Payments received for publications

Featuring Dennis Dorgan but was originally a Costigan story. Since Howard also had ‘The Shadow of the Vulture’ in the same issue, they used the pseudonym, Patrick Ervin. Alternate title ‘Alleys of Singapore’. First published in Magic Carpet Magazine, January 1934. Howard wrote the story in May, 1933.

Featuring Steve Costigan. Alternate title ‘Leather Lightning’. First published in Fight Stories, volume 3, number 8 January, 1931.

A tale about Breckinridge Elkins from 1935. First published in Actions Stories December, 1935.

There exists two typescripts for this story. The first corresponds to the final version submitted to FIGHT STORIES and ARGOSY. It is written in the third person and the ghostly elements are less marked.
The second typescript is written in the first person and the supernatural element is more pronounced. Howard used the name John Taverel for this story. Alternate title: The Spirit of Tom Molyneaux.

“Beyond the Black River” is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian. First published in Weird Tales magazine, May-June 1935. The story was republished in the collections King Conan (Gnome Press, 1953) and Conan the Warrior (Lancer Books, 1967). It has since been published a numerous times in many languages. It’s set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan’s battle against a savage tribe of Picts in the unsettled lands beyond the infamous Black River.

“Black Canaan” is a short story originally published in the June 1936 issue of Weird Tales. It is a regional horror story in the Southern Gothic mode, one of several such tales by Howard set in the piney woods of the ArkLaTex region of the Southern United States.

“Black Colossus” is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian. First published in Weird Tales magazine, June1935. It has since been published a numerous times in many languages. During the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, Conan leads the army of Khoraja against an evil sorcerer named Natohk, “the Veiled One.”

This story formed part of the basis for the later Conan novel, The Hour of the Dragon.

First published in Weird Tales, November 1936. A tale of horror in the Deep South Piney Woods. Featuring Kirby Garfield, Tope Braxton, Adam Grimm, and Richard Brent, and his niece Miss Gloria Brent. Black devil-monks of Yahlgan are also involved.

“The Black Stone” is a horror short story by American writer Robert E. Howard, first published in the November 1931 issue of Weird Tales. The story introduces the mad poet Justin Geoffrey and the fictitious Unaussprechlichen Kulten by Friedrich von Junzt. The story is part of the Cthulhu Mythos, follows the same pattern, and has the same features as much of H. P. Lovecraft’s classic work.

Black Talons.

Alternate title and variant of: TALONS IN THE DARK.

“Black Wind Blowing” is a suspenseful narrative set in the rural landscapes, featuring Emmett Glanton, who finds himself entangled in a horrifying night filled with madness and mysticism.

‘The Blood of Belshazzar’ is a story in the Cormac Fitzgeoffrey series about a knight fighting in the Crusades. Cormac Fitzgeoffrey only appears in two of these tales: Hawks of Outremer and The Blood of Belshazzar, both written in 1931. In the latter, Cormac seeks help in rescuing his leader from barbarians even more fierce and evil than those that hold his friend captive.

“Blood of the Gods” is an El Borak short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the July 1935 issue of the pulp magazine Top-Notch. 

A group of soldiers of fortune seek a set of matched rubies called the Blood of the Gods, owned by al Wazir. To find it, they capture an Arab who they believe knows the location of al Wazir, who has become a desert hermit. After the Arab agrees to help them, despite his fear of el Borak, a friend of al Wazir who leads the caravan to al Wazir’s hermitage and reveals al Wazir’s location at the Caves of El Khour, the Arab is shot by one of el Borak’s other allies, Salim.

BLOW THE CHINKS DOWN! is a Sailor Steve Costigan short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the October 1931 issue of Action Stories.

The original title is THE HOUSE OF PERIL, featuring Mike Dorgan and Bill McGlory. Action stories made the changes to make it into a Costigan story and changed both the title and the names of the characters and the boat.

This story is a collaboration with Chandler Whipple. Whipple’s pen-name is Robert Enders Allen. Whipple attempted to write the story, but got stuck and couldn’t figure out what to do for an ending. His agent suggested letting REH finish it. REH did, and they split the profits 50/50. Chapters 1-6 are by Chandler Whipple, the rest is by REH.

‘Breed of Battle’ is a Sailor Steve Costigan short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the November 1931 issue of Action Stories. It is now in the public domain. Alternative titles are: ‘The fightin’est pair’ and ‘Samson had a soft spot’.

‘The Bull Dog Breed’ is a Sailor Steve Costigan short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the February 1930 issue of Fight Stories. Alternative titles: ‘You got to kill a bulldog’ published with the pseudonym Mark Adam.

