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The Barry Windsor-Smith Conan Archives #1
The Barry Windsor-Smith Conan Archives, Vol. 1
In 1970, Barry Windsor-Smith burst onto the comic-book scene with his dynamic portrayal of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian, altering the course of the blue-eyed Cimmerian forever. This volume reprints the first half of Barry Windsor-Smith's run on Conan the Barbarian.
Includes an introduction by Roy Thomas recounting how Marvel got rights to publish Conan.
Includes an introduction by Roy Thomas recounting how Marvel got rights to publish Conan.
270 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2010
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,551 books277 followersRoy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 6, 2013
This is a review for both volumes.
Conan - The early Marvel years :-)
Various stories adapted by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith.
BWS was just starting out at Marvel, having done a few issues of The Avengers previously and was adapting his art to the Jack Kirby school of drawing. Happily, he soon establishes his own style and this becomes apparent pretty early on. His Conan is more of a slim savage athlete than the later representation of a bulky muscle-man done by Buscema and friends.
They re-did the coloring for this volume, and although I do agree that re-doing the coloring might have been a good idea, I think they pretty much failed. In some cases, as in The Frost Giant's Daughter, the original Marvel coloring is actually better!
Luckily, it does get somewhat better in the second volume.
Still, two very nice compilations that were slow in coming, but appreciated.
It would have been even nicer had they done them oversized with perhaps a slipcase to hold them in... and knowing me, if they ever do get around to doing something like that, I'd surely purchase it. :-/
Conan - The early Marvel years :-)
Various stories adapted by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith.
BWS was just starting out at Marvel, having done a few issues of The Avengers previously and was adapting his art to the Jack Kirby school of drawing. Happily, he soon establishes his own style and this becomes apparent pretty early on. His Conan is more of a slim savage athlete than the later representation of a bulky muscle-man done by Buscema and friends.
They re-did the coloring for this volume, and although I do agree that re-doing the coloring might have been a good idea, I think they pretty much failed. In some cases, as in The Frost Giant's Daughter, the original Marvel coloring is actually better!
Luckily, it does get somewhat better in the second volume.
Still, two very nice compilations that were slow in coming, but appreciated.
It would have been even nicer had they done them oversized with perhaps a slipcase to hold them in... and knowing me, if they ever do get around to doing something like that, I'd surely purchase it. :-/
April 14, 2017
Beautifully packaged. The introduction by Roy Thomas, giving the history of Marvel getting the rights to publish Conan, is excellent.
The stories hold up. Thomas was smart to get many of the most fantastic elements of the Conan stories into the first few stories, thus giving a bigger playground for all future stories. The art--pencils, inks, and lettering--are all excellent.
The stories hold up. Thomas was smart to get many of the most fantastic elements of the Conan stories into the first few stories, thus giving a bigger playground for all future stories. The art--pencils, inks, and lettering--are all excellent.
January 13, 2016
These early Conan comics are on very nice paper and within a very fine bound book.
The BWS style of art is beautiful with the detail and flow of action.
The BWS style of art is beautiful with the detail and flow of action.
September 28, 2025
Four stars for the content and the craftsmanship of the hardcovers, loses two stars for the atrocious “updated”recolouring by Dark Horse. Windsor-Smith’s art deserves better!
March 1, 2019
The first few issues were rough, but eventually I found the love people have for BWS Conan art. I enjoyed the adaptation of my favorite REH Conan yard “The Tower of the Elephant”. By issue 6, Thomas and Windsor-Smith hit their stride.
I enjoyed comparing Thomas’ take on the character of Jenna. She is a footnote character in “The Rogues in the House” that Conan tosses into the muck. Thomas introduced her in an earlier story making it all the more satisfying when she hits the slop. Kurt Busiek would do the same thing in the Dark Horse run.
I enjoyed comparing Thomas interpretation of Conan and Nestor the Gunderman (name changed by Thomas). Busiek would follow suit as well in the Dark Horse books. It amazes me, the stories spun from an unfinished draft by REH; first by L. Sprague de Camp, then Thomas-BWS and later Busiek-Nord.
I have a curiosity that I hope someone can shed light on. In the first few books, Conan wears a helm with forward facing bull-horns. It disappears on or around issue 6, later with a nod given to it in the ‘82 Conan the Barbarian film. I read somewhere that Stan Lee, who was excited to have a Sword & Sorcery book but did not understand S&S, insisted that Conan have a recognizable costume. To appease him, Thomas and BWS gave him the helmet, necklace and fur loin cloth. Can anyone confirm this?
I love the introduction given by Thomas in this book. I have encountered it before, but enjoyed reading it again.
Some complain about the coloration in this book (restored), saying it was splotchy. I compared it to the un-restored version in Tower of the Elephant and other Tales, I can see their point. On-line I found reproductions of a few of these stories in The Saga of Conan, a black and white book. There the story “Devil Wings over Shadizar” really popped of the page with the BWS art and Sal Buscema inks. I would love to own those.
I enjoyed comparing Thomas’ take on the character of Jenna. She is a footnote character in “The Rogues in the House” that Conan tosses into the muck. Thomas introduced her in an earlier story making it all the more satisfying when she hits the slop. Kurt Busiek would do the same thing in the Dark Horse run.
