Comic books in 'Battle Axe', graded by CBCS

Written by Dan Abnett. Art by Emilio Laiso. Cover by Jay Anacleto. A new Civil War is ripping through the Marvel Universe, but HERCULES has got problems of his own. There's a threat that only he knows about, and all the heroes he knows are too busy to lend a hand. Time to get out his address book and call in some much older friends…ancient heroes of myth who will come to his aid. Introducing the mighty, mythological GODS OF WAR! 28 pages, full color. RATED T+ Cover price $3.99.

Written by Dan Abnett. Art by Emilio Laiso. Cover by Julian Totino Tedesco. THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE GODS OF WAR! With the world locked in Civil War, HERCULES and the GODS OF WAR face down a catastrophic threat that the other heroes of the Marvel Universe are blind to. Can they prevail alone against the wrath of a new race of gods? Or has the Civil War provided the Uprising Storm with the perfect opportunity to master the world and change it forever? 36 pages, full color. Rated T+ Cover price $3.99.

King Clash takes the small nation of Panja to a position as a world power, making numerous enemies on his march to ultimate domination. Written by Tom Veitch, with art and cover by Adam Kubert, and full-process color by Dave Hornung. Prestige Format. Cover price $4.95.

Han's Lando-like friend, a guy named Raskar, stages an arena battle starring Chewbacca. The winner gets a special power gem. Luke and the droids crash on the ice planet Hoth. Script by Archie Goodwin, pencils by Al Williamson, Allen Nunis, and Monty Sheldon, inks by Ray Murtaugh. Cover by Bret Blevins and Matthew Hollingsworth. Cover price $2.50.

Born on the Battlefield: Part 3 of 6 - KURT BUSIEK (W) and GREG RUTH (A) FC, 32pg, $2.99 Kurt Busiek teams up with Greg Ruth for another eye-popping tale spotlighting Conan's earliest years. At the age of ten, Conan already finds boyhood too small to contain his manly strength and ambition. But when disease strikes him and his village, he is left weak and unworthy. Determined to regain his self-respect, he journeys alone to the site of one of Cimmeria's bloodiest battles?but little does Conan know that vile men hide in the shadows of this place, waiting to prey upon those so foolish as to awaken the fallen warriors from their uneasy sleep. Cover price $2.99.

Cursed and betrayed. Jiara's treachery comes to a head as she proves once and for all that her affection was for the contents of Conan's purse, not his pants. And Nestor learns that his own loyalty to the Cimmerian may cost him more than he had bargained for-in this life and the next! The second part of the prelude to the Conan classic 'Rogues in the House,' told in the Robert E. Howard tradition by celebrated storytellers Timothy Truman, Cary Nord, and new Conan colorist Richard Isanove (Wolverine: Origin). Cover price $2.99.

Born on the Battlefield: Part 5 of 6 - The rising storm continues to swell in this new chapter of 'Born on the Battlefield.' As the fist of Aquilonia tightens around Cimmeria's neck, the tribes have laid siege to the fort of Venarium in a desperate bid to protect their homeland from the encroaching empire. Kurt Busiek and Greg Ruth return to Conan, launching the thunderous conclusion to their critically acclaimed saga of the barbarian's youth. Kurt Busiek and Greg Ruth return to the world of Conan! Cover price $2.99.

Written by Fred Van Lente. Art and Cover by Ariel Olivetti. Desperate soldiers, ruthless mercenaries, vengeance-crazed tribesmen, and evil sorcerers-they're all out for Conan's blood! After the Black Seers of Yimsha seize Queen Yasmina and withdraw to their mountain fortress, will the Cimmerian be able to reclaim the woman that he himself has taken hostage? Cover price $3.50.

Renowned horror and western writer Joe R. Lansdale reunites with his Jonah Hex collaborator, artist Timothy Truman, to tell the grittiest, roughest, downright meanest Conan story ever seen in comics. This five-part series begins in the wretched wastes of Stygia, a burning, grinding stretch of desert so desolate the only thing more unforgiving are its inhabitants. There, Conan comes to the aid of an old ally, uncovers a scheme to acquire untold-of wealth, and punishes his foolish enemies most cruelly. Yet when his treasure hunt reveals an alluring spirit with long unsatisfied needs, the Cimmerian knows a gentler touch is required to win the day. Teaming the wild, scathing wit of Lansdale with the unflinching vision of Truman, Conan and the Songs of the Dead is an unprecedented take on the grand hero of sword-and-sorcery-pushing one of the most brutal heroes of literature to new extremes! Cover price $2.99.

