Savage Tales #4, May 1974
Conan celebrates its 50th anniversary in comics this year, and we conclude our anniversary recognition with our final of three Conan-themed posts.
Night of the Dark Gods is a great example of Roy Thomas’ ability to adapt an Robert E Howard story without Conan, into one.
Given the artistic talent that worked on the story, clearly some deadline problems ensued. Not surprising, since at this point in Marvel’s 70s expansion, (comic books and “mature magazines”) deadlines were whizzing by a the speed of light.
Neal Adams assisted Gil Kane on the pencils, and inked some of the story as well, supported by Vince Colletta, Frank McLaughlin, and Pablo Marcos. Marcos also provided the wash tones on the story, necessary to add depth to a black and white, and also provide some consistency to the art style.
The inking credits are listed as Diverse Hands, and this appears to be the only time that the credit is employed, meaning it’s likely that this specific group of professionals never contributed jointly again on one story.
Neal, of course, was a pro at collaborative art creation. His “Crusty Bunkers” a group of (ever-changing) artists at his Continuity Studios, filled in many times during deadline crunches for Marvel, DC, Charlton and others during the 1970s.
It’s easy to be fondly nostalgic about something you missed entirely, but, based on everything I’ve heard, it sounds like a hoot. Stop by, ink some pages, spot some blacks, and make your deadline, head to the pub. (It was probably much more stressful than that, but I digress.)
The story is ultimately also printed in color, in a Marvel Treasury Edition, and although the coloring itself is okay, many of the inking and wash details are obscured, likely in an effort to get the job done quickly.
(And see below for the mystery of the extra face.)
I wish had the time right now to compare every panel of this story to see what other “Where’s Waldo” attributes I can find.