A short story with elements of fantasy and horror. As often in Howard’s stories, there is a link to the Cthulhu Mythos, in this case, mixed also with elements of both Norse Mythology and Catholic Christianity.

It has a rather convoluted history, being in effect an adaptation of Howard’s earlier story Spears of Clontarf, a historical adventure story by Howard focusing on the Battle of Clontarf (1014) and featuring Turlogh Dubh O’Brien or Black Turlogh, a fictional 11th Century Irishman created by Howard. Howard later rewrote “Spears” as “The Grey God Passes”, which was very similar to Spears of Clontarf, but with added fantasy elements. Howard failed to sell the story in either version during his lifetime.

Featuring Steve Costigan. The alternate titles are ‘The Champion of the forecastle’ and ‘Champ of the seven seas’. First published in Fight Stories, volume 3, number 6 November 1930. Published under the pseudonym Mark Adams in Fight Stories volume 5, number 8.

‘The Children of the Night’ is a 1931 short story by Robert E. Howard, belonging to the Cthulhu Mythos. It was first published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in the April/May 1931 issue. Howard earned $60 for this publication.

The story starts with six people sitting in John Conrad’s study: Conrad himself, Clemants, Professor Kirowan, Taverel, Ketrick and the narrator John O’Donnel. O’Donnel describes them all as Anglo-Saxon with the exception of Ketrick. Ketrick, although he possesses a documented pure Anglo-Saxon lineage, appears to have slightly Mongolian-looking eyes and an odd lisp that O’Donnel finds distasteful.

Featuring Steve Costigan. Alternative title: Slugger Bait. First published in Fight Stories December 1931.

“College Socks”. At eighteen, Kid Allison, known for his boxing prowess among smaller clubs, finds himself in a serendipitous encounter with Professor Horace J. Clements from Camberwell University. The professor, worried about a promising student, Harry Richards, who’s been lured by the glitz of boxing under the tutelage of Spike Cleary, seeks Allison’s help.

The original title of ‘The Conquerin’ Hero of the Humbolts’ is ‘Politics at Blue Lizard.’ However, Howard undoubtedly meant “Politics at Lonesome Lizard” which is the name of the town in the story.
(Glenn Lord – THE LAST CELT).

Alternative titles: ‘Politics at Blue Lizard’ and ‘Politics at Lonesome Lizard’

“Country of the Knife” is an El Borak short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the August 1936 issue of the pulp magazine Complete Stories. The story is also known as “Sons of the Hawk”.

“Crowd Horror” is set against the backdrop of professional boxing, illustrating the dramatic and emotional journey of Slade Costigan, a gifted but troubled boxer, whose career is profoundly affected by his psychological struggles, particularly his reaction to the crowd’s influence. One of Howard’s boxing stories which didn’t develop into an ongoing series.

The version titled “The Curly Wolf of Sawtooth” features Bearfield Elston. The version titled “A Elkins Never Surrenders” comes from an earlier draft, and features Breckinridge Elkins.
The appearance in THE SUMMIT COUNTY JOURNAL had the name changed to “Breckenridge” to be like the town it was published in.

Otis Adelbert Kline (REH’s agent) first listed the title of the story as “A Elkins Never Surrenders”. He offered it to V. I. Cooper, when he declined, Kline returned the story to REH. A month later it hits the logs again with a new title “A Elston to the Rescue”, and is then sold to Miller for STAR WESTERN. The published title is likely from the magazine editors.

“The Dark Man” is a gripping tale set in the ancient, rugged landscapes of Connacht. It begins with Turlogh Dubh, an exiled warrior of the Clan na O’Brien, encountering a fisherman on a snowy shore. Turlogh, described as a formidable and darkly handsome man, is on a mission to rescue Moira, the daughter of a Dalcassian chief, abducted by Viking raiders led by Thorfel the Fair.

Originally a story featuring Mike Dorgan and Bill McGlory. The story was published in ACTION STORIES as “Dark Shanghai.” and Mike Dorgan was changed to Steve Costigan.

REH wrote three stories featuring Mike Dorgan and Bill McGlory. “One Shanghai Night” was the second of the three stories. It was submitted to Fiction House and accepted. 

“The Daughter of Erlik Khan” is an El Borak short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the December 1934 issue of the pulp magazine Top-Notch.

“The Dead Remember” tells the tale of Jim Gordon, who is plagued by supernatural guilt and revenge after murdering an African American couple named Joel and Jezebel. In a letter to his friend Bill, Jim explains how he killed the couple in a drunken rage months earlier, after which Jezebel cursed him with her dying words.

