The Cromcast

Season 9, Episode 3: The Inspiration –
"The Striking of the Gong" by Robert E. Howard & Lin Carter

New podcast on The Cromcast website.
https://thecromcast.blogspot.com/2019/05/season-9-episode-3-inspiration-striking.html

The Art of Robert E. Howard:
Peter Andrew Jones

By Bill Thom

This is the third in a series of articles that provides a showcase for the many fine artists that have illustrated the works of Robert E. Howard over the years. 
Earlier articles can be found at the links below.
1. Michael William Kaluta
2. Virgil Finlay

Peter Andrew Jones

Peter Andrew Jones is a British artist born in Islington, North London in 1951. He is the son of the late Reginald and Catherine Jones.

Peter showed interest in the visual arts from a very early age. At school he continued to pursue his interest in art and won school prizes for his work. During his last years at school, he met Robert Spearman, a talented artist in his own right, who encouraged his interest in art. As a result, Peter attended the St. Martin's School of Art (now Central St. Martins) in London from 1971 to 1974. He graduated in 1974 with an honors degree. Robert Spearman had taught Peter at adult evening institute life drawing classes as a condition of pre-art school tuition, and he also taught Peter the basics of classical painting and drawing.

In 1973, a college friend, David Case was reading a Panther Books paperback edition of science fiction author EE "Doc" Smith's "Triplanetary". David suggested the book to Peter who subsequently purchased a copy. His interest in science fiction grew. During a session with his tutor, visiting lecturer and illustrator Fritz Wagner, Wagner suggested that Peter consider painting things that don't actually exist, as in science fiction stories, because of Peter’s “highly developed skill of rendering realistic imagery.”

Another visiting lecturer, Gerry Downes, impressed by Peter’s ability to render realistic images, suggested a meeting with Doreen Scott, Art Editor at Puffin Books. Following a preliminary trial piece for Scott, Peter produced his first commercial science fiction work for Puffin Books, the cover art for Penelope Farmer's “A Castle of Bone.”

Jones commenced several decades of producing cover art for science fiction and fantasy publications. He has provided book covers for science fiction and fantasy authors including Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Greg Bear, Larry Niven, Philip K. Dick, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Murray Leinster, Thomas Burnett Swann, A. E. van Vogt, Frank Herbert, Tanith Lee, Piers Anthony, E. E. “Doc” Smith and many more. 

Jones' first three Robert E. Howard covers were published for Orbit in 1977.  A fourth REH cover followed in 1978 for Panther.  He also provided a cover for an anthology featuring REH that was published by Star in 1977. This work is somewhat reminiscent of American artist Jeff Jones, but has its own distinct style.

In 1980 an anthology of Jones science fiction art entitled SOLAR WIND was published by Dragon’s World.

Jones has also produced images for film publicity, creating the movie posters for The Sword and The Sorcerer and Alligator and has worked for the Fighting Fantasy game books originated by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone in the 1980s.

During the 1990s, Jones pursued his interest in aviation-related art, becoming involved with the RAF Benevolent Fund, and a number of World War II pilots.

Jones' current work includes ongoing genre and wildlife illustration, the production of handmade and self-published books, cards and prints, and occasional private commissions

Peter Andrew Jones/Robert E. Howard Checklist (Initial appearances only)

Orbit

Three-Bladed Doom (1977)

Son of the White Wolf (1977)

Robert E. Howard Omnibus (1977)

Panther

The Dark Man Omnibus Volume 1 (November 1978)

Star Books

Weird Legacies (1977) [Anthology featuring REH]

References:

Solar Wind

PeterAndrewJones.net

All art copyright Peter Andrew Jones and the respective owners.

Three-Bladed Doom (1977)

Son of the White Wolf (1977)

Robert E. Howard Omnibus (1977)

The Dark Man Omnibus Volume 1 (November 1978)

Weird Legacies (1977)

Hither Came Conan: “The God in the Bowl”
By Mark Finn

New post at the Black Gate blog.
https://www.blackgate.com/2019/05/13/hither-came-conan-mark-finn-on-the-god-in-the-bowl/

New at Howard Works

Thanks to Dmitry Kvashnin for the info and scan.