I enjoyed comparing Thomas interpretation of Conan and Nestor the Gunderman (name changed by Thomas). Busiek would follow suit as well in the Dark Horse books. It amazes me, the stories spun from an unfinished draft by REH; first by L. Sprague de Camp, then Thomas-BWS and later Busiek-Nord.
I have a curiosity that I hope someone can shed light on. In the first few books, Conan wears a helm with forward facing bull-horns. It disappears on or around issue 6, later with a nod given to it in the ‘82 Conan the Barbarian film. I read somewhere that Stan Lee, who was excited to have a Sword & Sorcery book but did not understand S&S, insisted that Conan have a recognizable costume. To appease him, Thomas and BWS gave him the helmet, necklace and fur loin cloth. Can anyone confirm this?
I love the introduction given by Thomas in this book. I have encountered it before, but enjoyed reading it again.
Some complain about the coloration in this book (restored), saying it was splotchy. I compared it to the un-restored version in Tower of the Elephant and other Tales, I can see their point. On-line I found reproductions of a few of these stories in The Saga of Conan, a black and white book. There the story “Devil Wings over Shadizar” really popped of the page with the BWS art and Sal Buscema inks. I would love to own those.
May 5, 2022
Barry Windsor-Smith and the Conan Archives Vol.1 from Dark Horse Comics are a compendium of his first series from his Marvel Comics Run of 1970-1973. The artwork and storyboarding of this are excellent and bring the classic Robert E. Howard to life.
January 31, 2020
BWS AND ROY THOMAS SPECTACULAR
April 20, 2011
This is a great collection of the early Marvel Conan comics, and one of the best ways to get into the Conan character, it's the first of two volumes that explores the great stories of Robert E. Howard adapted into comics format in a way that gives a vastly different characterisation to the character of Conan: Arnie this is not, and anybody expecting to find any trace of Arnie in this like in the 1982 live action film will be either disappointed that it doesn't match the 1980s cheese of that motion picture and Arnie's performance, or they'll be relieved that "Gosh, now I better read the books, because there's no way the new film REMAKE'S gonna get it right this time!".
Conan is a manly man, in a rough and tough world. Fear not ladies, he's doesn't seem nearly as sexist as he does in the films, he possesses cunning as well as brutal might. The Comics Code of the era may tone down the blood from the stories within, but you gotta understand. These are not recent comics, but classics from an era pre-90s EXTREME gore and stuff happened. All the slayings are understated, and make them all the more powerful. The action is short and swift, and never gets old.
Conan is a manly man, in a rough and tough world. Fear not ladies, he's doesn't seem nearly as sexist as he does in the films, he possesses cunning as well as brutal might. The Comics Code of the era may tone down the blood from the stories within, but you gotta understand. These are not recent comics, but classics from an era pre-90s EXTREME gore and stuff happened. All the slayings are understated, and make them all the more powerful. The action is short and swift, and never gets old.
May 9, 2014
I was confused when I got this, looking the book over it didn't seem like these could be comics of old. The coloring had a more modern shading, and the art looked clean and recent. I was half right.
While this was supposed to be a restored edition, it turned out to restored art with modern color. The drawings are the originals, but touched up with new color techniques they really have a clean presentation.
Once I got past my initial confusion, I started to get really into the comics. The stories are mostly one-offs, condensed versions of the originals, but they strike a good balance of comic form with hints of the prose underneath. Conan definitely comes across with a good sense of humor in addition to his brutal methods of dealing with problems. It is also refreshing to see a character of strength not portrayed as a huge bulk of a man. The Arnold Conan definitely does not have the same lithe grace in the comics.
These really piqued my interest in the original tales and made me want to get the next volume and see more.
While this was supposed to be a restored edition, it turned out to restored art with modern color. The drawings are the originals, but touched up with new color techniques they really have a clean presentation.
Once I got past my initial confusion, I started to get really into the comics. The stories are mostly one-offs, condensed versions of the originals, but they strike a good balance of comic form with hints of the prose underneath. Conan definitely comes across with a good sense of humor in addition to his brutal methods of dealing with problems. It is also refreshing to see a character of strength not portrayed as a huge bulk of a man. The Arnold Conan definitely does not have the same lithe grace in the comics.
These really piqued my interest in the original tales and made me want to get the next volume and see more.
June 19, 2011
A solid collection of terrific comics. In the earliest ones the art is a little rough around the edges, but thise are saved by Roy Thomas' pitch-perfect understanding of the characters and world. But by the end, Smith has completely risen to the challenge. It's unfortunate that the coloring process has resulted in the loss of some details in the art...it's never *too* bad, but there are some panels that have been reduced to colored blobs.
Still, Thomas and Smith were the Conan dream-team. If you want their run in a nice hardcover set, you'll want this (and the second one as well). It should have been in black and white, but at least the colors here are better than some previous reproductions.
Still, Thomas and Smith were the Conan dream-team. If you want their run in a nice hardcover set, you'll want this (and the second one as well). It should have been in black and white, but at least the colors here are better than some previous reproductions.
February 6, 2010
I'd forgotten how bad the artist Barry Windsor-Smith was when he first started out. But he grew faster than any artist I have ever seen.
March 19, 2015
Loses a star for the new coloring.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews