Number 1102
Crom the Barbarian
As promised Monday, here's another story by John Giunta, this time signing himself "Jay Gee."
Giunta did "Crom the Barbarian and the Spider God of Akka" for Avon's Out Of This World #2, in 1950. It appeared in a 32-page comic book insert for an issue of Avon's pulp magazine of the same name, where I got the scans for this story.
From what I understand, Gardner Fox wrote "Crom," and based him on Conan the Barbarian. Crom was Conan's god, to whom he swore mighty oaths. I'm not sure why Fox named his character after Conan's god, but appears to have been giving a nod to readers in the know, referring to the stories of Robert E. Howard.Giunta, who worked in comic books during the 1940s through at least the mid-'60s, died in 1970 at the young age of 50.
3 comments:
The name "Crom" that Howard used for the Cimmerian god, comes like the name Conan from the old Irish language. There was an idol called the Cromm Cruaich in County Cavan; the same name was used by Michael Moorcock for his "Corum"-series.
You know the expression "fires up a young boys imagination"?
This cover is the epitome of that!
Two bikini babes! One stabbing! Ripped hero! A lurking menace! An over-sized mail tube of the future!
Story is a little text heavy, though. Nice art but crowded out a lot.
[>] Brian
Axel, thanks for that information. By Crom, my readers are overflowing founts of information!
Gumba, I think of the OOTW #2 cover as being so outrageous it's a self-parody of that type of science fiction pulp illustration. Note the hero, although shirtless, is wearing a helmet but the bikini babes aren't.
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