Howard, Robert E. 1906–1936

views updated

Howard, Robert E. 1906–1936

(Robert Ervin Howard)

PERSONAL: Born January 22, 1906, in Peaster, TX; died June 12, 1936, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound; son of Isaac Mordecai (a doctor) and Hester Jane Howard. Education: Attended Howard Payne Commercial School, c. 1927. Hobbies and other interests: Boxing, history.

CAREER: Writer. Creator of the characters Conan the Cimmerian, Kull of Atlantis, Breckenridge Elkins, Solomon Kane, Sailor Steve Costigan, Francis X. Gordon, and Bran Mak Morn. Contributor of short stories and novellas to pulp magazines, including Spicy Adventure, Action Stories, Thrilling Adventures, Weird Tales, Top Notch, Strange Detective, Oriental Stories, Fight Stories, and Argosy. Previously worked odd jobs, including as a private secretary in a law office, geologist assistant, public stenographer, and drugstore clerk.

WRITINGS:

"CONAN" FANTASY NOVELS

Conan the Conqueror, Gnome Press (New York, NY), 1950, published as The Hour of the Dragon, Putnam (New York, NY), 1977.

"CONAN" SHORT-STORY COLLECTIONS

The Sword of Conan, Gnome Press (New York, NY), 1952.

The Coming of Conan, Gnome Press (New York, NY), 1953, new edition illustrated by Mark Schultz, Del Rey (New York, NY), 2005.

King Conan, Gnome Press (New York, NY), 1953.

Conan the Barbarian, Gnome Press (New York, NY), 1954.

(With L. Sprague de Camp) Tales of Conan, Gnome Press (New York, NY), 1955.

(With de Camp) Conan the Adventurer, Lancer (New York, NY), 1966.

(With de Camp and Lin Carter) Conan, Lancer (New York, NY), 1967.

(With de Camp) Conan the Warrior, Lancer (New York, NY), 1967.

(With de Camp) Conan the Usurper, Lancer (New York, NY), 1967.

(With de Camp) Conan the Freebooter, Lancer (New York, NY), 1968.

(With de Camp and Carter) Conan the Wanderer, Lancer (New York, NY), 1968.

(With others) Conan the Avenger, Lancer (New York, NY), 1968.

(With de Camp and Carter) Conan of Cimmeria, Lancer (New York, NY), 1969.

Conan: The Tower of the Elephant, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1975.

Conan: The People of the Black Circle, edited by Karl Edward Wagner, Berkley (New York, NY), 1977.

Jewels of Gwahlur, illustrated by Dean Morrissey, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1979.

Black Colossus, illustrated by Ned Dameron, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1979.

The Conan Chronicles, 1989.

The Bloody Crown of Conan (includes The People of the Black Circle, The Hour of the Dragon, and A Witch Shall Be Born), illustrated by Gary Gianni, Del Rey (New York, NY), 2004.

The Complete Chronicles of Conan, Gollancz (London, England), 2004.

The Conquering Sword of Conan, Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor of Conan stories to periodicals, including Weird Tales.

WESTERN SHORT STORIES

A Gent from Bear Creek, Jenkins (Grove City, PA), 1937, selections published as The Pride of Bear Creek, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1966.

The Vultures; Showdown at Hell's Canyon, Fictioneer, 1973.

Vultures of Whapeton, Zebra (New York, NY), 1975.

The Last Ride, Berkley (New York, NY), 1978.

Mayhem on Bear Creek, illustrated by Tim Kirk, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1979.

The Riot at Bucksnort and other Western Tales, edited and with an introduction by David Gentzel, University of Nebraska Press (Lincoln, NE), 2005.

The End of the Trail: Western Stories, edited and with an introduction by Rusty Burke, University of Nebraska Press (Lincoln, NE), 2005.

Contributor of western stories to periodicals, including Argosy, Cowboy Stories, and Zane Grey Western.

