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WritingWritten October 1933

The Devil in Iron

2textual states14Characters
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.”

Characters in this Work

Counts are across exact Textual Versions currently represented. Additional textual research may add further appearances.

ConanCimmerian adventurer who becomes king of Aquilonia1 textual stateGhaznaviolder adviser who devises the Xapur trap1 textual stateGilzanShemite torturer serving Jehungir1 textual stateJehungir AghaHyrkanian noble/officer plotting to trap Conan1 textual stateJelal Khanformer master of Octavia1 textual stateKhosatral Khelancient iron-bodied god who founded Dagon on Xapur1 textual stateMitramajor Hyborian deity invoked throughout the Conan texts1 textual stateOctaviaNemedian noblewoman used as bait against Conan1 textual stateOctavia's fatherunnamed Nemedian lord, father of Octavia1 textual stateSkeloslegendary mystic/author whose forbidden writings are invoked in the Conan stories1 textual stateTarimdeity/holy figure invoked by Turanians1 textual statethe giant snake of Xapurprehistoric giant serpent guarding the object feared by Khosatral Khel1 textual stateYateliDagonian woman encountered after Xapur’s reawakening1 textual stateYezdigerdking of Turan1 textual state

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 IAurora2007↗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↗