One of Howard’s spicy stories was published with the name Sam Walser. “Desert Blood” is a vivid narrative, encapsulating the adventurous and tumultuous escapades of Wild Bill Clanton, an American in Tebessa, and his encounters with various individuals across the Barbary region. The story weaves through themes of love, betrayal, courage, and cultural clashes, reflecting the pulpy, exotic, and often politically incorrect ethos of its time.

‘The Devil in Iron’ is one of the original stories by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian, first published in Weird Tales in August 1934. Howard earned $115 for the publication of this story.

The plot concerns the resurrection of a mythical demon, the theft of a sacred dagger, and an unrelated trap that lures Conan to the island fortress roamed by the demon. The story borrowed elements from ‘Iron Shadows in the Moon’.

“Dig Me No Grave” is a gripping tale by Robert E. Howard intertwines elements of horror, the occult, and the supernatural. Considered part of the Cthulhu Mythos. Sold for $100.00. This horror story appeared in Weird Tales in 1937 after Howard died in 1936.

She came from high society and she should have known she had no business associating with a gorilla like Wild Bill Clanton. However, the job she wanted done was plain burglary, and her code of honor wouldn’t let her turn thief!

Howard wrote some spicy adventure tales. For this one, he used the pseudonym, Sam Walser.

In this story, first published in the February 1928 edition of Weird Tales Magazine, a terrified individual recounts the details of a strange, recurring nightmare. The Dream Snake is a terrifying tale of a man who has had a recurring dream about being pursued by a sinister, unseen giant snake that gets nearer and nearer to him every night….

Robert E. Howard sets this old west adventure tale in a remote mountain range called the Sunset Mountains. Young wandering cowboy Steve Harmer from Texas crosses paths with an eccentric old prospector named Hard Luck Harper. Hard Luck tells Steve legends of a lost gold mine hidden somewhere in the light and shadows of the peaks.

Featuring Breckinridge Elkins.First published in Action Stories, June 1936.

“Fangs of Gold” is a gripping tale that entwines elements of mystery, horror, and adventure, set against the backdrop of a menacing swamp. The story follows Steve Harrison, a determined and rugged detective, as he ventures into the treacherous swamp in pursuit of a criminal named Woon Shang. See “People of the Serpent” for more information.

Old Adam Farrel lay dead in the house wherein he had lived alone for the last twenty years. A silent, churlish recluse, in his life he had known no friends, and only two men had watched his passing… little did they know the Fearsome Touch of Death had not left the house…

In this tale, first published in the February 1930 edition of Weird Tales Magazine, a man spends a night alone with a corpse.

A tale about Breckinridge Elkins from 1935. First published in Actions Stories June, 1935. This short story was altered slightly to become Chapter 6 of A Gent From Bear Creek.

“The Fire of Asshurbanipal” was originally written early in the 1930’s like a straight adventure story. There is no record of where this version of the story was submitted. REH later revised the story to have a supernatural ending. The version with the supernatural ending was submitted to WEIRD TALES after Howard’s death by his father. Glenn Lord discovered the original (straight adventure story) version of the story in a trunk and it was first published in THE HOWARD COLLECTOR #16, Spring 1972.

First published in FIGHT STORIES May 1930. Published again in Winter 1938-1939 but under the name of Mark Adam and the title: “Cannibal Fists”.

The story opens with Kane coming across the body of a young black woman. The corpse is fresh, and there are marks where whips and shackles have torn her flesh. It doesn’t take long for Kane to catch up with the slavers who killed her. He sees a train of blacks being led away by a group of armed Arabs and other blacks who have allied with them. They’re taking their captives to a slave market. They’re also driving them hard, neither giving them rest breaks nor providing them with ample water.

First published in Weird Tales, September 1931.

“General Ironfist” is a Sailor Steve Costigan short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the June 1934 issue of Jack Dempsey’s Fight Magazine. Howard earned $35 for the sale of this story which is now in the public domain. 

“A Gent from Bear Creek” is the title of both an original short story, as well as a novel created by combining several previous short stories with some new material; the previously published short stories were altered a little to create chapters with a continuous storyline, and new material was added as additional chapters.

This short story was altered slightly to become Chapter 5 of the novel, A Gent From Bear Creek.

A Gent from the Pecos, featuring Pike Bearfield. Alternate title: ‘Shave that Hawg!’.

Gents on the Lynch, featuring Pike Bearfield. 

Robert E. Howard’s article ‘The Ghost of Camp Colorado,’ crafted for the Texaco Star Company’s monthly magazine for employees and stockholders, offers a vivid glimpse into the bygone days of the American frontier. Featured on pages 13-15, the piece is enriched with five photographs, enhancing the narrative’s historical depth. This article, for which Howard received $28.26, stands as a poignant homage to the lost era of frontier life, intricately detailing its history, conflicts, and transformative journey.