OTHER NOVELS

Almuric, Ace (New York, NY), 1964.

A Witch Shall Be Born, illustrations by Alicia Austin, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1975.

OTHER SHORT-STORY COLLECTIONS

Skull-Face and Others, Arkham House (Sauk City, WI), 1946, published as Skull-Face Omnibus, Spearman (Sutton, Nebraska), 1976, published in England as The Valley of Worms and Others, 1976, and as The Shadow Kingdom, 1976.

The Dark Man and Others, Arkham House (Sauk City, WI), 1963.

(With Lin Carter) King Kull, Lancer (New York, NY), 1967, material by Howard published separately as Kull, the Fabulous Warrior King, 1978.

Wolfshead, Lancer (New York, NY), 1968.

Red Shadows, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1968.

(With Tevis Clyde Smith) Red Blades of Black Cathay, illustrations by David Karbonik, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1971.

Marchers of Valhalla, illustrations by Robert Bruce Acheson, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1972.

The Sowers of the Thunder, illustrations by Roy G. Krenkel, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1973.

The Incredible Adventures of Dennis Dorgan, introduction by Darrell C. Richardson, Fax (West Linn, OR), 1974.

The Lost Valley of Iskander, illustrations by Michael William Kaluta, Fax (West Linn, OR), 1974.

The People of the Black Circle, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1974.

Tigers of the Sea, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1974.

Worms of the Earth (includes Bran Mak Morn), Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1974.

Red Nails, illustrations by George Barr, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1975.

Swords of Shahrazar, illustrations by Michael William Kaluta, Fax (West Linn, OR), 1976.

Black Vulmea's Vengeance, and Other Tales of Pirates, illustrations by Robert James Pailthorpe, Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1976.

The Devil in Iron, illustrations by Dan Green, Grosset & Dunlop (New York, NY), 1976.

Rogues in the House, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1976.

Son of the White Wolf, illustrations by Marcus Boas, Fax (West Linn, OR), 1977.

The People of the Black Circle, Berkley (New York, NY), 1977.

Queen of the Black Coast, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1978.

The Gods of Bal-Sagoth, 1979.

Hawks of Outremer, edited by Richard L. Tierney, illustrations by Rob MacIntyre and Chris Pappas, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1979.

The Road to Azrael, illustrations by Roy G. Krenkel, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1979.

Lord of the Dead, illustrations by G. Duncan Eagleson, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1981.

The Last Cat Book, illustrations by Peter Kuper, Dodd, Mead (New York, NY), 1984.

The Dark Barbarian: The Writings of Robert E. Howard, edited by Don Herron, Greenwood Press (Westport, CT), 1984.

Pool of the Black One, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1986.

Cthulhu: The Mythos and Kindred Horrors, 1987.

Shadows of Dreams, edited by David A. Drake, 1989.

Bran Mak Morn: The Last King, illustrated by Gary Gianni, Wandering Star (London, England), 2001, Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2005.

The Complete Action Stories, edited by and with an introduction by Paul Herman, Wildside Press (Holicong, PA), 2001.

Waterfront Fists and Others, introduction by Mark Finn, edited by Paul Herman, Wildside Press (Holicong, PA), 2003.

The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, illustrated by Gary Gianni, Del Rey/Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Gates of the Empire and Other Tales of the Crusades, Wildside Press (Holicong, PA), 2004.

Lord of Samarcand and Other Adventure Tales of the Old Orient, edited by Rusty Burke, introduction by Patrice Louinet, University of Nebraska Press (Lincoln, NE), 2005.

The Black Stranger and Other American Tales, edited and with an introduction by Steven Tompkins, University of Nebraska Press (Lincoln, NE), 2005.

Boxing Stories, edited and with an introduction by Chris Gruber, University of Nebraska Press (Lincoln, NE), 2005.

Other omnibus volumes include The Book of Robert E. Howard, 1976; The Second Book of Robert E. Howard, 1976; The Robert E. Howard Omnibus, 1977; Sword Woman, 1977; and Black Canaan, 1978.

