Robert E. Howard’s writings
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WritingWritten October 1933

The Devil in Iron

2textual states0Characters
PublishedAugust 1934Sale amount$115Recorded income$115
Genre
Sword & Sorcery

Introduction

The Devil in Iron is a Conan story accepted by Weird Tales on December 14, 1933, and published in August 1934. Howard earned $115 for the story. Its plot involves the resurrection of an ancient demon, the theft of a sacred dagger, and a trap that draws Conan to an island fortress. The story reuses elements from Iron Shadows in the Moon.

Textual states

Shown in a practical developmental order where possible: synopsis/outline, numbered drafts, submission states, then published or posthumous states. This display order does not itself assert exact chronology or textual authority.

Draft 1The Devil in Iron — Draft 1
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Published versionThe Devil in Iron
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From the letters:

Howard wrote (letter #273) Clark Ashton Smith, postmarked, December 14, 1933, mentioning the sale:

P.S. Wright recently accepted another Conan yarn, “The Devil in Iron.”

Publication appearances

Weird Tales 1934 AugustPopular Fiction Publishing CompanyAugust 1934↗Conan the BarbarianGnome Press1954↗Conan the WandererLancer1968 - 1973 (see notes)↗Conan der WandererWilhelm Heyne Verlag1971 (See notes)↗コナンと石碑の呪い (Konan to sekihi no noroi)Sōgen Suiri BunkoJune 25, 1971 Date Unknown (2nd edition)↗狂戦士コナン(Kyōsenshi Konan)Hayakawa BunkoJune 30, 1971↗コナンと焔の短剣 (Konan to honō no tanken)Sōgen Suiri BunkoMay 1972↗Conan el vagabundoEditorial Bruguera (Spain)1973↗The Devil in IronDonald M. Grant1976↗The Savage Sword of Conan Volume 1 Number 15Magazine Management Co. / Marvel ComicsOctober 1976↗Conan de zwerver (Conan the Wanderer)Zwarte Beertjes1977↗The People of the Black CircleScience Fiction Book Club1977↗Conan the WandererPrestige BooksMay 1977 Date Unknown (2nd printing)↗The People of the Black CircleBerkley PutnamSeptember 1977↗The Devil in IronGrossett & Dunlap1978↗The People of the Black CircleBerkley Putnam1978↗Conan lo zingaroEditrice NordJanuary 1980↗Conan the WandererAce BooksJuly 1980 April 1982 October 1983 July 1984 January 1986 May 1990 September 1993↗Conan the WandererSphere1982↗Conan le vagabond (Conan the Wanderer)Jean-Claude LattèsMarch 1982↗Conan der WandererWilhelm Heyne VerlagOctober 1982 1983 (2nd edition) November 1995↗Conan el vagabundoEdiciones Forum (Spain)1983↗Conan en het vlammende mes (Conan and The Flaming Blade)W & L Boeken1983↗Conan le vagabondJ'ai LuDecember 1985 (1st printing) May 1990 (2nd printing) January 1992 (3rd printing) April 2002 (4th printing)↗Conan. Ręka Nergala / Stalowy demonKlubowe SFera1985↗Konan: Demonsko OstrovoNiro Dečje Novine1985↗Konan: Drvo SmrtiNiro Dečje Novine1985↗The Essential ConanScience Fiction Book ClubJune 1988↗Conan FörgörarenTarget Games1989↗Conan, a barbárCsokonai Kiado Vállalat1989↗La Leggenda di Conan il CimmeroEditrice NordOctober 1989↗ConanWydawnictwo Atlantis1990↗Conan barbarzyńcaElektronik1990↗Conan najemnikWydawnictwo Nakom1990↗L'ira di ConanArnoldo Mondadori Editore / Oscar MondadoriFebruary 1990↗The Conan Chronicles Volume 2OrbitSeptember 1990↗Conan obieżyświatWydawnictwo PiK1991↗Conan Saga Volume 1 Number 46Marvel ComicsJanuary 1991↗Конан - варвар (Konan - varvar) (Conan the Barbarian) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Смарт (Smart)1991↗Tähtivaeltaja 4Helsinki SF SeuraApril 1991↗Magazí n Poutník 7Klub Julese Vernea1992↗Конан, варвар из Киммерии (Konan, varvar iz Kimmerii) (Conan. Barbarian from