One day five years ago my good friend, Todd Vick (the guy
responsible for this venerable blog), said to me, "Hey, you wanna take a
trip next month to Cross Plains to see the home of Robert E. Howard?" I am
usually game for a trip out of town to see new sights (and sites). And I am a
life-long geek for sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV shows (especially Star
Trek). However, I read mostly nonfiction, so naturally I replied to
Todd's question with a quizzical look. "The home of who?" Thus began
my interest (and education), first in Conan, then in Robert E. Howard.
The REH Days banner in front of the REH House & Museum |
This past weekend was the third time I traveled with Todd to
Cross Plains, TX for Robert E. Howard Days, and already I think this informal fan
(mini-)convention is something special, with potential to become a much bigger
deal. This year the informal theme of the gathering, which was fleshed out in
two panels, was the relationship between Robert E. Howard and fellow pulp
writer, H.P. Lovecraft. The guest of honor was Mark Schultz, an artist with a
number of credits related to REH, including comics work with King Kull in Savage Sword of Conan, and illustrations
in Conan the Cimmerian (by Wandering
Star Books, and later reprinted in the Del Rey books). In addition to
participating in a Q&A, Schultz delivered the keynote presentation at the
banquet on Friday night, summarizing the history of REH-related illustrations with slides featuring the works of numerous artists including himself, Roy
Krenkel, Jeffrey Jones, and (of course) Frank Frazetta.
Panel: Conan Vs. Cathulhu Mark Finn, Jeffrey Shanks, & Scott Cupp |
Like any convention, one of the biggest draws to REH Days is
the panels. Or at least it should be, because the panels have improved every
year I have attended, mostly due, I think, to sharpening topical focus. For me,
the highlight was a panel on Saturday: "A Means of Freedom: The Letters of
Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft", which was about the complicated, and
sometimes heated written correspondence between these two pulp titans. The
panelists, Rusty Burke, Jonas Pridas, and Dierk Guenther spoke about the
contours of the conversation the two writers carried on by mail from 1930 to
1936. For months I have been reading these letters, analyzing the rhetoric both
men employed in their "controversy" about the relative merits of
barbarism and civilization. So, naturally, I hung on every word. The panelists
observed that REH developed his ideas about barbarism as he debated with
Lovecraft, and that this development can be seen in the Conan stories he wrote
during the course of this debate. The panel also observed how the two writers'
correspondence differed from what we might expect from a similar argument
today.
Panel: A Means To Freedom: Letters of REH & HPL Rusty Burke, Jonas Pridas & Dierk Guenther |
In the panel on "REH and Gaming," Patrice Louinet,
Jeffrey Shanks, and Mark Finn discussed the ongoing development of two
different games. Louinet brings his attention to detail and a purist's zeal to
a Conan board game being produced by Monolith Board Games. With his role in the
production, he gets the final word on what characters and story details are
included in the game and how they will look. Anticipation for this game is
tangible. At the start of the game's Kickstarter campaign the goal was $80,000,
but supporters soon blew the top off, raising a total of $3.3 million. Role
playing fans also have something to look forward to. Shanks (as well as Finn
and Louinet) are involved in the development of an RPG by Modiphius
Entertainment called, Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed
Of. The game and its expansions will offer players adventures that are truer to
Howard's stories than many previous adaptations of Conan. Players who got to
sit down for a game test (in the living room of the Howard home) attest to its
flexible game play.
The Howard Family Bible Brad Howard, Amanda Howard-Williford, Patrice, & Jeff Howard |
Mark Schultz & Rusty Burke |
Fun at the Pavilion |
It was also a treat to talk with Howard experts. Patrice Louinet exuded passion for REH and gratitude to Glen Lord when he spoke of the origin of his own interest in Howard. He also opined on how L. Sprague de Camp did not really rescue Conan from obscurity; given an opportunity, Donald Wollheim would have done much more for Conan's fame. And Louinet called attention to something not all REH fans have come to terms with: that Conan is an asshole. While he is compelling, a thinker, and multi-faceted, Conan's acts included attempted rape and the slaughter of innocents. Frank Coffman offered perspective on contradictions that appear in REH's ideas about barbarism, noting that Conan is a complex of characters, rather than a single, coherent character. He also suggested a source of inspiration to Howard: G.K. Chesterton, especially his "The Ballad of the White Horse." And in talking with Mark Finn at the outdoor barbecue I found affinity in our overlapping taste in beer and appreciation for art.
Cat & Barb Bq Photo courtesy of Rob Roehm |
As I would at any convention, I hunted down new additions to
my collection. Opportunities to part from my money abounded; between the
museum's gift shop, the swap meet, and the silent auction, it's a wonder how I
will still pay my bills this month. I was outbid at the auction, yet even on my
modest budget I came away with some new volumes for my Howard library. I still
await a reissue of The Collected Poetry
of Robert E. Howard, but Paul Hermon explained that the release of an
expanded second edition is being held up by licensing issues. One of the
collectibles I will prize most from this weekend is the one I spent the least
on. I will display on my bookcase the postcards that were stamped at the Cross
Plains post office with a postal cancellation mark (specially designed for this
year's Howard Days by Mark Schultz).
REH Gravesite at Greenleaf Cemetery |
The Presidio de San Saba |
Mark Finn, Jeff Shanks & Patrice Louinet |
I did not know of Robert E. Howard five years ago. As a Johnny-come-lately
to this party, it is easy to feel like an outsider. Such is the experience of
beginning anything worthwhile. But my adventure and education in the writings
of Robert E. Howard are now linked to this annual pilgrimage to Cross Plains, TX. I
know I will have conversations there that I do not have anywhere else. I also
now have acquaintances there that I will miss the rest of the year, and want to
see again. I expect the panels to continue to stimulate, perhaps as Howard's
other characters are intentionally brought out of the shadows. No doubt the
deals on books and swag is a plus, but they are outweighed by the sense of
history that one feels while reading Howard's poetry on his porch, visiting the
ruins that ignited his imagination, and standing on the boxing spot where he
might have got the crap knocked out of him a time or two, and in turn knocked
the crap out of others. And did I mention the barbecue?
". . . if you come to visit me, I will do my best to entertain you. I certainly hope you will come."
—Robert E. Howard to Tevis Clyde Smith
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