Written by Saladin Ahmed. Art and Cover by Luke Ross. A DEADLY QUEST AND A DARING HEIST… IN THE AGE OF MARVELS! CONAN wanders the desert, and as he reaches the city, no Stygian temple nor Vendyhan fortress greets him. No, something far stranger: the lights of fabulous Las Vegas! Conan is far from home, and it's time for him to tread the thrones of the Marvel Universe under his sandaled feet! The City of Sin is just the beginning for Conan's solo jaunt by Eisner award-winner Saladin Ahmed (BLACK BOLT, MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN) and Luke Ross (STAR WARS: ALLEGIANCE, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN), as the barbarian finds himself on a quest for a relic that predates even his Hyborian Age: the Serpent Crown of Atlantis! But will his battle for this crown earn Conan his own kingdom, or doom him to a nefarious trap set forth by MEPHISTO? Featuring a wide array of Marvel heroes and villains, this is an adventure you can't afford to miss! 28 pages, full color. Parental Advisory Cover price $3.99.

This December, Conan turns seventy-five! But while the Cimmerian may be seasoned, he's still going strong, as Dark Horse celebrates the barbarian's birthday with the first in a series of special-edition reprints of their adaptations of Robert E. Howard stories-with cover art by definitive Conan illustrator Frank Frazetta. The Frost Giant's Daughter reprints Conan #2 and features Frazetta's origal cover painting 'The Frost Giants,' first seen on the jacket of Lancer's 1969 edition Conan of Cimmeria. Cover price $3.50.

Written by Mike Mignola. Art by Cary Nord and Dave Stewart. Cover by Frank Frazetta. The fourth installment in Conan: The Frazetta Cover Series features Frank Frazetta's stunning painting, 'The Destroyer,' and includes an adaptation of 'The Hall of the Dead'-an unfinished tale left by Robert E. Howard and fleshed out by Mike Mignola, Cary Nord, and Dave Stewart. Pursued by a small army, Conan heads for shelter in the ancient ruins of a forgotten city, lured by a flimsy rumor of treasure. Instead, he finds the fallen idols of twisted gods and a lot of croaking creatures. Luckily, frogs are no match for an armed Cimmerian . . . right? Conan soon finds himself battling a slithering monstrosity and an onslaught of undead warriors! Retainers to a lord long forgotten awaken to protect a treasure so sizable even the dead can't bear to see it stolen. Can a cunning Cimmerian and a foe-turned-ally withstand the power of such dark sorceries long enough to escape with some loot and their lives? 72 pages, full color. Cover price $5.99.

Timothy Truman (W), Tomás Giorello (A), José Villarrubia (C), and Frank Frazetta (Cover) The sixth installment in Conan: The Frazetta Cover Series features Frank Frazetta's iconic Conan cover painting, The Indomitable, and an expansion on Robert E. Howard's 'Hand of Nergal' story fragment. Writer Timothy Truman is joined by Tomás Giorello on pencils and José Villarrubia on colors in this exploration into the horrors of Howard's Hyborian world. With zombies, a demonic army, an unearthly behemoth, a sorcerer, and a young witch on his hands, Conan is tasked not only with saving a beautiful princess-but saving his entire world from the evil god Nergal. o This issue also ties into events seen in Conan: The Frazetta Cover Series issue #4! o Collects Dark Horse's Conan #49 and #50! Cover price $6.99.

Ron Marz (W), Bart Sears (P/Cover), Randy Elliott (I), and Mark Roberts (C) Having broken into a haunted castle to loot its treasures, Conan and his companions discover that stories of the castle's paranormal past may have been exaggerated. But that doesn't mean that fabricated ghost stories can't be used to their advantage when Conan discovers they aren't the only thieves out for the gold! Cover price $3.50.

Forced to fight for the sorceress Mecora and her band of terrorists, Conan must decide: will he stop Mecora's men and leave an innocent town defenseless, or go along for the ride? Plus: What is the connection between the dragon named Styrm and the town of Valdover? Written by Matthew Nixon. Pencils and painted cover by Paolo Parente. Cover price $2.99.

The dangers keep stacking up against Conan as he travels down the Road of Kings. If he wants to continue on his journey, Conan will need to defeat a deadly executioner, a mystic royal astrologer, and the evil and deadly razor-handed Gamesh! Chapter 6 of Conan's voyage along the Road of Kings is one you won't want to miss! Written by legendary Conan scribe Roy Thomas and illustrated by artists extraordinaire Mike Hawthorne and John Lucas! Cover price $3.50.