Cimmeria) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Эридан (Eridan)1992 1994 (Second edition)↗Conan a kimmériaiPhoenix Könyvkiadó1993↗Конан и повелители пещер (Konan i poveliteli peshcher) (Conan and the Cave Lords) Covers and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Северо-Запад (Severo-Zapad) (North-West)1993↗Конан, варвар (Konan, varvar) (Conan the Barbarian) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Полиграфресурсы (Polygraph Resources)1993↗Конан, варвар из Киммерии (Konan, varvar iz Kimmerii) (Conan, Barbarian from Cimmeria) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Центрполиграф (Тsentrpoligraf) (Centerpolygraph)1993↗Конан-варвар. Принцип оборотня (Konan-varvar. Printsip oborotnia) (Conan the Barbarian. The Werewolf Principle) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Эль-Фа (El -Fa)1993↗Черният меч SF трилър 12 (Černijat meč SF trilăr 12) (The Black Sword, SF Thriller 12)Неохрон (Neohron)1993↗Conan l'avventurieroEditrice NordNovember 1993↗ConanAFSF1994↗Конан - варвар (Konan - varvar) (Conan the Barbarian) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .ИИЦ АО «Заволжье» (Research Center JSC "Zavolzhye")1994↗La Saga di Conan il CimmeroEditrice NordOctober 1994↗Conan el vagabundoEdiciones Martinez Roca (Spain)1995↗Conan snikmordernes bySemic / Nordisk Forlag A/S1995↗Tutti i cicli fantastici - Il ciclo di Conan Tomo INewton Compton EditoriApril 1995↗Конан из Киммерии ( Konan iz Kimmerii) (Conan of Cimmeria) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Азбука-Терра (Azbuka-Terra) (ABC-Terra)1996↗Conan I: Barbar / Conan II: DobyvatelAFSF1997↗Конан и Сердце Аримана (Konan i Serdtse Arimana) (Conan and the Heart of Ahriman) Covers and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Северо-Запад (Severo-Zapad) (North-West)1997↗Конан Скитника (Konan Skitnika) (Conan the Wanderer)Bard1998↗ConanClaude Lefrancq EditeurOctober 1998↗Conan ja Musta ranniku kuningannaElmatar1999↗The Conan Chronicles Volume 1 - The People of the Black CircleGollancz / MillenniumAugust 2000↗Conan: A zrodí se č arodĕ jka a jiné povidky (A Witch Shall Be Born and other stories)BB Art2001↗Complete Conan of Cimmeria Volume OneWandering Star2002↗Конан из Киммерии (Konan iz Kimmerii) (Conan of Cimmeria) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Эксмо (Eksmo) Валери СПД (Valeri SPD) (See Notes)2002 2007↗ConanWilhelm Heyne VerlagSeptember 2003↗The Coming of Conan the CimmerianBallantine Books - Del ReyDecember 2003 ( Trade paperback ) December 2003 (eBook ) November 2005 ( Hardcover )↗The Coming of Conan the CimmerianScience Fiction Book ClubDecember 2003↗Savage AdventuresWild Cat Books2004↗összes Conan története I.Szukits Konyvkiado2004↗Conan de Cimmeria Volumen I (1932-1933)Timun Mas (Spain)November 2004↗Konan: Οι μαύροι προφήτες και άλλα διηγήματα Konan: I mávri prophítes kai álla diiyímata Conan: The People of the Black Circle and Other StoriesΑίολος (Aeolus)January 2005↗The Devil in IronIncarna Publishing2005↗Конан, варвар із Кімерії Konan, varvar іz Kіmerії Conan, Barbarian from CimmeriaШкола (Shkola) (School)2005↗Conan el cimmerio 2Timun Mas (Spain)March 2005↗Conan. Il cerchio neroArnoldo Mondadori Editore / Oscar MondadoriJune 2005 2008↗Conan - O Demónio de Ferro (The Iron Devil)Saída de Emergência2006↗Conan, O Cimério Volume 2Conrad Editora2006↗The Complete Chronicles of Conan - Centenary EditionGollancz / BCA (with dustjacket)January 2006↗Conan 1Wilhelm Heyne VerlagFebruary 2006↗The Weird Writings of Robert E. Howard Volume 2Girasol CollectablesMarch 2006↗Danny StreetContentsJune 2006↗Conan: Τα χρονικά ενός θρυλικού ήρωα #1 Conan: Ta khroniká