First published in Weird Tales in October 1931. Featuring Turlogh Dubh O’Brien.

The Good Knight. Accepted by Street & Smith circa mid-May 1931 and published in December. Howard got $90 for this story.

Graveyard Rats. Published in the February 1936 issue of STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES. Featuring Steve Harrison.

The Grisly Horror. Alternate title: MOON OF ZAMBEBWEI. Published for the first time in Weird Tales, February 1935.

Guns of the Mountains.

The Haunted Mountain.This short story was altered slightly to become Chapter 10 of the novel, A Gent From Bear Creek.

“The Haunter of the Ring” is a 1934 short story Howard, belonging to the Cthulhu Mythos. It was first published in Weird Tales in the June 1934 issue. Howard earned $60 for this publication. This story is set in the modern age but includes a relic from the Hyborian Age of the Conan stories, the ring of Thoth-Amon.

HAWK OF THE HILLS is an El Borak short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the June 1935 issue of the pulp magazine Top-Notch.

‘Hawks of Outremer’ is a story in the Cormac Fitzgeoffrey series about a knight fighting in the Crusades. Cormac Fitzgeoffrey only appears in two of these tales: Hawks of Outremer and The Blood of Belshazzar, both written in 1931. In the latter, Cormac seeks help in rescuing his leader from barbarians even more fierce and evil than those that hold his friend captive.

First published in Oriental Stories (Spring 1931) after being accepted by that magazine in October 1930. “Outremer” (literally, “Oversea”) was what the Crusader states were often called.

High Horse Rampage.

First published in Weird Tales, August 1930. In Africa again, Kane’s old friend N’Longa (the witch doctor from “Red Shadows”) gives the Puritan a magic wooden staff, the Staff of Solomon, which will protect him in his travels. Kane enters the jungle and finds a city of vampires.

Howard wrote one of the first “Weird Western” stories ever created, “The Horror from the Mound,” published in the May 1932 issue of Weird Tales. This genre acted as a bridge between his early “weird” stories (a contemporary term for horror and fantasy) and his later straight western tales.

There is a secret held inside an Indian burial mound, only a few know the secret and they have been sworn to secrecy… until someone became greedy, deciding that there must be treasure hidden in the mound…

The Hour of the Dragon, also known as Conan the Conqueror, is a fantasy novel by American writer Robert E. Howard features his sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian. It was one of the last Conan stories published before Howard’s suicide, although not the last to be written.

The Hyena is a horror story first published in Weird Tales in March 1928.

First published in Weird Tales, August 1925, In the Forest of Villefère tells of de Montour’s passage through a supposedly haunted forest. There he comes upon a most unusual traveling companion.

Published in Fight Stories, June 1930. Alternate titles: “Fall Guy” and “Iron Men”.

First published for DIME SPORTS MAGAZINE in April 1936. Alternative title: Fists of the Desert.

“Jewels of Gwahlur” is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard. Set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, it concerns several parties, including Conan, fighting over and hunting for the eponymous treasure in Hyborian Africa. The tale was first published in the March 1935 issue of Weird Tales. Howard’s original title for the story was “The Servants of Bit-Yakin”.

“Kings of the Night” by Robert E. Howard is a compelling story that intertwines elements of fantasy, historical fiction, and adventure. It unfolds in ancient Britain, where Bran Mak Morn, the king of the Picts, faces an imminent threat from a Roman legion marching towards his land. The story is notable for its blending of Howard’s created mythos with historical elements, creating a rich tapestry of ancient cultures and legendary figures.

Knife-River Prodigal. Featuring Buckner J. Grimes. Alternate title: A TEXAS PRODIGAL.

“The Last Ride” is co-authored by Chandler Whipple (aka Robert Enders Allen). The exact contribution of each author is unknown.
A Western tale centered around Buck Laramie, the youngest of the Laramie brothers, who are known outlaws. The story depicts Buck’s internal conflict between his loyalty to his family and his moral compass, which is against their criminal lifestyle. After a bank robbery, Buck leaves his brothers, seeking a new life. Years later, he returns to San Leon, the scene of their last crime, to find redemption and repay the townspeople. However, his return leads to a series of misadventures and misunderstandings, reflecting Buck’s struggle to escape his past.

The Lion of Tiberias was originally published in July 1933. It is one of Howard’s stories in the historical fiction/crusader tales.

First published in Oriental Stories, spring 1932. Alternative title: ‘The Lame Man’.

