Description

Conan The Barbarian: Lord of the Spiders        Comics Lot
A vizier priest named Harpagus wants revenge on Conan…
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Stefano Raffaele
Inker: Ralph Cabrera
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Joe Andreani
All Covers by: Stefano Raffaele

Legendary Conan writer, Roy Thomas returns to the Bronze Barbarian in this all-new limited series! The angry arachnid is back for revenge! The Cimmerian must fight a foe from the past when he faces the return of Harpagus, the vile villain with the power to transform into a giant, venomous spider! This three-issue mini-series is a sequel to the story “Conan and the Spider God,” which appeared five years earlier in The Savage Sword of Conan #207-210. It features Harpagus, a high priest of Yezud, city of the spider-god. During his previous struggles with Conan, he was sent into a state of amnesia before he regained his memory at the start of this tale. Able to shift his form at will to that of a giant, venomous spider, he recruited Helliana, a thief, to help him find Conan so that he might avenge himself for past indignities. When that is done, he will seek to use his powers to raise the cult of the spider god, and rule over all Zamora.

Story/Spoilers
In issue #1, “The Webs We Weave”, Our tale begins in the ravaged city of Arenjun, home of the now ruined Tower of the Elephant (Conan the Barbarian #4). A pair of thieves sneak into the city in the dead of night. The city is rumored to hold untold riches, but no one has made it back alive to tell their tales! Rumors abound that the wizard Yara still haunts the city, protecting it forever with his dark magic. One of the thieves, Sabo, curses himself for mentioning it to his companion Helliana. She seems aware that he’s just trying to seduce her and tells him to help pry some gems loose from the walls or “go away.” They see the strange figure of an old man, who seems confused but not threatening. She tells Sabo to leave him alone and gets back to her task. Sabo continues prodding the wanderer, asking to see his ring with the intent to steal it. As he wipes the muck off the ring to see what it is, a spider sigil is revealed. Instantly, recognition returns to the old man’s mind, and he knows who he is looking for. The man, Harpagus, is looking for Conan the Cimmerian! The brigand Sabo threatens to take the ring by force if Harpagus won’t give it to him (Sabo isn’t great at reading a room.) In response, Harpagus turns into a 4-foot-long spider and kills the thief instantly. Helliana turns, ready to kill the monster or die when suddenly the spider speaks! It says, changing back into the wizard as it does so, that she was trying to get Sabo to leave him alone – so he’ll spare her if she’ll serve him. She agrees, of course. The story then shifts to Shadizar, and a familiar voice echoes through the window of a nearby tavern. Conan tells some women with him that he’s out of money – if they expect some for “hanging out” with him. One of them leaves, the other offers to take him home. They walk down the street when they find themselves at a dead end. She snaps her fingers; springs the trap she has led Conan into! Three warriors are after the Cimmerian…. but the outcome is obvious as Conan deals out death with the stroke of his sword. As the fight ends, Conan looks up to see Helliana watching. He chases her down as only a Cimmerian can. He catches and interrogates her, but she gets the best of him and escapes. She manages to snag Conan in a secondary trap, where he is caught between two certain deaths. The Cimmerian takes a lateral move not expected and fights his way out again. In her hurry to escape, she drops a coin bearing the insignia of the Tower of the Elephant – Conan knows where to go next!

Next in issue #2, “Slave of the Lotus”, Conan reaches Arenjun by nightfall. As he walks into the city, a man is thrown out of a bar and knocks Conan into a mud pit. In a fury, Conan heads into the bar and demands to know who threw the man out. The man responsible mocks the Cimmerian’s accent and throws a drink in his face – some town this is! The man boasts as he and Conan fight. I’ll let you guess who wins this one. The Cimmerian sits down and orders some food and drink, and while making conversation he finds out the priest of Ishtar’s name is Zath – the same as the Spider god of Yezud! Before he can get more information, the city guard appears. Conan is the one they’ve been looking for and there is a reward! Conan fights like a tiger but is overpowered. Conan awakens in a gigantic web, face to face with Harpagus. Both of them talk of their troubles with the other and neither is really blameless, although one of them is obviously evil. Conan asks if he’s managed to breed more giant spiders, and Zath tells him he’s got something better – the wizard transforms into a spider himself! Just to make Conan suffer, Zath purposely doesn’t kill him, but injects a poison into him called the Lotus Liquid. The Lotus Liquid made Conan hallucinate about people he has killed in his past. As he was hallucinating, Helliana arrives to rescue him, but Conan doesn’t see the face of Helliana, only the face of the dreaded Zath…

Finally in issue #3, “To Hell on Eight Legs!”, Crazed by an injection of the Black Lotus drug, Conan is a heartbeat away from crushing the life out of a red-haired Zamorian thief… Helliana barely escapes. She implores Conan to remember his barbarian code to not kill women and Conan breaks the hold of the Lotus Liquid by raming his head into a wall. Helliana then reminds Conan of Harpagus, who now calls himself Zath. Conan remembers… and vows to kill Harpagus. Over food and drink, Helliana shares her tragic history with Harpagus when unexpectedly the city guard burst in looking for a fight. Helliana and Conan escape making their way to the Tower of the Elephant. There a giant spider awaits as the past seems to repeat itself.

Comics lot contains: Conan The Barbarian: Lord of the Spiders (1998) Issues #1-3.  Marvel Comics

Comics are bagged & boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

All First Printings
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Publication Date: 1998
Format per comic: FC, 32 pages, Comic, 10.25″ x 6.75″
UPC: 759606044689

Collectible Entertainment note: Comics 1,2,3 are in Very Fine + condition.  Beautiful Set!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Conan collector and/or enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Highly Recommended.

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