enós thrilikoú íroa #1 Conan: The Chronicles of a Legendary Hero #1AnubisDecember 2006↗Gardens of Fear: The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard, Volume 6Wildside PressDecember 2006↗新訂版コナン全集2:魔女の誕生 (Shinteiban Konan zenshū 2: Majo no tanjō) (The Authorized Conan Chronicles 2: A Witch Shall Be Born)Tōkyō SōgenshaDecember 2006↗Conan le Cimmérien (Conan the Cimmerian)BragelonneOctober 2007 ( Hardcover ) April 2008 (Trade Paperback, 2nd printing ) 2010 (Trade Paperback, 3rd printing) September 2013 (Trade Paperback, 4th printing)↗Weird Tales Volume 24 Number 2Girasol CollectablesMay 2007↗People of the Dark: The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard Volume TwoCosmos BooksNovember 2007↗The Conan Chronicles Volume 1GollanczApril 2008↗. . . and their memory was a bitter tree . . .BlackBart BooksAugust 2008↗The Adventurous Tales of Conan the CimmerianOnno TaslerOctober 2008↗Dolazak Konana SimerijancaIPS Media2009↗Conan the BarbarianPrion BooksMay 2009 (U.K.) November 2010 (U.S.)↗The Coming of Conan the CimmerianTantor Media Inc.June 2009↗Conan the ReaverHalcyon Press, Ltd.December 2009↗Conan the BarbarianEaston PressJanuary 2010↗Conan the BarbarianMetro Books2010↗Конан. Рожденный в битве (Konan. Rozhdennyi v bitve) (Conan. Born in Battle) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Эксмо (Eksmo) Домино (Domino) (See Notes)2010↗The Robert E. Howard Omnibus: 99 Collected StoriesHalcyon Press, Ltd.May 2010↗野蛮人柯南 (Conan the Barbarian)金城出版社 (Jincheng Publishing House)September 2010 (Paperback) August 2014 (eBook)↗Conan i pradawni bogowieRebisJanuary 2011 (Trade paperback) July 2012 (eBook)↗Сага о Конане. Свиток второй. Конан-Воин ( Saga o Konane. Svitok vtoroi. Konan-Voin) (Saga of Conan. Scroll Three. Conan the Pirate) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .ДВД Классика (DVD Klassika) (DVD Classic)2011↗The Big Book of Adventure StoriesVintage BooksMay 2011↗Conan il barbaroNewton Compton EditoriJuly 2011 (Trade paperback) October 2011 (eBook)↗野蛮人柯南Ⅰ (Conan the Barbarian I)凤凰出版社 (Phoenix Publishing House)July 2011↗Conan the DestroyerGollanczOctober 2011↗Конан-варвар. Легенда о киммерийце (Konan-varvar. Legenda o kimmeriitse) (Conan the Barbarian. The Legend of the Cimmerian) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Эксмо (Eksmo) Домино (Domino) (See Notes)November 2011↗Conan 2Urco Editora2012↗Приключения Конана-варвара (Prikliucheniia Konana-varvara) (The Adventures of Conan the Barbarian) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Клуб Семейного Досуга (Family Leisure Club)2012↗Conan barbarzyńcaReaApril 2012 November 2015↗Conan the BarbarianJame-BooksAugust 2012↗Conan the Barbarian: Tales of Magic & Mayhem Volume 2Summit Classic PressSeptember 2012↗Queen of the Black Coast, The Devil in Iron, The People of the Black Circle: Conan the BarbarianJame-BooksSeptember 2012↗Conan: Meč s fénixem a jiné povídky (Conan: Phoenix on the Sword and Other Stories)Dobrovský2013↗Robert E. Howard's Collected WorksJame-BooksFebruary 2013↗Weird Tales: 101 Weird, Strange, and Supernatural Stories Volume 8Civitas MediaFebruary 2013 (Kindle) May 2013 (Nook)↗Weird Tales: The Devil in IronCreateSpaceMarch 2013↗Weird Tales: The Devil in IronUMash Marketing LtdMarch 2013↗Conan Barbarzyńca. Tom 1Code Red / BookRageDecember 2014↗Конан Tom 1 (Conan Volume 1)Изток-Запад (East West)2015↗The Devil in IronFiction House PressFebruary 2015↗Conan the Barbarian, selected short storiesBenediction ClassicsApril 2015↗Robert E. Howard - Die Original Erzählungen Band 2 ConanFesta VerlagJune 2015↗Conan the BarbarianUlwencreutz MediaNovember 2015↗Конан. Пришествие