Barry Smith reprints (Conan #1-3) plus new cover. Cover to Conan the Barbarian #1 by Barry Windsor-Smith. The Coming of Conan!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by Dan Adkins; Conan battles at Vanaheim and sees his future; Tara returns to her dimension. Cover to Conan the Barbarian #2 by Barry Windsor-Smith. Lair of the Beast-Men !, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by Sal Buscema; in the underground city of Brutheim, Conan leads humans in a revolution against their ape-masters; Conan kills a snow-lion. Cover to Conan the Barbarian #3 by Barry Windsor-Smith. The Twilight of the Grim Grey God !, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by Sal Buscema; Conan converses with God Borri Borri, participates in a great and bloody battle, and kills Malachi. Text article with map of Hyboria. 8" x 11". 68 pgs., B&W. $2.00. Cover price $2.00.

Barry Smith reprints (Conan #10-11 and "Cimmeria" poem) plus new cover. Cover to Conan the Barbarian #10 by Barry Windsor-Smith. Beware the Wrath of Anu!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by Sal Buscema; Conan teams with Burgun in thievery; Burgun is betrayed & hung; Conan avenges his death by killing Aron & a priest; Jenna leaves Conan for Igon. Men of the Shadows, script by Stan Lee, pencils by Syd Shores, inks by Christopher Rule. The King and the Oak, art by Marie Severin, John Severin, and Roy Thomas; illustrated poem adapted from poem by Robert E. Howard. 8" x 11". 68 pgs., B&W. $2.00. Cover price $2.00.

Barry Smith reprints (Conan #12-14) plus new cover. Cover to Conan the Barbarian #12, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Ralph Reese; Conan becomes Captain of the royal guard in the small city-state of Zahmahn as well as the lover of Queen Fatima; When the Queen catches Conan with the servant girl Yaila in a delicate situation, she leaves them in the dungeon to be devoured by the Dweller in the Dark. The Blood of the Dragon, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Gil Kane, Tom Palmer, and Bernie Wrightson; in Conan's Hyborian in the kingdom of Aqilonia, Kalligor desires to marry the Baron's daughter; he rides to kill the Hydragon and win her hand. 8" x 11". 68 pgs., B&W. $2.00. Cover price $2.00.

John Buscema reprint (Savage Sword # 7, 9); Boris Vallejo cover reprint. Conan illustration by Mike Docherty and Fraja Bator. Citadel at the Center of Time, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Alfredo Alcala; Conan and his raiders attack a caravan but find only a girl and a sabre-tooth cat for loot; Conan travels to the city of Akbitana to discover the secret of the mysterious Citadel that has appeared there. Curse of the Cat-Goddess, script by Roy Thomas, art by Pablo Marcos; Conan returns to his desert Zuagirs to find they have raided a religious caravan; A cat-like idol brain-washes first Conan and then Fazal into doing its bidding, until Conan regains his senses and disposes of it. Conan illustration by Fraja Bator. 8" x 11". 68 pgs., B&W. $2.00. Cover price $2.00.

Dick Giordano Conan reprint and Solomon Kane reprint (Savage Sword # 25); John Buscema portfolio (Savage Sword # 19) Cover price $2.00.

Gil Kane reprint (Giant-Size Conan #1-2); Bill Sienkiewicz cover reprint Cover price $2.00.

Gil Kane and John Buscema reprints (Giant-Size Conan), plus King Kull reprint by Mike Ploog. Boris cover reprint. Cover price $2.00.

John Buscema reprint Cover price $2.00.

John Buscema reprint; Boris cover reprint Cover price $2.25.

John Buscema reprint (Savage Sword # 52); Walt Simonson reprint Cover price $2.25.

John Buscema reprint from Conan 74-77; Michael Golden cover reprint Cover price $2.25.

Written by Jim Zub. Art by Scot Eaton. Cover by Carlos Pacheco. THE WRATH OF THE SERPENT GOD! WARRIORS ACROSS TIME DEFY THE ELDER GODS! JAMES ALLISON will soon die. But it's not his first death. He's lived many lives, in many places - lives he can recall in vivid detail. But when an Elder God called the WYRM reaches across time to James, an ages-spanning quest begins! The serpent god SET plans to usher in an eternity of darkness, and only the chosen warriors across time and space have a hope of stopping him: CONAN THE BARBARIAN, SOLOMON KANE, DARK AGNES, and the man known as MOON KNIGHT! In an unprecedented comics event, Robert E. Howard's characters join forces along with Marvel's Moon Knight, in an all-new saga built on REH and Marvel lore from across the ages! 36 pages, full color. PARENTAL ADVISORY Cover price $4.99.