The Lost Race (first published in Weird Tales, January 1927). ‘The Lost Race’ is a story in the Bran Mak Morn series and is set during the Roman invasion of Britain. Related to, but does not feature Bran; Sold for $30;

The story centers on a feud between two cowboys, Cal Reynolds and Esau Brill, who have hated each other most of their lives. They encounter one another while out riding and a gunfight ensues. They stalk one another from hiding places among the boulders, firing occasional shots over a long period.

“The Man With the Mystery Mitts”. Featuring Kid Allison. Originally published in Street & Smith’s Sport Story Magazine volume 33 number 2, October 25, 1931.

“I’m a peaceable man, as law-abiding as I can be without straining myself, and it always irritates me for a stranger to bob up from behind a rock and holler, “Stop where you be before I blow your fool head off!”

“The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune” is a fantasy short story by American author Robert E. Howard, one of his original short stories about Kull of Atlantis, first published in Weird Tales magazine c. 1929. It is one of only three Kull stories to be published in Howard’s lifetime.

Set in the fictional Prehistoric Thurian Age, it deals with a disillusioned King Kull questioning the meaning of existence, leading him to seek the assistance of a two-faced wizard.

“The Mogul Elephant,” an unpublished first draft by Robert E. Howard later revised into “The Dragon of Kao Tsu,” is a tale of adventure, intrigue, and deception set against the exotic backdrop of the Far East. The story follows Wild Bill Clanton, a man of questionable morals, as he navigates through a complex plot involving theft, murder, and a valuable ivory elephant.

The story was sent to Jungle Stories, but they returned it on the 15th of August 1929. It was accepted by Weird Tales and published in two parts. Part 1, June 1930; Part 2, July 1930. Kane goes to Africa on the trail of an English girl named Marylin Taferal, kidnapped from her home and sold to Barbary pirates by her cousin. When he finds the hidden city of Negari, he encounters Nakari, “the vampire queen of Negari”.

“Mountain Man” is a humor-filled adventure that continues the exploits of Breckinridge Elkins, a character whose physical strength is only matched by his naivety and good-heartedness. In this chapter, Elkins embarks on a journey to the town of Tomahawk to retrieve a letter for his father, leading to a series of misadventures that further entangle him in the complexities of the civilized world. First published in Actions Stories March-April, 1934.

Murderer’s Grog. One of Howard’s spicy stories was published under the name Sam Walser. Alternative title: Outlaw Working. Featuring Wild Bill Clanton.

The 1st draft of Murderer’s Grog. One of Howard’s spicy stories was later published under the name Sam Walser. Featuring Wild Bill Clanton.

In “Names in the Black Book,” Steve Harrison, a tough detective, finds himself embroiled in a sinister plot involving a list of doomed individuals in a dangerous and mysterious quarter of the city. The story intertwines fear, intrigue, and dark forces as Harrison confronts a familiar enemy thought long dead.

“Night of Battle,” also published as “Shore Leave for a Slugger,” thrusts Steve Costigan into a whirlwind of adventure and misadventure in Singapore. First published in Fight Stories in March 1932. Howard earned  $60.00 for the story. Published again with the byline Mark Adam in the same magazine in the Fall 1942 issue and the title was changed to “Shore Leave for a Slugger”.

“Night of Battle” the synopsis. See “Night of Battle”, the full story for more details.

“No Cowherders Wanted” featuring Breckinridge Elkins. Alternate Title: GENTS IN BUCKSKIN. First published in Action Stories, September 1936.

“Old Garfield’s Heart” was first published in Weird Tales in December of 1933 and is generally labeled as a “Horror Story”. It takes place shortly after the end of the Wild West, but it falls squarely into the “Weird Western” genre. The story is about a frontiersman, Old Garfield, who has lived as long as anyone can remember. The story is told through the eyes of an unnamed narrator who believes the tales told by Old Garfield are nothing more than whims of fancy or tall tales.

The Peaceful Pilgrim. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins. Alternate title: Cupid from Bear Creek.

“The People of the Black Circle” is one of the original novellas about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in Weird Tales magazine in three parts over the September, October and November 1934 issues. Howard earned $250 for the publication of this story.

It’s set in the Hyborian Age and concerns Conan kidnapping an exotic princess from Vendhya (prehistoric India) while foiling a nefarious plot of world conquest by the Black Seers of Yimsha. Due to its epic scope and atypical Hindustan flavor, the story is considered an undisputed classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales. It is also one of the few Howard stories where the reader is treated a deeper insight into magic and magicians beyond the stereotypical Hyborian depiction as demon conjurer-illusionist-priests.

