Conan The Barbarian

Synopsis for "The Altar and the Scorpion!” For the first time Conan enters Nemedia and arrives at its capital Belverus. Searching employment as mercenary, he meets Murilo again, whom he first encountered four years ago as nobleman of a corinthian city-state (Vol 1 11). Exiled because of to much betrayal of state secrets, he now is the merry leader of the Crimson Company and a known Condottiere. Together with a new aquaintance, the teenage acrobat Tara from the nemedian city of Hanumar, Conan joins Murilos mercenaries in their next campaign in Ophir. Assuming the new role as second-in-command, Conan begins training with Murilo to refine his fencing skills. The company travels south and arrives in Ophir, headed for the city of Ronnoco, their future employer. On the way they have to search a temple of the old scorpion god, who in the time of Kull of Valusia knew how to protect his faithful against the disciples of the shadow god. The remains of one of them, a dangerous shadow ring, is the target of the mercenaries. Conan has to defeat a gigantic scorpion statue turned alive for the mercenaries to find the ring of the black shadow beneath the altar. Murilo dares not to take the ring and positions two men to guard it, while the company travels to Ronnoco. Driven by greed, one of the guards takes the ring and is transformed into a big shadow creature that swallows the second guard and grows larger.

Conan the Barbarian Vol 1 52
Art by: John Buscema, Tom Palmer, John Romita and Danny Crespi
Release Date
April 15, 1975
Cover Date
July, 1975
Issue Details
Editor-in-Chief
Marv Wolfman
1. "The Altar and the Scorpion!"
Appearances · Synopsis
Story is an adaptation of the original material by Robert E. Howard
Writer(s)
Roy Thomas
Penciler(s)
John Buscema
Inker(s)
Tom Palmer
Colorist(s)
Phil Rachelson
Letterer(s)
John Costanza
Editor(s)
Roy Thomas

Appearing in "The Altar and the Scorpion!"

Featured Characters:

Conan (Joins the Crimson Company)

Supporting Characters:

Crimson Company (First appearance)
⏴ Murilo ⏵
Tara of Hanumar (Joins)
Gezpacho (First appearance)
Clops (First appearance)
Anakus (First appearance)
Dirkov (First appearance; dies)
Coppolus (First appearance; dies)
Asshuri (Shemitish mercenaries) (First appearance)
Gallio (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
Irena (First appearance) (Only in flashback)

Antagonists:

Great Scorpion / Scorpion God
Thuron (First appearance; dies) (Only in flashback)
Black Shadow (Only in flashback) (Also mentioned as the Unnameable One)

Other Characters:

Citizens of Belverus
Stable-meister
Mitra (Invoked)
Crom (Invoked)
Ishtar (Mentioned)
Red Priest (Mentioned)
Valka, God of All Gods (Invoked)
King Kull of Valusia (Only in flashback)
Thoth-Amon (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Humans
Horses
Gods (Invoked)
Elder Gods (Mentioned)
Elder Race (Only in flashback)

Locations:

Earth
Hyboria (Hyborian Age)
Nemedia
Belverus (First appearance)
Zingara (Mentioned)
Koth (Mentioned)
Corinthia (Mentioned)
Cimmeria (Mentioned)
Argos (Mentioned)
Ophir (First appearance)
Plain of Shamu (First appearance) (Mountain city of Thuron in the Pre-Cataclysmic Age)
Ruins (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
Temple of Everlasting Darkness (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
City-state of Ronnoco (Mentioned)
Hanumar (Mentioned)
Soutern Marches (Mentioned)
Stygia (Mentioned)
Thuria (Pre-Cataclysmic Age)
Valusia (Only in flashback)
Outer fringes of Valusia (Only in flashback)
Mountain city of Thuron (First appearance) (Main story and flashback) (Plain of Shamu in the Hyborian Age)
Temple of Everlasting Darkness (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
City of Wonders (Mentioned)
Atlantis (Mentioned)

Items:

Ring of the Black Shadow (First appearance)
Serpent Ring (Mentioned)

Events:

Hyborian Age
Belverus (Springtime Festival)
Pre-Cataclysmic Age

Notes

The Altar and the Scorpion was inspired by the story by Robert E. Howard.
Cover art modifications by Romita (Conan’s face).
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Conan_the_Barbarian_Vol_1_52

Jul 1975

Marvel Comics Group

8522471745580806542655

52

1975

1st

United States

$0.25

Bronze Age

English

Magazine

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Conan The Barbarian

The New 52

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