CROM! Contest Announcement!

Here’s the deal. It’s time to freshen things up on CROM! starting at the top, which means…a brand spanking new blog header! What’s a blog header you ask? Simply put, it's a picture.  Here’s what our header looks like now (and it’s a damn fine one, I must say)…

I don’t know if our current header was created by the mighty Reis, is government issue, or perhaps two other blog headers got together and nine months later, poof! Regardless, it’s time for something new, and this is where you come in…yes, YOU!

OK, that’s probably not you, I've just been looking for an excuse to post that pic! Damn you Cromsblood, quit stalling. What the hell can I win? Well our ONE big winner will receive…

These five issues of Conan Saga (#31 through #35), from the late 80’s/early 90’s…


But wait, there’s more! I’m also including these five issues of The Savage Sword of Conan (#167 through #171), also printed in and around 1990!


Hell, I’m feeling a little giddy, so I’m also throwing this in…


Yup, it’s the Marvel Graphic Novel, “Conan The Barbarian, The Horn of Azoth”, 1990 First Printing!

Count 'em, a total of eleven Conan comics in all!  And just so you know, all of these mags are in really good condition, but they’re not mint. Now…it’s a contest, and like any good contest, there has got to be some rules…


CROM! HEADER CONTEST - OFFICIAL RULES

1. The new header must be a picture 600 pixels wide and 125 pixels high, and must have the words “CROM The Ultimate Conan Fan Blog" somewhere on it.


2. Limit of one entry per person, sent to me at cromsblood@rocketmail.com. Please put “CROM CONTEST” in the subject line.  If you have a blog/website of your own, include that in the email too!


3. Submissions must be received before midnight on Friday, April 23, at which time we will select some finalists, post them on CROM!, and readers will vote to determine our prize winner!


Cool? I will, of course, need the mailing address of the winner at some point, but I can always email you and get that information after the fact. The contest starts today, so please join in, and win yourself some Conan swag!

We've Got Stones!

Milestones that is.  Yes, I'm blowing my own horn (of Azoth).  Hell, I'm more than willing to pass the horn around so you can all have a blow,  and no, that's not oral herpes I've got, but simply blistering from the scorching sun as I made my way home from the desert city of Shem.

We have indeed reached some significant milestones around here of late, and it's high time we celebrated with a flagon of ale, a buxom wench or two, and our very first CONTEST on CROM!  (well, our second, but the winner is getting real stuff this time!).  Details will come tomorrow so be sure and check back then...today we're talking milestones:

+100 followers (114 and counting...by the swollen breasts of Ishtar!)

+ 100 countries  (since the flag counter was added 4 months ago, visitors have come from a whopping 116 countries!  Hyborians of the world unite!)

+ 100,000 total pageviews (Crom count the carpal tunnel sufferers!)

On top of all of that, we've had a record breaking number of pageviews this month!

That said:

A GINORMOUS shout out to CROM! readers around the world! 

Remember, check back tomorrow for all the gory CONTEST details!

Conan the Barbarian Destroyer!

Reis wasn't kidding when he says that Conan the Destroyer killed a potentially great movie franchise.  Few even remember the third and final movie in the trilogy, Conan the Barbarian Destroyer, released exclusively on Betamax back in 1992.  Here's the trailer for those of you who need their memory jogged...

Conan the Destroyer Article from Star Blazer Magazine!

I came across this old article hyping the release of the abysmal crap-fest, Conan the Destroyer. They do their best to really talk it up and I admit it's a charming look into the pop-culture past of our favorite barbarian. It's followed by a brief two-page interview with the director (i.e. - the man who single-handedly killed the Conan movie franchise) and then capped off by an almost hilarious contest page in which fans were invited to write in why the loved Conan the Destroyer. My answer would have been brief, and probably included an f-bomb or two. ;)

Enjoy...

Gremai!