POETRY

Always Comes Evening: The Collected Poems of Robert E. Howard, Arkham House (Sauk City, WI), 1958.

Etchings in Ivory, Glenn Lord, 1968.

Singers in the Shadows, illustrations by Marcus Boas, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1970.

Echoes from an Iron Harp, illustrations by Alicia Austin, Donald M. Grant (West Kingston, RI), 1972.

A Song of the Naked Lands, Squires, 1973.

The Gold and the Grey, Squires, 1974.

LETTERS

Selected Letters, Nineteen Twenty Three to Nineteen Thirty, Necronomicon Press (West Warwick, RI), 1989.

Selected Letters, 1931–1936, Necronomicon Press (West Warwick, RI), 1991.

Dear August: Letters, Robert E. Howard to August Derleth, 1932–1936, Robert E. Howard Properties, 2002.

Dear HPL: Letters, Robert E. Howard to H.P. Lovecraft, 1930–1936, Robert E. Howard Properties, 2002.

ADAPTATIONS: Howard's fictional character Conan has been featured in tales by writers such as Bjorn Nyberg, L. Sprague de Camp, Lin Carter, Andrew J. Offutt, Robert Jordan, and Steve Perry; in addition, the character has been featured in the Marvel comics Conan the Barbarian and The Savage Sword of Conan and in such films as Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer. Marvel comics has also adapted Kull of Atlantis, Solomon Kane, and other characters to a comic book format. Howard's stories have been adapted for television, including "Pigeons from Hell" for Boris Karloff's Thriller. Conan stories have also been adapted for the sound recording Robert E. Howard's Conan, Moon-dance Productions (Wilmington, VT), 1976. Film rights to Howard's collected works were purchased in 2006 by Paradox Entertainment.

SIDELIGHTS: Robert E. Howard ranks among the most prominent, and prolific, writers in the genre of fantastic, sword-and-sorcery fiction, and he is widely known as the creator of the heroic barbarian character Conan. Howard was born in 1906 in Peaster, Texas. Without siblings or many playmates, Howard spent much of his childhood reading. After repeated victimization by gangs, he devoted himself to physical fitness as well. Unable to afford a college education, Howard pursued financial independence by writing. In 1924, when he was still in his teens, he sold his first story, "Spear and Fang," to Weird Tales. This magazine would prove to be the principal publisher of Howard's writings throughout the brief remainder of his life.

Howard quickly showed himself to be a speedy and imaginative writer whose best stories were inevitably propelled by action. Many of these fast-paced tales featured recurring heroes. In the late 1920s, for instance, he produced stories centering on Solomon Kane, a morose figure dedicated to the eradication of evil. During that same period, Howard also wrote about Steve Costigan, a vigorous sailor with considerable prowess as a boxer. In the sword-and-sorcery genre, he had already written several atmospheric tales featuring King Kull, an adventurer hailing from the underwater kingdom Atlantis.

In 1932 Howard introduced Conan the Barbarian to Weird Tales readers with "By This Ax I Rule!" and "The Phoenix and the Sword." In these tales, and the many that followed, Conan roams the primitive lands of Cimmeria, where all manner of helpless maidens, evil sorcerers, and gruesome serpents might be found. Conan himself is a crude figure whose powers in combat far outweigh his prowess as a reasoning individual, and in dangerous situations he inevitably favors brutal retaliation over deliberation. Howard, as quoted in The Last Celt: A Bio-Bibliography of Robert Ervin Howard, described Conan as "a combination of a number of men I have known." He added that he "took the dominant characteristics of various prize-fighters, gunmen, bootleggers, oil field bullies, gamblers, and honest workmen … and combining them all produced … Conan the Cimmerian."