Limited 1 for 50 Retailer Incentive Variant Cover. Written by Jim Zub. Art by Stephen Segovia and Vanesa R. Del Rey. Cover by Jung-Geun Yoon. THE WRATH OF THE SERPENT GOD! WARRIORS ACROSS TIME DEFY THE ELDER GODS! JAMES ALLISON will soon die. But it's not his first death. He's lived many lives, in many places - lives he can recall in vivid detail. But when an Elder God called the WYRM reaches across time to James, an ages-spanning quest begins! The serpent god SET plans to usher in an eternity of darkness, and only the chosen warriors across time and space have a hope of stopping him: CONAN THE BARBARIAN, SOLOMON KANE, DARK AGNES, and the man known as MOON KNIGHT! In an unprecedented comics event, Robert E. Howard's characters join forces along with Marvel's Moon Knight, in an all-new saga built on REH and Marvel lore from across the ages! 28 pages, full color. PARENTAL ADVISORY Cover price $3.99.

Cover art by Barry Windsor-Smith. The Frost Giant's Daughter, script by Roy Thomas, art by Barry Windsor-Smith; setting: Snowy battlefield; Conan chases Atali across the snow, slays her two frost giant brothers, and catches her; Her father, Ymir then takes her from Conan. This story originally appeared in Savage Tales 1, but for its publication here Windsor-Smith added another page (a new splash page), and some panels and dialogue were altered for Comics Code approval. Back-up reprint story: The Sword and the Sorcerers (from Chamber of Darkness 4), script by Roy Thomas, art by Windsor-Smith. Also in this issue: a full-page reprint of the Hyborian Age map from Conan 1. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Cover layout by John Romita Sr., pencils and inks Ernie Chan. Beware of the Hyrkanians Bearing Gifts, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua]; setting: Turan capital city of Aghrapur; Conan returns to Aghrapur and saves King Yildiz from a stone golem; Conan and Amytis are romantically involved. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A # 10 (Luke Cage, Power Man). 36 pgs. Cover price $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita. Brothers of the Blade, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Frank Springer; setting: City of Ronnoco & countryside; Conan fights the blade brothers & kills Slicer & Steel-Skull; Tara kills Clawfoot. Captain Marvel stars in a one-page Hostess ad, The Big Bang! 36 pgs. Cover price $0.25. Cover price $0.25.

Cover pencils by Gil Kane. Belit guest stars in Fiends of the Feathered Serpent!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by the Tribe (Tony DeZuniga and others); setting: Tigress & isolated island; Tale of Ahmaan the Merciless of the Black Corsairs; Tez kills Baktu; Conan, Belit, & N'yaga kill Tez; Conan fights feathered serpent. Captain America stars in a one-page Hostess ad, The Red Skull. Bulletman, the Human Bullet Blasts Into the GI Joe Super Adventure Team ad. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.25. Cover price $0.25.

Cover pencils by John Buscema, inks by Ernie Chan. Belit cameo in The Lost Valley of Iskander!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Howard Chaykin, inks by Ernie Chan; setting: Hilly country & city of Attalus (founded by Alexander the Great); Conan guards the mystic eye of the serpent god, Set; Conan rescues Bardylis; adapted from the non-Conan story by Robert E. Howard. Arnold Schwarzenegger appears in a one-page Joe Weider ad. 32 pgs. Cover price $0.30. Cover price $0.30.

"The Games of Gharn." Script by Bruce Jones, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Danny Bulanadi. Captain America stars in a one-page Hostess ad, "The Deciding Factor!" Back-cover Dungeons & Dragons ad with art by Bill Willingham. Kane cover. Cover price $0.60.

Cover art by John Buscema. Cauldron of the Doomed! starring Conan, Marielle DeBruvahr, and Nateesa, script by Michael Fleisher, plot and art by John Buscema; Conan is tamed by a rich woman and her drugged wine. The letters page contains a statement of ownership--average print run 418,034; average paid circulation 206,434. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.60. Cover price $0.60.

Cover art by Ernie Chan. Cavern of the Vines of Doom! starring Conan, Fafnir, and Krylxxa (death), script by Michael Fleisher, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Charles Vess; Fafnir rescues a lovely, but odd woman; Taking her home, they meet a race of plant creatures. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.60. Cover price $0.60.