варвара (Konan. Prishestvie varvara) (Conan. The Coming of the Barbarian) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Эксмо (Eksmo)December 2015↗The Devil in IronPerennial PressFebruary 2016↗Conan the Barbarian - Collected AdventuresThe Castanea GroupDecember 2016 (eBook) June 2017 (Trade paperback)↗The Weird Tales of Conan the BarbarianDover PublicationsJune 2016↗Conan il barbaroArnoldo Mondadori EditoreOctober 2016↗The Devil in IronSpeculative!October 2016↗Conan the Cimmerian BarbarianEaston Press2017↗Conan the Slayer #7Dark Horse ComicsMarch 2017↗Conan the Slayer #8Dark Horse ComicsApril 2017↗Conan: Broadsword Legacy CollectionShirtsleeve PressApril 2017↗The Devil in IronSir AngelsApril 2017↗Conan the Slayer #9Dark Horse ComicsMay 2017↗Conan the Cimmerian BarbarianPulp-Lit Productions & Audible AudioJune 2017↗Conan the Slayer #10Dark Horse ComicsJune 2017↗Conan the Slayer #11Dark Horse ComicsJuly 2017↗Conan the Slayer #12Dark Horse ComicsAugust 2017↗Conan le Cimmérien (Stars Edition)BragelonneNovember 2017↗Conan the BarbarianPrion Books2018↗Conan - édition collectorBragelonneSeptember 2018↗Conan, o Bárbaro - Livro 2Pipoca e NanquimSeptember 2018↗Conan ja merirosvot (Conan and the Pirates)OppianJanuary 2019 (Paperback) March 2020 (eBook)↗Le Cimmérien (Conan, Tome 1)Le Livre de PocheJanuary 2019↗El diablo de hierroSportulaApril 2019↗Conan the Barbarian: complete collectionNighttime Editions2020↗The Robert E. Howard Foundation Newsletter v14 #4Robert E. Howard FoundationWinter 2020/21 (mailed february 19th 2021)↗Conan ja rautapaholainen (Conan and the Devil in Iron)OppianJuly 2020↗The Adventures of Sword and Sorcery and Fantasy #2Fortuna PublicationsJuly 2020↗The Feasting of Swords: Epic Tales of Blood and ThunderLegendary PlanetAugust 2020↗The Robert E. Howard Foundation Newsletter v14 #3Robert E. Howard FoundationFall 2020↗Конан бродяга (Konan brodiaga) (Conan the Wanderer) Covers and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Северо-Запад (Severo-Zapad) (North-West)2021↗Os Contos Mais Épicos de ConanSaída de EmergênciaMay 2021↗Conan le Cimmérien (Conan the Cimmerian)BragelonneJuly 2021↗Robert E. Howard and Weird TalesOld Tiger PressNovember 2021↗Andra Krönikan om Hyboria: Djävulen i järn ( Second Chronicle of Hyboria: The Devil in Iron )YabotFebruary 2022↗Конан-варвар. Алая цитадель (Konan-varvar. Alaia tsitadel-) (Conan the Barbarian. Scarlet Citadel) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Феникс (Phoenix)May 2022 August 2023 (eBook)↗愛蔵版 英雄コナン全集 2 征服篇 The Complete Conan Collectors Edition 2: The Conqueror of WorldsShinkigenshaOctober 2022↗Conan de Cimmeria nº 01/03 1932-1933Minotauro (Argentina)November 2022↗Cònan. El dimoni de ferroLaertes (Spain)December 2022↗Las Crónicas Nemedias La Saga Completa del CimerioSportulaDecember 2022↗蛮王科南Ⅱ：黑海岸女王 (Conan the Barbarian II: Queen of the Black Coast)盖亚文化 (Gaia Culture)February 2023↗蠻王科南套書 (Conan the Barbarian Box Set)盖亚文化 (Gaia Culture)February 2023↗Conan el Cimerio - Coloso negro (Conan the Cimmerian - Black Colossus)Saga Egmont (Spain)May 2023↗The Devil in IronFiction House PressMay 2023↗I rodiće se veštica (A Witch Shall Be Born)StrahorJune 2023↗Queen of the Black Coast & Other TalesChenault & Gray PublishingJune 2023↗Las Crónicas Nemedias 3SportulaSeptember 2023↗Conan, o Bárbaro Box SetPipoca e NanquimDecember 2023↗Conan ja synkkä uhka (Conan and the Dark Menace)OppianApril 2025↗Le Cronache Barbariche Volume 2 (The Barbarian Chronicles Volume 2)Providence PressMay 2025↗The Savage Sword of Conan Reforged #2Titan ComicsJanuary 2026↗Conan de Cimmeria Volume 2Portal Ediciones (Spain)May 2026↗Conan IAurora200 7↗