We report the release of the number 7 of "ZOTHIQUE", Magazine of Fantastic Culture and Weird published by Dagon Press, entirely dedicated to the American writer Robert Ervin Howard, one of the fathers of the "Heroic Fantasy" genre, known above all for being the creator of the famous character of Conan the Barbarian.
di Peter Guarriello
(Dagon Press)
The special releases of "Zothique" continue: this seventh appointment is entirely dedicated to the writer Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), Conan's father, Kull, Solomon Kane and many other heroes who have made the history of heroic fantasy. Behind the cover of our Gino Carosini there will be surprises, even in this rich issue (200 pages), among unpublished, testimonies, essays and documents that will show all the verve and variety of Howardian themes. All garnished with pictures and photos of REH and the world of him.
A first portrait of the writer is offered to us by the late Giuseppe Lippi, the one who most of all in Italy contributed to his knowledge, and to follow two intriguing first-hand testimonies of the writer himself, who here lays himself naked and reveals himself by talking to us about his life, his writing and his passions; two absolute first fruits that contribute to shedding light on his biography, and that do not come by themselves: in fact, several significant letters from Howard are translated in this issue for the first time; a correspondence about him, which in addition to being very rare proves to be precious for knowing his personality and the most hidden aspects. And it does not end here, because a memory by E. Hoffmann Price (which is added to the already known one translated in appendix a skull face della Nord) tells us about his very first meeting.
The non-fiction part is also particularly rich: Giovanni Valenzano reconstructs the story behind the novel "Almuric", investigating the little-known sources and anecdotes, while Matteo Mancini offers an analysis of the entire production hard boiled Howardian, the one headed by the "steel fisted" detective Steve Harrison.
Among reflections on the Howardian vampire and on the tale "The Tower of the Elephant", a portrait of one of Howard's lesser-known characters stands out, the gael "Cormac Mac Art", written by the talented Michele Tetro, and finally the third part of a powerful (the only term that comes to our aid to define it) study by Mariano D'Anza on the poetry of REH, which includes several translations with text opposite.
A very rich number, as you can see, that fans of Robert E. Howard and of literature weird they should absolutely not let it slip ... also because - Last but not least - there are several unpublished stories of the bard of Cross Plain, including three of his very rare science fiction stories (you didn't expect it, did you?) Translated into Italian for the first time. The rest, if that's not enough for you, will follow on a second Howardian special due out after the summer!