It was in the Conan series that Howard produced what he described in The Last Celt as "the bloodiest and most sexy weird story I ever wrote." That tale, "Red Nails," featuring the strong-willed female warrior Red Sonja, is among the most prominent of the Conan series, which also includes such titles as "The Hour of the Dragon," "The Tower of the Elephant," "The Slithering Shadow," "The People of the Black Circle," and "Beyond the Black River."

In 1936, depressed by news of his mother's grave illness, Howard killed himself. In the ensuing decade, Howard's stories would seem to have been largely forgotten. But in 1950 "The Hour of the Dragon" was published as Conan the Conqueror, and two years later a collection of Conan tales were published as The Sword of Conan. By the middle of the decade, Howard's Conan tales were back in print. The Conan revival continued when fantasy writer L. Sprague de Camp obtained Howard's incomplete manuscripts and notes and completed many of the stories. The de Camp continuations appeared in such 1960s volumes as Conan the Adventurer, Conan the Warrior, and Conan the Usurper.

In the following years Conan has been featured in sword-and-sorcery fiction by other writers, including de Camp, Lin Carter, Andrew J. Offutt, Robert Jordan, and Steve Perry. In addition, he has appeared in the comic books Conan the Barbarian and The Savage Sword of Conan and in such films as Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer.

While the Conan tales remain most prominent among Howard's writings, westerns, detective tales, and even poetry also hold a place in his collected works. His verse, for example, is featured in several publications, including Always Comes Evening: The Collected Poems of Robert E. Howard, Etchings in Ivory, Singers in the Shadows, Echoes from an Iron Harp, and The Gold and the Grey.

The Bloody Crown of Conan, published in 2004, includes not only stories of the warrior but also the author's notes and early drafts. Conan remains popular outside the United States as well. The British collection titled The Complete Chronicles Of Conan, was published in 2005 and was called "an absolute must buy" in a review in the Bookseller.

"Howard was, in my opinion, a writer of superior ability," commented Darrell Schweitzer in Conan's World and Robert E. Howard, summing up the author's vast body of work, "who only sometimes wrote as well as he could, due mainly to haste and sheer laziness." Jessica Amanda Salmonson, in the 1982 essay "Dark Agnes: A Critical Look at Robert E. Howard's 'Swordsmen'" published in American Fantasy, stated, "Howard was a great storyteller. Perhaps not a skilled writer in technical terms, but nonetheless, his fiction is powerful in an awkward, honest, direct manner—not unlike many of his heroes." Salmonson noted that Howard "could do what few adventure writers can do even today; that is, depict a strong woman. Further, he did it in an atmosphere of rank misogyny: the male-defined pulp era of writing."

In his book Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers: The Makers of Heroic Fantasy, de Camp noted: "Howard's stories … bid fair to be enjoyed for their action, color, and furious narrative drive for many years to come."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

de Camp, L. Sprague, Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers: The Makers of Heroic Fantasy, Arkham House (Sauk City, WI), 1976.

Lord, Glenn, editor, The Last Celt: A Bio-bibliography of Robert E. Howard, Berkley (New York, NY), 1976.

Schweitzer, Darrell, Conan's World and Robert E. Howard, Borgo Press (San Bernardino, CA), 1978.

Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism, Volume 8, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1982.

PERIODICALS

American Fantasy, February, 1982, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, "Dark Agnes: A Critical Look at Robert E. Howard's 'Swordsmen'" pp. 4-6.

Bookseller, December 9, 2005, review of The Complete Chronicles of Conan, p. 30.

Hollywood Reporter, February 7, 2006, "Writings of 'Conan' Author at Paradox," p. 6.

Library Journal, April 15, 2004, Michael Rogers, review of Gates of the Empire and Other Tales of the Crusades, p. 132; August, 2004, Michael Rogers, review of The Bloody Crown of Conan, p. 131.

Nordic Business Report, February 6, 2006, "Paradox Entertainment AB Acquires Rights to Collected Works of Robert E Howard."

Publishers Weekly, October 18, 2004, review of The Bloody Crown of Conan, p. 52.