Conan finally makes it to Zamora, when of course, within minutes he's dodging a murderous mob, rescuing a mysterious beauty, and riding headlong toward certain doom.

Lace them boot up tight, folks as we dive into Conan the Barbarian #41: The Garden of Death and Life, a sun-baked nightmare that begins with a beautiful woman fleeing for her life and ends with one of the most unsettling finales in the entire Marvel run.

What follows is pure Hyborian weirdness. A woman who never eats. A tree that should not exist. Giant seed pods hanging in the darkness. Missing corpses. Desert brigands destined to become plant food. And a growing realization that the lovely Zhadorr may not be what she appears to be. Inspired by classic science fiction and horror tales, Roy Thomas serves up a story that feels equal parts Weird Tales and midnight creature feature, while John Buscema and Ernie Chan deliver some of the creepiest imagery ever to stalk the pages of Conan the Barbarian.

So join us, Dear Listener, as we hack through the vines, trace the story's inspirations back to C. L. Moore and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and revel in a tale where the monster isn't hiding in the shadows—it's pretending to be the damsel in distress.

Grab your broadsword, avoid suspicious oases, and maybe don't follow strange women into the desert, because the Garden of Death and Life is blooming... and it's hungry.

Conan the Barbarian #41: The Garden of Death and Life was published by Marvel Comics in May of 1974.

Enjoy!

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Promos Used:

Another G.I. Joe Podcast

Play Comics

Infinite Earths: A Guide to the DC Multiverse

The Superman Super Show!

Opal City Confidential: A Starman Podcast

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Hither Came Conan is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at feedback@hithercameconan.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Cimmerian Press

We're doing something a little bit different today, folks.

All the information is in the episode:

After more reboots than popsicle sticks in the Potomac, Steeven Orr Else is back for one more try with an odd amalgamation of comic book critiques, movie musings, and pop culture ponderings that were recorded at various points for various shows over the last 20 years.

In this episode you will be baffled and more than a little amazed to be listening to the following segments:

A Look at John Byrne's first Fantastic Four issue #232 published by Marvel Comics in April, 1981. (Originally published in the second incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 1 from July 22, 2019)

A fake ad for The Comics Value Team. (Originally published in the third incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 2 from April 29, 2025)

Real Bacon or Turkey Bacon? (Originally published in the first incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 4 from September 24, 2018)

The Annual Binge-Watching Championship. (Originally published in the second incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 2 from September 13, 2018)

A Look at Bug! The Adventures of Forager published by DC Comics in May, 2018. (Originally published in the first incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 1 from September 6, 2018)

I Learn Something New Everyday: Conan Was a King First! (Originally published in the second incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 1 from July 22, 2019)

My Honda Street Racer. (Originally published in the first incarnation of the Steeven Orr Else podcast Episode 4 from September 24, 2018)

Audio Clips Used:

IT Crowd | Series Four, Episode 5: Bad Boys (July 23, 2010)

Scrubs | Season 2, Episode 2: My Nightingale (October 3, 2002)

The Theme Song to Facts of Life Season 2 (1980–81)

Drinkin'stein by Sylvester Stallone from the movie Rhinestone (1984)

Promos Used:

Hither Came Conan

V for Vendetta on Magazines and Monsters

Mike's Comic Shop Roadshow

Just Another Fanboy is a presentation of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, check out somanypodcasts.com.

Questions and comments can be directed to justanotherfanboy@gmail.com

If you enjoyed the show, you can help to boost our presence online by leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast app.

I also invite you to join our subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond, and in return, you'll get episodes of Just Another Fanboy, along with every other podcast under the Steeven Orr Else Media umbrella early and ad-free. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

Gold calls. Ruins answer. And something ancient wakes up angry.

In this episode of Hither Came Conan, Steeven drags us deep into Conan the Barbarian #40: The Fiend from the Forgotten City, a sun-scorched nightmare where greed is the only map and survival is never guaranteed.

Conan stumbles upon the lost city of Ababenzaar, a place stuffed with crumbling towers, ancient corpses, and a gemstone so powerful it might as well be a god in disguise.

The beefy barbarian cuts his way through ambushes and supernatural horror, only to learn (yet again) that cursed cities never go quietly… and neither do the things bound inside them.

So grab your sword, mind your bargains, and maybe leave the shiny rock where you found it — because this is Hither Came Conan Episode 62, and the Forgotten City does not forgive.

Conan the Barbarian #40: The Fiend from the Forgotten City was published by Marvel Comics in April of 1974.

Enjoy!

Hither Came Conan is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at feedback@hithercameconan.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Cimmerian Press

When Conan rides west he expects trouble. What he doesn't expect is a cursed fishing village, a mad priest, or a sea-beast the size of bus.

In Episode 61 we slam headfirst into Conan the Barbarian #39 in which bandits ambush the our hero, his horse is ruined, a venomous snake knocks him on his ass, and fate (and a fierce young woman named Rachalla) hauls him back from the brink.