The story begins with the unnamed protagonist—a Gael—venturing into a dark, labyrinthine cavern driven by his love for a yellow-haired girl, Tamera, and a dangerous curiosity about the mysterious “Children of the Night.” The Britons had told tales of these inhuman creatures, warning of their grotesque attributes and malevolent tendencies. Armed with a blade, the Gael cautiously navigates the oppressive darkness.

The story begins with the unnamed protagonist—a Gael—venturing into a dark, labyrinthine cavern driven by his love for a yellow-haired girl, Tamera, and a dangerous curiosity about the mysterious “Children of the Night.” The Britons had told tales of these inhuman creatures, warning of their grotesque attributes and malevolent tendencies. Armed with a blade, the Gael cautiously navigates the oppressive darkness.

The story begins with John O’Brien, the narrator, entering a dark, eerie forest, with the intent to kill his rival, Richard Brent, over the love of Eleanor Bland. O’Brien falls and hits his head in Dagon’s Cave, leading to a vivid recollection of a past life as Conan, a Gaelic reaver.

“The Phoenix on the Sword” is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian was written by Howard and first published in Weird Tales magazine in December 1932. The tale, in which Howard created the character of Conan, was a rewrite of the unpublished Kull story “By This Axe I Rule!”, with long passages being identical.

Pilgrims to the Pecos. Alternate Title: Weary Pilgrims on the Road. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins.

Pistol Politics. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins.

The Pit of the Serpent. The alternate title is ‘Manila Manslaughter’. First published in Fight Stories volume 5, number 5, Fall 1937.

“The Pool of the Black One” is one of the original short stories starring the sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard. It’s set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan becoming the captain of a pirate vessel while encountering a remote island with a mysterious pool that has the power of transmutation.

First published in Weird Tales in October 1933, the story was republished in the collections The Sword of Conan (Gnome Press, 1952) and Conan the Adventurer (Lancer Books, 1966).

The Purple Heart of Erlik. The name used by Spicy-Adventure Stories was Sam Walser. Alternate Title: NOTHING TO LOSE.

“Queen of the Black Coast” is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian. First published in Weird Tales magazine in May 1934. Conan becomes a notorious pirate and plunders the coastal villages of Kush alongside Bêlit, a head-strong femme fatale.

First published in Weird Tales, June 1929. In Germany, Kane meets a traveler named Gaston L’Armon, who seems familiar to Kane, and together they take rooms in the Cleft Skull Tavern. At this time in his career, Howard was an inexperienced professional writer. Several times when he sent his drafts story to Weird Tales, he was careful to prepare carbons.

When the first draft of Rattle of Bones was written, Howard decided that it needed another ending. The draft consisted of seven pages of which he rewrote the last two and changed the ending. This was what he sent to Weird Tales and what was published. The REH Foundation printed the first version of the 1928 story in their very first issue of ‘The Robert E. Howard Foundation Newsletter’ in the spring of 2007.

Red Blades of Black Cathay was written as a collaboration between Robert E. Howard and Tevis Clyde Smith. It was first published in Oriental Stories in the February/March issue of 1931.

“Red Nails” is the last of the stories featuring Conan the Cimmerian written by American author Robert E. Howard. A novella, it was originally serialized in Weird Tales magazine from July to October 1936, the months after Howard’s suicide. It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan entering a lost city whose degenerate inhabitants are entangled in a murderous blood feud. Due to its dark themes of decay and death, the story is considered a classic of Conan lore while also cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales.

“Red Shadows” was REH’s first published Solomon Kane story (Howard’s original title was “Solomon Kane”). It tells a tale of wide scope, one which takes place over many years and in many countries. It’s a tale of unrelenting dogged persistence as Kane spends years of his life seeking to avenge the death of a complete stranger.

The Riot at Bucksnort. Featuring Pike Bearfield.

The Riot at Cougar Paw. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins.

The Road to Bear Creek. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins.

“Rogues in the House” is one of the original short stories starring Conan. First published in Weird Tales magazine in January 1934. It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan inadvertently becoming involved in the struggle between two powerful men fighting for control of a city-state. It was the seventh Conan story Howard had published. It features a fight between Conan and an intelligent ape-like hominid.

It is famous for the fight scene between Conan and an ape, often known as the cover by artist Frank Frazetta.

Sailor’s Grudge. Featuring Steve Costigan. First published in Fight Stories volume 2 number 10 march 1930 as ‘Sailor’s Grudge’. It was published again in Fight Stories volume 5 number 7 in 1938 under the name Mark Adam and with the changed title.

The Scalp Hunter. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins. This short story was altered slightly to become chapter 8 of the novel, A Gent From Bear Creek.