Cover art by Ernie Chan. Honor Among Thieves!, script by Jim Owsley, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Bob Camp; Conan, Tetra and her father Zacharus seek the second half of a treasure map held by a white man, Keiv, deep in pict lands; The map is found carved onto the chest of Delmurio; Pict shaman Kawagne plots with wizard Nostume against Conan; Keiv is betrayed by Nostume and turned into a hairy beast form. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.65. Cover price $0.65.

Cover art by John Buscema. Rites of Inquisition starring Conan, Anneka, Shapur, Mad Simeon, Keiv, Kaleb, Solaise, Council of Seven, and Devourer of Souls, script by Jim Owsley, breakdowns by John Buscema, finished art by Ernie Chan; Conan vows to discover who had the boy-king Jahli killed. The Council of Seven tasks the Devourer of Souls to prevent that. One-page TSR ad with art by Larry Elmore. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.75. Cover price $0.75.

Cover art by Ron Wagner. Dark Horse, script by Jim Owsley and Val Semeiks, pencils by Val Semeiks, inks by Alfredo Alcala; In Sereb, the Devourer's winged Black Horse impatiently awaits his master's return; He has liberated all local horses and serves as their protector against men. 36 pgs. Cover price $1.00. Cover price $1.00.

Cover art by Ron Wagner. Narrow House, script by Jim Owsley (plot, script) and Valdis Semeiks (plot), pencils by Val Semeiks, inks by Alfredo Alcala; A 17-year-old Conan battles Aesir and encounters an odd temple; A much older Conan is attacked by Ghamud tribesmen; In pursuit of the lone survivor, he finds a twin to the temple of his youth. 36 pgs. Cover price $1.00. Cover price $1.00.

Cover pencils by Michael Higgins, inks by Jim Lee. Birth on the Battlefield (Young Conan part 1 of 9), script by Michael Higgins, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Dan Adkins; Conan's father and Jorrma's father battle each other; Witness the birth of Conan— and the battle that destroyed his village! 36 pgs. Cover price $1.00. Cover price $1.00.

Cover pencils by Sandy Plunkett, inks by P. Craig Russell. On the Wings of Demons, script by Roy Thomas (framing sequence) and Sandy Plunkett (story), pencils by Tony DeZuniga (framing seq) and Sandy Plunkett (story), inks by Tony DeZuniga (framing seq) and Del Barras (story); Conan helps some ship builders against cat-men. 36 pgs. Cover price $1.00. Cover price $1.00.

CONAN THE RENEGADE - Part 1 of 4. A civil war results when a prince rebels against the king. Conan and Isparana enlist with the Cimmerian's former mercenary commander, Amalric, but just which side is the Turanian sorcerer, Agohoth, on? Characters: Conan; Isparana; Amalric; Drusandra (first appearance); Ariel (first appearance); Borrin (first appearance); Agohoth (first appearance). "Silver Rain" is written by Roy Thomas, with art by Mike Docherty and Ricardo Villagran. Cover by Colin MacNeil. (Note: adapted from Leonard Carpenter's TOR novel 'Conan the Renegade.') Cover price $1.25.

Cover art by Colin MacNeil. When Mountains Walk (Conan the Renegade part 4 of 4), script by Roy Thomas, art by Mike Docherty; Conan and the Free Companions invade Tantusium; adapted from the Tor novel Conan the Renegade by Leonard Carpenter. 36 pgs. Cover price $1.25. Cover price $1.25.

Cover art by Colin MacNeil. The Lords of the Lotus, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Mike Docherty, inks by Ricardo Villagran; Conan leaves his companions and goes to a bar in Shadizar (looking for a job) where he gets into a fight and reunites with Maldiz; Conan battles Yathas and deals with the proliferation of the drug, Grey Lotus. 36 pgs. Cover price $1.25. Cover price $1.25.

Know, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. Hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the earth under his sandled feet. (Translation: Conan came. Conan saw. Conan kicked booty!) Written by Roland Green. Pencils and cover by Claudio Castellini. Cover price $2.50.

Limited 1 for 25 Retailer Incentive Variant Cover. Written by Jason Aaron. Art by Mahmud A. Asrar. Cover by Greg Land. THE CRIMSON WITCH GETS CLOSER TO HER GOAL AS 'THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CONAN' CONTINUES! Hungry and desperate, CONAN's experience in 'civilization' takes a dark turn… When Conan is caught thieving, he'll discover the penalty is DEATH! But how does this figure in to the CRIMSON WITCH's plan? 28 pages, full color. Parental Advisory Cover price $3.99.