What follows is pure, uncut pulp. A seaside town held hostage by a priest who trades blood for false salvation, virginal sacrifices chained to rocks, and a gargantuan dragon that’s really a nightmare crocodile erupting from the surf.

So grab your copy and gird your loins because this is one monster fight you can read in a single gulp.

Conan the Barbarian #39: The Dragon from the Inland Sea was published by Marvel Comics in March of 1974.

Enjoy!

Hither Came Conan is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at feedback@hithercameconan.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Cimmerian Press

Wine, promotions, dancing girls — and then everything goes completely sideways.

In today's episode of Hither Came Conan we tackle Conan the Barbarian #38, a tale that begins like a victory lap and ends in betrayal, monsters, and horse theft.

Steeven breaks down a story stuffed with pulp insanity: a suicidal spy, a soul-snorting priest, an invisible snake attack (yes, really), and a were-woman who refuses to stay bound by sorcery or good sense. Conan swings between mercy and murder, learns why bargains matter, and ultimately decides that Turanian politics are far more dangerous than any demon.

It’s a wild, occasionally bonkers chapter in Conan’s saga — and a blast to dissect.

This episode crackles with John Buscema’s bruising art, Roy Thomas’s pulpy inventions, and Steeven’s own savage, hilarious commentary — equal parts scholarly love and barbarian glee.

So grab your sword, your sense of wonder, and maybe a bandage, because this is a blood-spattered, laugh-out-loud deep-dive into curses, city politics, and why you should never trust a dancing girl with a dagger.

Conan the Barbarian #38: The Warrior and the Were-Woman was published by Marvel Comics in February of 1974.

Enjoy!

Hither Came Conan is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at feedback@hithercameconan.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Cimmerian Press

Get ready to gear up, lock in, and shout “Yo Joe!” as host Steeven Orr launches the mission with this all-new trailer for Another G.I. Joe Podcast!

Steeven introduces listeners to the show’s core mission: diving deep into G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, the iconic Marvel Comics series that began in 1982 and helped define 80s action storytelling.

The mission starts here. The adventure begins now.

Welcome to Another G.I. Joe Podcast.

Yo Joe!

Another G.I. Joe Podcast is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness like this episode, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at steevenorrelse@gmail.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

In a world where ancient wizards don’t stay dead…

In a valley where gold fuels madness…

One barbarian will face a curse older than the Hyborian Age itself.

In this episode of Hither Came Conan, Steeven unleashes the full, unstoppable fury of Conan the Barbarian #37: The Curse of the Golden Skull—a tale where a long-dead sorcerer rises in shimmering golden flesh, a kidnapped princess faces a fate worse than marriage, and a giant, ravenous slug slithers out of the abyss to devour anything dipped in glitter.

Captured by hillmen. Chained in the mines. Hunted through darkness by monsters too big to draw comfortably on a monthly deadline. Conan and Juma must outfight, outrun, and outwit Rotath—the golden tyrant of the Valley of the Sun—before they become the next sacrifices to the Devil of the Pits.

Epic wizardry. Impossible escapes. Gold theft on a heroic scale. And a slug that could give your nightmares nightmares.

This is the adventure Neal Adams penciled like lightning and Roy Thomas stitched together from the brink of disaster.

This is blood, sweat, chains, and molten sorcery.

This is Episode 59.

And Hyboria will never shine the same way again.

Conan the Barbarian #37: The Curse of the Golden Skull was published by Marvel Comics in January of 1974.

Enjoy!

Hither Came Conan is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at feedback@hithercameconan.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Cimmerian Press

Conan returns to Agraphur and is immediately promoted to the King’s personal guard.

But when a stone statue comes to life, threatening the King’s very existence, will our brawny barbarian prove to be the best fit for his new position?

Hold on to your butts, folks because Steeven's leaping head first into Conan the Barbarian #36: Beware the Hyrkanians Bearing Gifts.

While this episode isn't a part of your balanced breakfast, it does cram together palace intrigue, sweaty training montages, illicit pillow-talk, and full-on monster mayhem into one glorious, blood-slick hour and twenty-eight minutes.

Conan goes from mud-caked barbarian to the King’s questionable new bodyguard. He's learning bows and horses and the deadly art of the axe while stealing a few stolen kisses from the dangerously voluptuous Amytis.

It's a pretty sweet setup for our boy, Conan. That is until the aforementioned stone statue comes to life and starts killing people and stuff.

Conan the Barbarian #36: Beware the Hyrkanians Bearing Gifts was published by Marvel Comics in December, 1973.

Enjoy!

Hither Came Conan is a production of Steeven Orr Else Media. For more nerdy goodness from me, visit somanypodcasts.com.

Got questions or comments? Drop us a line at feedback@hithercameconan.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps us reach more fans! And don’t forget: if you’d like early, ad‑free access to all our podcasts, join our exclusive subscription program, Steeven Orr Else Beyond. Start your free trial today at beyond.steevenorrelse.com.

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Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Cimmerian Press