Alternate Title: A STRANGER IN GRIZZLY CLAW

“The Scarlet Citadel” is one of the original short stories starring the Conan the Cimmerian. First published in the January 1933 issue of Weird Tales magazine. In the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, a middle-aged Conan battles rival kingdoms. The wizard Tsotha-lanti ensnares King Conan, who escapes a dungeon with unexpected aid.

‘Sea Curse’. A tale that starts with a village tragedy. A local girl who lives with her elderly aunt has been seduced and deflowered by a swaggering, drunk sailor.

“The Shadow Kingdom”, the first of his Kull stories, set in his fictional Thurian Age. It was first published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in August 1929.

“The Shadow of the Vulture” is a short story by Howard, first published in The Magic Carpet Magazine, in January 1934. The story introduces the character of Red Sonya of Rogatino, who later became the inspiration for the popular character Red Sonja, the archetype of the chainmail-bikini-clad female warrior.

“Iron Shadows in the Moon” is one of the original short stories starring Conan. First published in Weird Tales magazine in April 1934, but then under the name “Shadows in the Moonlight”. Howard originally named his story “Iron Shadows in the Moon”. It’s set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan escaping to a remote island in the Vilayet Sea where he encounters the Red Brotherhood, a skulking creature, and mysterious iron statues.

Alternate title: IRON SHADOWS IN THE MOON.

“Shadows in Zamboula” is one of the original stories by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian, first published in Weird Tales in November 1935. Its original title was “The Man-Eaters of Zamboula”.

“Sharp’s Gun Serenade” featuring Breckinridge Elkins.First published in Action Stories, January 1937. 

She Devil. Under the nae Sam Walser. Alternate title: THE GIRL ON THE HELL SHIP.

The Sign of the Snake. Featuring Steve Costigan. First published in Action Stories, volume 10, number 10 June 1931. 

Skull-Face is a fantasy novella by Howard, which appeared as a serial in Weird Tales magazine, beginning in October 1929, and ending in December 1929. It was submitted in 1928 and Weird Tales accepted it for $300.

Skulls in the Stars. First published in Weird Tales, January 1929. In England, Kane is on his way to the hamlet of Torkertown, and must choose one of two paths, a route that leads through a moor or one that leads through a swamp. He is warned that the moor route is haunted and all travelers who take that road die, so he decides to investigate.

“The Slithering Shadow” is one of the original short stories starring Conan. First published in the September 1933 issue of Weird Tales magazine. “The Slithering Shadow” is the original title, but the story is also known as “Xuthal of the Dusk” in further publications. It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, and concerns Conan discovering a lost city in a remote desert while encountering a Lovecraftian demon known as Thog.

The Slugger’s Game is a Sailor Steve Costigan short story by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in the May 1934 issue of Jack Dempsey’s Fight Magazine. 

“Sluggers of the Beach” is a high-octane tale featuring Sailor Steve Costigan and a cast of colorful characters embroiled in a quest for a hidden treasure. The story is marked by a mix of action, humor, and a twist that upends expectations. It was originally published in the August 1934 issue of Jack Dempsey’s Fight Magazine. The story was sold for $35.00.

“Son of the White Wolf” is an El Borak short story by Howard. It was originally published in the December 1936 issue of the pulp magazine Thrilling Adventures.

El Borak is a contemporary of T.E. Lawrence, and Lawrence is mentioned several times in the story “Son of the White Wolf,” setting this tale firmly during World War I. Gordon is well-known to the Arabs; the name El Borak is used to striking fear into the hearts of children.

“The Sowers of the Thunder” is a historical fiction short story by Howard, originally published in Oriental Stories, Winter 1932. It takes place in Outremer (the Crusader states) in the time of General Baibars and deals with the General’s friendly/adversarial relationship with Cahal Ruadh O’Donnell, an Irish Crusader with a troubled past cut in the Howardian mold. Both the Siege of Jerusalem (1244) and the Battle of La Forbie feature in the plot.

Spear and Fang. First published in Weird Tales, July 1925. After years of rejection slips, Howard finally sold a short caveman tale titled “Spear and Fang”, which netted him the sum of $16 and introduced him to the readers of a struggling pulp called Weird Tales. Spear and Fang is a story of the conflict between Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals.

Swords of Shahrazar” is a direct sequel to “The Treasures of Tartary”, following Kirby O’Donnell only days later. The story starts with a recap of “The Treasures of Tartary”, then brings us up to date.

Alternative title: SHANGHIED MITTS.

Texas John Alden. Originally a Buckner J. Grimes story titled “Ring-Tailed Tornado”. Published under the name of Patrick Ervin.
Rewritten by someone at the Kline agency into a Breckinridge Elkins story.

