12 Days of Christmas: Super Special Conan and Red Sonja

For Teen Groove, Christmas wasn't complete without something Conan (actually, that pretty much stands true to this day--if not Conan, then another Robert E. Howard creation waits under my tree). Treasury Editions, paperbacks (with the awesome Frank Frazetta covers, natch), and Marvel Super Specials (including the one Ol' Groove spotlighted last Christmas) made my Christmas's bright, baby! Marvel Super Special #9 (from 1978) was definitely a gift that keeps on giving. This mag veritably screams "Far out!" from cover to cover with its stunning stories starring Conan and Red Sonja featuring art and colors that are so groovy they'd even make the Grinch grin!

First up, feast your eyes on that John Buscema painted cover, baby! That's worth the buck-fifty price of admission in itself!

Next, just dig this Conan classic, "The Trail of the Bloodstained God" adapted by writer Roy Thomas and artists John Buscema and Tony DeZuniga. Man, I still get chills looking at that Buscema/DeZuniga art! The realism, the detail, the grittiness those masters of graphite and India ink brought to Conan's world is just beyond amazing, isn't it? Top it off with Marie Severin's cinematic colors--WOW!


But we're not through with the Marvel-ous magic yet, Groove-ophiles! Roy teams with fellow scribe Christy Marx and artist Howard Chaykin for a most memorable Red Sonja mini-epic. In this titanic tale, Big Red has to come face-to-face with the "goddess" who "created" her... face-to-face with her own version of faith... and play reluctant savior to a war-torn population. Pretty heavy stuff for the holidays, ain't it? Check out "Day of the Red Judgement"!