My Rating
“The Tower Of The Elephant!”
The Heart of the Elephant, what mystery does it hold? According to the loudmouth Zamourian, drunk on Artesian wine, immortality. Or, was it the key to Yaga’s sorcery? Conan was going to find out.
A tavern brawl erupted from a nearby table, giving Conan the opportunity to slink away from the establishment into a nearby alley. The city of Arenjun was a safe haven for the thieves’ guilds, and their eyes were ever-present. If Conan was to successfully enter the tower of the High Priest, he wouldn’t do so with an entourage of second-rate cut-purses to spoil his plans. For the Heart of the Elephant would be his, and his alone!
What awaits those brave enough to enter the Tower of the Elephant? Who was the mysterious Yaga of Khitai? How will Conan the Barbarian defeat a sorcerer in their own sanctuary? Collect the series to find out!
Review
As I begin my journey through the Marvel comic book series based on Robert E. Howard‘s Conan the Barbarian, I have to admit, like other fans of the franchise, I’ve become spoiled by the more modern adaptations of this material. So, I try to keep an open mind when reading older material published in the 1970s. With that said, I commend Stan Lee for taking on such an epic task of translating the savage world of Hyboria.
Unfortunately, in this format, the true nature of Howard’s vision is stripped down to comply with the child-friendly comic book market. Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith did a wonderful job retelling this classic adventure of The Tower of the Elephant. However, in my opinion, this version does not hold up well in the world 2025. Thankfully, Marvel Comics would launch the Savage Sword Of Conan series in 1974, bringing the real world of Conan to an adult audience. For this version, I give issue #04 a solid three out of five stars.
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