From the pages of El Reino Salvaje de Conan #10 and #11, and featuring two more fantástico Saiz/Blanco covers along with another story by the team of Juan Carlos Cereza and Isaac M. Del Rivero, it’s the Conan tale Gremai! Isaac’s really outdone himself this time with even more enchanting artwork...case in point:

By the blue balls of CROM! Now bask in the further exploits of Conan…mercenary, reaver, nomad, thief, ladies man extraordinaire!

(click images to enlarge)

Conan 3D CGI Project by Ralph Sutter!

CROM! reader, Rrozum, passed along a link to one seriously badass 3D graphics project by designer/animator Ralph Sutter and I just had to post it here. Well done Ralph! And thanks to Rrozum for sending it our way!

Conan "What If..." Cover on Covered Blog!

Our fearless Cimmerian has shown up once again on the brilliant Covered blog, which features new renditions of classic comic book covers. This time, arist Joy Kolitsky takes a hearty swing at the vintage Marvel "What If..." issue in which Conan goes toe-to-toe with Wolverine himself! Her take on the cover is surprisingly elegant and makes for a cool juxtaposition against the brutal imagery.

Check it out...

Here's the original...

Conan Costumes from CROM! Readers!

Hail Fellow COnan Fans! I just wanted to give a quick shout out to CROM! readers and fellow Hyborian warriors, John K. and Leslie T. who contacted me via email to show off their killer costumes. John has put together an awesome Conan costume which he has worn to various Ren-Faires and Leslie mentioned that she's working on a Valeria costume that I have a sneaking suspicion she will look gorgeous in!

Mad thanks to John and Leslie for sharing their pics with us and keep up the killer costume work!

Grey Is My Skull!

I'm back with another Conan tale loosely translated from Spanish to English, this one from El Reino Salvaje de Conan #5, entitled Gris Es Mi Calavera! This time round, both the cover and the story are penciled by Jesús Sáiz and inked by Fernando Blanco!

It's a strange little adventure, and another penned by José Miguel Pallarés, in which Conan loses a little weight along the way (Crom curse you Jenny Craig).   Sure he's wiry, but remains a force to be reckoned with!

So take a little trip with our favorite son of Cimmeria into the madness that is...Grey Is My Skull!

(click images to enlarge)

Conan Movie Women!

Looks like the leading hotties have been chosen for Conan (2010), so it’s high time for an in-depth analysis of those selections, based largely on their work history.

Let’s start with Rachel Nichols, who will tackle the role of Tamara, and according to the casting breakdown, is (among other things) “not in the least intimidated by Conan’s size or grim demeanor and their alliance eventually blossoms into something that surprises them both."

After a lengthly review, I have a sneaking suspicion that she'll be suitable for the part...my criteria:

1.  Can make you want to reach out and touch any ratty old t-shirt...check.

2.  Made a Maxim appearance, and looked damn fine, even while holding a dead cat...yup.

3.  Can improvise when her wardrobe goes missing...uh huh.

4.  Has her own action figure...why yes.

5.  Isn't afraid to step out of her comfort zone...hell yeah!

6.  Reis would approve...if I remember correctly, he's got this "thing" for green women, so I'm guessing yes.

And then there's Rose McGowan, who according to ComicBookMovie.com, “is to play an evil half-human/half-witch.”...no easy task, even for Rose.  Will she stand up to my intensive scrutiny?
 
1.  Made a Maxim appearance, and her prosthetic leg didn't detract from her overall hotness...check.

2.  Also has her own action figure...sure does.

3.  Has all her teeth, and when she bares them, you don't feel like running away...yuh huh.

4.  Knows how to focus your attention on her assets...definitely.

5.  Pretty good odds that you'll run into her at a Comic-Con, and if you play your cards right, she just might sign your "thingy"...I'm liking your odds.

6.  Looks good in a Hyboria "friendly" outfit (minus the heels)...check.

Well there you have it. Draw your own conclusions.