Today marks the ninetieth anniversary of Robert E. Howard’s death. It also marks the (official) fortieth anniversary of Howard Days. I have a few things to say about that and also some thoughts regarding Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith.

I learned about REH's suicide--and many, many other things Howardian--by way of The Book of Robert E. Howard, which collection was edited by the inimitable Glenn Lord. I was nine years old. For the record, Glenn Lord is the Once and Future Godfather of Howard Studies. That title cannot be 'transferred' to another scholar. There can be only one. There can be many 'deans' of Howard Studies as the years roll by, but there is only one 'Godfather'.

I attended Howard Days 2006 on a maniacal whim. It was the centennial of REH's birth and I would not be denied. Respects had to be paid. I went solo, without even Chris Hale to tag along. I was radicalized online by the good ol' Official Robert E. Howard Forum (RIP) a year earlier. My Howard fanhood had been somewhat on the back-burner for about a decade until I discovered that community. I'd known of Howard Days for almost ten years already.

My first Howard Days was a great experience. I made friendships that have endured until the present moment. Between 2006 and 2023, I attended five Howard Days, far more than most REH fans. I paid my dues and respects. It is unlikely that I'll attend another.

One person I met at Howard Days 2006 was Roy Thomas. As I've stated elsewhere, Roy is the man who brought me to Robert E. Howard. It was great to meet him in person. In the realm of comics, nobody has done more for Robert E. Howard, and sword-and-sorcery in general, than Roy.

One person I didn't meet in 2006--and, sadly, probably never will--was Barry Windsor-Smith. Very early in the 'Robert E. Howard Boom', Barry brought a Romantic/Pre-Raphaelite lyricism and poetry to the S&S arena. While I personally think his style is slightly more suited to the likes of Clark Ashton Smith, Leiber and Moorcock, his takes on Conan and Kull were much-needed 'antidotes' to the broad strokes and sheer power of Frazetta. There is room for both in sword-and-sorcery.

Back around 1973--honestly, I'm not sure of the exact date--Barry wrought another one of his iconic Conan images for some Marvel Comics magazine--definitely not for Conan the Barbarian. It was the header for an essay by Roy Thomas. The artwork itself is classic BWS. Conan sports one of the--impractical--'wicker' shields that Barry has always been so fond of while fire-arrows rain down upon him. Meanwhile, a beautiful damsel seeks shelter behind him.

I can only assume that Roy Thomas' essay on Howard rose to the occasion and matched the quality of BWS' art. Perhaps, someday, I'll read it and share my opinion on it. I can only go by what I have read from Mr. Thomas during that period, which is to say that it was very likely legit and heartfelt.

What most anti-comics snobs won't acknowledge is that comic books were the heirs to the pulps in many ways. That is especially true of The Savage Sword of Conan. Along with sequentially-illustrated tales of pulp adventure, it would feature erudite articles and essays penned by the likes of Roy, Fred Blosser and Lin Carter. In essence, it was a 'pulp' magazine dedicated to Robert E. Howard published every other month. There was never anything quite like it--the Seventies incarnation--before or since.

As a patented DMR Books Blog Bonus, below is the BWS cover for Conan the Barbarian #21. Sans text, it was the third rendition I ever saw of Conan—after Gil Kane and John Buscema. It was the art in an ad within Conan the Barbarian #39. That was the very first time I’d ever seen the artwork of Barry Windsor-Smith. It hit hard.

Raise a glass to the shade of Robert E. Howard, sword-brothers. Thank Crom that he had a few worthy inheritors to carry on his legacy.