REHupa

By the hoary beard of Crom, it continues to be a great time to be a fan (and collector) of Robert E. Howard! With REH Days staring us in the kisser, there has been a deluge of recent REH publishing and good stuff, the likes of which continually perpetuates the ongoing interest in Robert E. Howard. (Insert deep sigh of satisfaction from here in Northwest Cimmeriana…)

Undoubtedly, the most important bit of Howard publishing that has impacted us all in the last few years is the publishing of the three volumes of THE COLLECTED LETTERS, followed by THE COLLECTED POEMS. When the Robert E. Howard Foundation was created, its main goal was to perpetuate the Legacy of REH. These four books go such a long way into furthering Howard scholarship and the understanding of  Howard the Writer as Howard the Man. And the Foundation has much more coming – Howard’s well is not bottomless, but it is damn deep! And the Foundation is letting us all have a drink!

I am greatly encouraged by not only the professional publishing going on, but how the trend of REH fan activity is paying off in the name of Robert E. Howard. It does my heart good to see the interest in Ol’ Two-Gun is not fading, as some had feared after the incredible Centennial Year we had for REH in 2006. If anything, the studying, discussion and enjoyment of Bob Howard’s work is intensifying. (Deep sigh #2…)

Here are some specifics, starting with the pro stuff. (And no doubt some other info will pop up soon, so consider this list a work in progress.)

REH is finally getting his own book in the Penguin Classics series: HEROES IN THE WIND is a 400 page tome that will indeed give REH some lit creds. Wandering Star and Book Palace Books have announced the upcoming publication of the long-awaited deluxe edition of  THE CONQUERING SWORD OF CONAN. Finally, those magnificent Greg Manchess paintings in full color! Prion Books in the UK has recently come out with a fully illustrated public domain book of CONAN stories. (www.prionbooks.com) The leather & guilded cover Gollancz version of  THE COMPLETE CHRONICLES OF CONAN is now available in bookstores as a monster-sized paperback with fake leather cover. Simon Sanahujas has recently published CONAN THE TEXAN, his photojournalistic account of his travels in Bob Howard’s Texas with photographer Gwen Dubourthoumieu. And Barbara Barrett brings us THE WORDBOOK, a word index for the huge COLLECTED POEMS OF REH volume, via the REHF Press.

Speaking of the REH Foundation, their publishing plans are still ongoing, and a quarterly NEWSLETTER is available for members. The Newsletter is not only filled with REH news, but with exclusive REH material also, and extra chapbook goodies periodically. Well worth the yearly membership fee – hint hint. (www.rehfoundation.org)

More “fan” activity (actually “Semi-pro” endeavors) is coming from Damon Sasser with the June release of REH: TWO-GUN RACONTEUR #13. This magazine is a wonderful mix of Howard writing, essays, articles and great artwork that should be in the collections of all Howard Fans. Check it out at www.rehtwogunraconteur.com. THE DARK MAN, the Howard literary journal, will publish V4N2, also in June. (www.beyond49.ca/TDM). Dennis McHaney has announced the revised edition of  THE MAN FROM CROSS PLAINS will debut at REH Days 2009 in Cross Plains, and be available through the Howard House Gift Shop. Said gift shop also has an exclusive poetry volume now available, A WORD FROM THE OUTER DARK. And don’t forget that Leo Grin still has copies of  his magnificent THE CIMMERIAN Howard journal available over at www.thecimmerian.com.

In conjunction with Robert E. Howard Days, there will be a special REH Day at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Jacksonville, Florida. Nice to see REH activity not limited to Central Texas on June 13!

And word has just come that the Cross Plains Review, Howard’s hometown newspaper, has begun serializing the Breckenridge Elkins stories in their weekly edition. (No website or e-mail, but you can subscribe via phone – 254/725-6111 or write for info). This will give quite a boost to Howard’s literary reputation and give him some just due in the town where all his wonderful work was created.

As you can see, there’s a hell of a lot going on in the name of Robert E. Howard, and if there’s more – please let me know. It’s great fun keeping up with “What’s Happening with REH”, but it’s sometimes a daunting task. And I haven’t even delved into games & movies and other media sensations! Robert E. Howard Days 2009 (click on the bar at the top of this page for complete updated info) is less than three weeks away, and we’re going to run a “What’s Happening” panel there – no doubt there’ll be more news to add then.

Hope to see some of youse mugs there, and let’s keep the torch lit.