The
Surviving Conan Typescripts
The following list is a complete inventory of all the manuscripts
and typescripts featuring Robert E. Howard's character, Conan,
that are known to exist. It is based on a list assembled by Glenn
Lord, the former literary agent for Robert E. Howard's literary
estate, and Mr. Lord has graciously given his permission to print
the list here. I happened to be corresponding with the French
Robert E. Howard scholar, Patrice Louinet, and he had mentioned
that there were a couple missing manuscript pages on the list and
that a few pages were mis-identified.
Mr. Louinet graciously made the required corrections and, in
addition, has generously provided a partial timeline of the order
in which Howard wrote the stories. This timeline is based on Mr.
Louinet's previous and excellent article, "The Birth of
Conan" (found in The Dark Man #4, ed. by Rusty Burke, Pub.
Necronomicon Press). Needless to say, this is a work in progress.
The history of Howard's manuscripts is somewhat muddled and
unknown. I don't mean to say it's entirely unknown, but only that
there is an element of uncertainty. We really don't know if there
are any more typescripts than the ones listed here. It is my hope,
that if someone out there in the world reads this and discovers
that they have, or know of, a typescript which is not mentioned
here, that the conscientious individual will contact someone in
the literary field so that the typescript can be included with the
rest. This would have the effect of helping literary researchers
understand and learn more about Howard's work and his writing
process.
And so, without any further ado... the complete Conan
typescripts...
THE PHOENIX ON THE SWORD
(early March 1932)
Pp. 1-23 (missing last page)
Pp. 1-8, 12-27 (missing three pages)
Pp. 7-13, 27-28, another p. 28 (pages 1-6 from previous draft, pp.
14-26 reused in next draft, p. 28 rewritten)
Pp. 1-4, 9-10 (rewriting of chapter 1 & 2 per FW's
suggestions)
THE FROST-GIANT'S DAUGHTER
(early March 1932)
Pp. 1-8 (complete)
Pp. 1-9 (complete)
2 MAPS + HYBORIAN NAMES PAGE
(mid March 1932)
THE GOD IN THE BOWL
(mid to late March 1932)
Pp. 1-16 of 16 pp. (complete)
Pp. 1-23 of 22 pp. (no page 7, but complete)
Pp. 1-22 of 22 pp., plus another page 8, (immediately (?)
rewritten) (complete)
THE HYBORIAN AGE
(late March 1932)
Pp. 1-2 of 2 pp.
Pp. 1-7 of 7 pp. (unf.)
Pp. 2-12 of 12 pp.
THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT
(late March – early April 1932)
Pp. 1-22 of 22 pp. (complete)
P. 3 (undoubtedly discarded page from definitive version)
THE SCARLET CITADEL
(circa April/May/June 1932)
Synopsis - 1 p.
Pp. 1-19 of 19 pp. (complete, story diminishing to synopsis)
Pp. 1-40 (no page 9, but complete)
Pp. 32-35 of 35 pp.
Pp. 1-51 of 51 pp. (retyped from the WT appearance in June 1933)
BLACK COLOSSUS
(circa October 1932)
Synopsis - 1 p.
Pp. 1-51 (complete)
Pp. 1-48 (complete)
Pp. 7-8, 34-42
P. 44
IRON SHADOWS IN THE MOON
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-37 plus unnumbered page to be inserted between pp. 9 and 10
(complete)
QUEEN OF THE BLACK COAST
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-33 of 33 pp.
Pp. 1-17 of 17 pp. (unf.)
Pp. 16-35 of 35 pp.
XUTHAL OF THE DUSK
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-39 of 39 pp.
THE SNOUT IN THE DARK
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-11 of 11 pp. (unf.; published version)
Synopsis - 2 pp.
THE VALE OF THE LOST WOMEN
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-17 (complete)
Pp. 1-21 (complete)
THE POOL OF THE BLACK ONE
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-34 of 34 pp.
THE HALL OF THE DEAD
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Synopsis - 1 p.
DRUMS OF TOMBALKU
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-29 of 29 pp.
Synopsis - 3 pp.
THE HAND OF NERGAL
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-3 of 3 pp. (unf.; published version)
THE DEVIL IN IRON
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-37 of 37 pp.
THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 217-230 of 230 pp.
Pp. 153-163, 165-169 of 169 pp.
Pp. 210-221, 227-237 of 237 pp.
Pp. 1-162 of 162 pp.
Pp. 1-7, 21-29, 31-119 of 119 pp. (unf.)
Pp. 1, 3-196 of 196 pp. (unf.)
Pp. 1-4, 6, 9, 15-18, 24, 38-39, 46-50, 52, 55, 61, 70, 72, 79-80,
85, 94, 96-99, 101, 111, 113, 117, 122, 128, 134-136, 151, 170,
206, 211-213, 216-217, 221-223, 225-226, 228-229, 232-241 of 241
pp.
Synopsis - 2 pp. (unf.)
Notes for the story:
(Note: I have over 100 pages of drafts from these, but from which
ones ?)
A
WITCH SHALL BE BORN
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Synopsis - 1 p.
Pp. 1-55 of 55 pp. (c.c. of published version)
THE MAN-EATERS OF ZAMBOULA
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-40 of 40 pp. (c.c. of published version)
Pp. 1-33 of 33 pp.
Pp. 1-24 of 24 pp.
Synopsis - 1 p.
THE SERVANTS OF BIT-YAKIN
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-56 of 56 pp.
Pp. 1-48 of 48 pp.
Pp. 1-33 of 33 pp.
THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-55, 57-80 of 80 pp.
Pp. 91-98 of 98 pp.
Pp. 10-41, 43-98 of 98 pp. (c.c. of published version)
NOTES ON VARIOUS PEOPLES OF THE HYBORIAN AGE
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-2 of 2 pages
WOLVES BEYOND THE BORDER
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-15 of 15 pp. (unf, diminishing to a synopsis)
Pp. 1-25 of 25 pp. (unf.; published version)
BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-56 of 56 pp.
Pp. 1-69 of 69 pp. (c.c. of published version)
THE BLACK STRANGER
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 35, 47-81 of 81 pp.
Pp. 47-93 of 93 pp.
Pp. 1-98 of 98 pp. (published version)
Pp. 1-98 of 98 pp. (c.c. of above)
Pp. 1-8, 11-50, 52-64 of 64 pp.
Synopsis - 2 pp.
RED NAILS
(no
definitive chronological placement done yet)
Pp. 1-52 of ? pp.
Pp. 27-91 of 91 pp.
Pp. 97-100 of 100 pp.
Pp. 17-102 of 102 pp. (c.c. of published version)
(Patrice
Louinet, Glenn
Lord and Ed Waterman contributed to the content and presentation
of this list.)
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