just re-read the trade God in the Bowl and Other Stories and Kurt's story-line of the relationship between Thoth and Kalanthes - hinted at in the trade - is a excellent example of taking a seed from Howard's genius - the two sorcerers from the God in the Bowl story - and expanding it into a story that explores the motivation and reasoning behind why Thoth sent that Bowl to Kalanthes. I was shocked when Thoth smashed Amon's head in with a rock - brutal! Kudos to Kurt for a great start to the mini-series - this is no easy story to be told but it's off to a most satisfying start. I liked the art - Kelly Jones is another artist who has been around awhile - mostly known for his macabre and horror work - an excellent choice to reveal Thoth's history, IMO.
I think the idea that Amon and Thoth looked similar did not help Jones as it was hard to tell the two apart which plays right into Thoth's motivation for joining the Ibis priesthood.

The similarities between Anok and Thoth are few. Really looking forward to Book of Thoth #2!

[johnnypt]

>>Okay, I finally sat down and read the first issue of Book of Thoth. I really enjoyed it. The sory is interesting and revealing. The art, however, took some getting used to. Too often one character looked hardly like he did from one panel to the next. In the the first haf, the art looked a bit like something out of Disney's Sword In The Stone. By the end of the book, people-- or at lest Thoth-- was being drawn with more realism. I was okay with either one, but not when they would go back and forth.<<

The art was a bit of an issue, I had to go back a time or two to make sure what character I was looking at. But it fit the story, whether it was Dickens Hyborian style in the first half, or the Lovecraftian mode in the second.

>>Though the cost was more than the monthly title, the 40 pages was very satisfying. Definately recomend this one.<<

It took me between 15-20 minutes to read it, which is almost like reading a regular book these days! You definitely get your money's worth. And it was an interesting twist at the end to do that to your main character. But I suppose he's like John Cleese's peasant in Holy Grail-He got betta.