Eksmo (Russian)
Bran Mak Morn, posledniy korol'. Kull, vykhodets iz Atlantidy
(Bran Mak Morn: The Last King. Kull: Native of Atlantis)
Featuring:
"Men of the Shadows"
"Kings of the Night"
"A Song of the Race" (poem)
"Worms of the Earth"
"The Dark Man"
"The Lost Race"
"The Drums of Pictdom" (poem)
"The Little People"
"The Children of the Night"
"Bran Mak Morn: A Play"
Untitled synopsis "The story of a forgotten age; of . . ."
Untitled fragment "A grey sky arched . . ."
"The Bell of Morni" (poem)
Untitled fragment  "Men have had visions ere now. . ."
Untitled story "The sun was setting. A last crimson . . ."
"The Shadow Kingdom" 
"The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune"
Untitled "'Thus,' said Tu, chief councillor, ..."
"The Cat and the Skull"
"The Screaming Skull of Silence"
"The Striking of the Gong"
"The Altar and the Scorpion"
"The Curse of the Golden Skull"
"The Black City"
Untitled "Three men sat at a . . ."
"By this Axe I Rule!"
"Swords of the Purple Kingdom"
"The King and the Oak" (poem)
"Summer Morn" (poem)
"Am-ra the Ta-an" (poem)
"The Tale of Am-ra"
Untitled "A land of wild, fantastic beauty . . . "
Untitled "determined. So I set out up the hill . . ."
"The Shadow Kingdom" (draft)
"Delcardes' Cat" (draft)
"The King and the Oak" (draft) (poem)
Untitled essay ca. 1920-1923 (". . . which has characterized . . .")
http://howardworks.com/BranMakMorn-TheLastKing-Kull-NativeofAtlantis-Eksmo.html

Argo (Czech)
Conan z Cimmerie, svazek I.
Featuring:
"Queen of the Black Coast" (graphic adaptation)
"Black Colossus" (graphic adaptation)
"Beyond the Black River" (graphic adaptation)
http://howardworks.com/Conan_z_Cimmerie-Argo.html

Robert E. Howard Foundation
The Robert E. Howard Foundation Newsletter Volume 12 Number 4
Featuring:
"Gates of Empire" (Part 2 of 2)
"A Gent from the Pecos" [First page variant]
"The Ballad of Nell of Singapore" (poem)
"Altars and Jesters" (1)  [portion of a variant] (poem)
"The Singer in the Mist" (2, poem)
Untitled ("500 Torguts")
http://howardworks.com/rehfoundationsnewsletterV12N4.html

Marvel Comics
The Savage Sword of Conan Volume 1 Number 2
Featuring:
"Black Colossus" (graphic adaptation)
"Black Abyss" (graphic adaptation)
http://howardworks.com/SavageSwordofConanV1N2-Marvel.html

Two New Conan Books are Coming Soon 
from Perilous Worlds!

Sign up for the Conan Newsletter at the link below.

The Conan Newsletter

Marvel Comics Conan titles
Now available! 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #6 
by Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar
Cover by Esad Ribic

• CONAN signs on for soldiers’ work — gold, wine and warfare!
• But the Barbarian’s skills will draw him directly into the CRIMSON WITCH’s scheme, as she drags KING CONAN to the altar of the death god Razazel!
• Plus: The next chapter in the all-new CONAN novella, “Black Starlight”!

Full Color, 32 pages, $3.99

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #5
Gerry Duggan (Writer)
Ron Garney (Art)
Cover by Alex Ross

• The mystery of the magical treasure finally revealed!
• It’s now or never, and CONAN must make a choice that will determine the fate of Stygia!
• Either way, KOGA THUN will not let the Barbarian go without a fight!
• Plus: The next chapter in the all-new CONAN novella, “The Shadow of Vengeance”!

Full Color, 32 pages, $3.99

AGE OF CONAN: BÊLIT #3 
Tini Howard (Writer)
Kate Niemczyk (Art)
Cover by Sana Takeda


• BÊLIT has a plan to extort the rich cities along the coast…
• …but as she makes her name in the Hyborian Age, is she leading herself to a watery grave?
• And who is the mysterious observer who is tracking her?
• PLUS: Part 3 of an all-new Bêlit novella, “Bone Whispers”!

Full Color, 32 pages, $3.99

POST OAKS AND SAND ROUGHS
By Robert E. Howard

The REH Foundation Press is proud to present Post Oaks and Sand Roughs & Other Autobiographical Writings. Outside of the boxing stories, whenever Robert E. Howard used the name “Costigan” the autobiographical implications weren’t far behind. This volume collects those “other” Costigan tales, including the title novel as well as the previously unpublished early draft. It also contains other items that reveal details about the people and places in Howard’s life, including the “Lost Plains” stories, items from The Junto, personal essays, and more, all restored to the original text, where available.

With the introductory material, this volume checks in at over 400 pages and will be printed in hardback with dust jacket, in a limited quantity of 200 copies, each individually numbered.

Cover art by Jim & Ruth Keegan; edited and with notes by Rob Roehm;
Introduction and notes by Rusty Burke.

This collection will make its debut at Howard Days 2019, in Cross Plains, Texas (be sure to let us know in your order if you plan on picking it up there), and begin shipping shortly thereafter.

Pre-order yours today!

Ordering information is available HERE.