Today is Robert E. Howard's 102 birthday. He was creator of Conan the Barbarian and the originator of the Sword and Sorcery genre. Plus, Howard wrote many other wonderful adventure tales set in both modern and ancient times.
But the idea of a man making his living by writing seemed, in that hardy environment, so fantastic that even today I am sometimes myself assailed by a feeling of unreality.-Robert E. Howard
-Robert E. Howard
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
A scene from the movie The Whole Wide World where Howard, played by Vincent D'Onofrio, talks about his favorite creation, Conan.
-Swinebread
13 comments:
Crom's Bones!
Happy R.E.H. B-Day!
Hail Rob!
Hail Conan!
Happy birthday Howard.
Awesome author.
How appropriate I'm reading several trade paperbacks of the Dark Horse issues of Conan!
Hmmm, who is the mysterious man behind it all!
Bubbers!
It sucks he killed himself, I'm sure there would have been more interesting stories! Glad at least he's getting the recognition he deserves.
what I find neat is that you aren't often able to point to a single person to create an enduring genre. Some things, like Rock and Roll evolve, but some things are seemingly sculpted out of the ether. REH did it. George A. Romero did it. Jules Verne did it.
That's all I can think of. Anybody?
Arkonbey – Yeah! none of that wimpy Mitra.
Dr. S – I concur
Dean – so true
LB – All part of the plan. I’m glad he is finally getting his due too.
Arkonbey – Wow, um… Maybe William Gibson and Cyberpunk? …and maybe George Miller and The Road Warrior?
Wow. He died young, but his contributions were significant. RIP.
just posting this here, seeing as it wouldn't really be appropriate in the Heath Ledger post, I just wanted you guys to know I have posted a quiz on my blog for it's readers. if any of you would like to fill it out, you cans end it to me at dr.smoke@hotmail.it and I'll post it on the blog, possibly with a picture of you done by me.
thanks.
Swine: I don't know about Mr. Gibson. I like his work (but prefer Stephenson). Cyperpunk is to sci-fi what Alternative is to music; it's hard to pin down its origins.
But before REH, there was, of course, mythology and legend, but he created a single character that became an archetype.
The same with Romero. Sure, there were horror movies, but name one film that featured flesh-eating undead made before 1968. Now you can't throw a stick in the video store without hitting a flesh-eating zombie film.
First Arnold Schwarzenegger ruined Conan, now he is ruining California. There is no justice.
Dr. Z.
I would disagree with you if not for the existence of Conan the Destroyer.
How can you go on living when you've created a ideal you could never live up to? It seems throughout history that creative people sometimes have very short lives. Maybe it comes with the territory.
Long Live REH,in each of us whose blood pumps madly as we read his stories. And who are driven to go out and live that much bigger and brighter as we set aside his tales and rush headlong back out into life.
And may we all pick our own time to die, when the passion ebbs.
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