The Thing on the Roof first appeared in the February 1932 issue of Weird Tales. Howard sold it to Weird Tales for $40.00, but later said he would have let it go for free, just to see it in print. He was quite fond of it. The story is set in the early 1930’s, and focuses on the legend surrounding the Temple of the Toad God. Howard’s occult tome, Nameless Cults plays a big part in the story.

The TNT Punch. Featuring Steve Costigan. First published in Action Stories, volume 10, number 5 January 1931. 

Alternate titles: WATERFRONT LAW and THE WATERFRONT WALLOP

The Tomb’s Secret. Under the name: Patrick Ervin. Featuring Steve Harrison.

The February 1934 issue of STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES carried two stories by REH: “The Tomb’s Secret” and “Fangs of Gold”. It appears that the story titles were inadvertently switched. Howard’s agent, Otis Adelbert Kline, kept a list of titles and the magazines that purchased them.

THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT is one of the original short stories starring the fictional sword and sorcery hero Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard. Set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, it concerns Conan infiltrating a perilous tower to steal a fabled gem from an evil sorcerer named Yara. Its unique insights into the Hyborian world and atypical science fiction elements have led the story to be considered a classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales.

THE TREASURES OF TARTARY.

Kirby O’Donnell is an American treasure hunter, created by Howard, in early-twentieth-century Afghanistan disguised as a Kurdish merchant, “Ali el Ghazi”. Howard only wrote three stories about O’Donnell, one of which was not published within his lifetime.

The story begins with James Allison, lying on his deathbed, reminiscing about his past lives. He believes he has lived through many incarnations, always as a member of the Aryan or Nordheimer race. Allison recalls a specific life as Niord, a powerful warrior, and his encounter with a horrific, demonic entity known as the Worm.

VIKINGS OF THE GLOVES. Published in FIGHT STORIES Fall 1940. Published under the name of Mark Adam. “Includin’ the Scandinavian” previously appeared in FIGHT STORIES V4N9, February 1932 as “Vikings of the Gloves”

THE VOICE OF EL-LIL is an adventure tale. An Englishman and an American venture into Somaliland where they discover a tribe of people who have not advanced/progressed with the rest of the world and have remained as they were about 3,000 years earlier.

First published in Oriental Stories Volume 1 Number 1, October/November 1930.

“Vultures’ Sanctuary” by Robert E. Howard is set in the wilds of the Old West, where the lead character, Big Mac, encounters the infamous Checotah Kid. The Kid, an outlaw, seeks Mac’s help for a seemingly lucrative gold mine venture. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the Kid’s intentions are far from honest, leading to intense confrontations and betrayals. This tale is steeped in the themes of treachery, survival, and the moral complexities of a lawless land.

The Vultures of Whapeton

WAR ON BEAR CREEK. Featuring Breckinridge Elkins.First published in Action Stories, April 1935. This short story was altered slightly to become Chapter 12 of the novel, A Gent From Bear Creek.

In “Waterfront Fists,” Steve Costigan finds himself in Honolulu, where Bill O’Brien, a fellow crew member of the Sea Girl, announces that Steve has been matched to fight a formidable opponent from the ship Ruffian that very night. First published in Fight Stories September 1930. Featuring Steve Costigan. It was published again in Fight Stories volume 6 number Summer 1940 but then under the name, Mark Adam, and the title STAND UP AND SLUG!

WINGS IN THE NIGHT. First published in Weird Tales in July 1932. Featuring Solomon Kane.

Kane comes across an entire village wiped out, and all of the roofs have been ripped off, as if by something attempting to get inside from above.

WINNER TAKE ALL The story was accepted around April 1930 by Fight Stories and published in volume 3 number 2, July 1930. Featuring Steve Costigan.

A WITCH SHALL BE BORN is one of the original sword and sorcery novellas by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian. It was written in only a few days in the spring of 1934 and first published in Weird Tales in December 1934. 

Queen Taramis of Khauran awakens one day to find her identical twin sister, Salome, staring her in the face. As an infant, Salome was deemed a witch due to a crescent-shaped birthmark on her chest. This birthmark was believed to be a sign of evil, so she was left in the desert to die. However, a magician from Khitai (China) found Salome, brought her up, and instructed her in the art of sorcery.

WOLFSHEAD is the title of a short story about lycanthropy by Howard, first published in the April 1926 issue of Weird Tales. The title was also used for a posthumously-published collection of seven novelettes by the same author, named after the story “Wolfshead”, which it also includes.

WORMS OF THE EARTH. It was originally published in the magazine Weird Tales in November 1932. The story features one of Howard’s recurring protagonists, Bran Mak Morn, a legendary king of the Picts.