Conan the Barbarian Vol 1 4

Conan the Barbarian #4
Previous Issue	Conan the Barbarian #3
Next Issue	Conan the Barbarian #5
Art by: Barry Smith
Release Date	January 26, 1971
Cover Date	April, 1971
Issue Details
Editor-in-Chief	Stan Lee
Original Price	15c US
Pages	32

1. "The Tower of the Elephant!"
Appearances · Synopsis
Story is an adaptation of the original material by Robert E. Howard
Writer(s)	Roy Thomas
Penciler(s)	Barry Smith
Inker(s)	Sal Buscema
Colorist(s)	Mimi Gold
Letterer(s)	Sam Rosen
Editor(s)	Stan Lee

Appearing in "The Tower of the Elephant!"

Featured Characters:

• ⏴ Conan ⏵

Supporting Characters:

• Taurus of Nemedia, prince of thieves (Only appearance; dies)
• Yag-Kosha (Only appearance; dies)

Antagonists:

• Giant spider (Only appearance; dies)
• High Priest Yara (Only appearance; dies) (Main story and flashback)

Other Characters:

• Bel, God of all thieves (Invoked)
• ⏴ Unnamed Kothian (Only appearance; dies)
• Unnamed count of Ophir (Mentioned)
• Unnamed count of Ophir's wife (Mentioned)
• Unnamed Brythunian stolen woman (Mentioned)
• Elephant Tower's guardsman (Only appearance; dies)
• Crom (Invoked)
• Lions (Only appearance; dies)

Races and Species:

• Humans
• Elephants (Mentioned)
• Lions
• Unidentified alien species (Main story and flashback)
• Gods (Mentioned)
• Demons (Mentioned)
• Giant Spiders
• Dinosaurs (Only in flashback)
• Apes (Mentioned)

Locations:

• Earth
  • Hyboria
    • Zamora
      • Arenjun (First appearance)
        • ⏴ Unnamed tavern (First appearance)
        • Elephant Tower (Only appearance) (Destruction)
          • Gardens of Yara (First appearance)
    • Koth (Mentioned)
    • Ophir (Mentioned)
    • Brythunia (Mentioned)
    • Cimmeria (Mentioned)
    • Khitai (Only in flashback)
      • Lost Jungle (First appearance) (Only in flashback) (Unnamed)
  • Valusia (Only in flashback)
    • Thuria (Only in flashback)
  • Atlantis (Only in flashback)
• Yag (Mentioned)

Items:

• Conan's Helmet
• Rion's Pendant
• Heart of the Elephant (Only appearance) (Destruction)
• Black Lotus (First appearance) (Used)

Events:

• Hyborian Age
• Great Cataclysm (Only in flashback)

Synopsis for "The Tower of the Elephant!"

In an inn in Arenjun, the "thief-city" of Zamora, a slaver, boasting of his recent acquisition, catches the attention of Conan when he mentions a jewel secreted in the Tower of the Elephant. The rogue mocks Conan's interest in the impossible-to-obtain gem, which is never a smart thing to do. Leaving the dead Kothian's body behind, Conan approaches the gated tower and observes Yara, the tower's mysterious occupant enter, but Conan doesn't notice that the priest's feet do not touch the ground. Conan scales the wall and discovers another thief, Taurus, also in the courtyard, and they join forces for this raid. Taurus dispatches most of the lions guarding the garden using a poison gas made of black lotus, and Conan kills the last lion. The two thieves climb to the top of the tower. Taurus, attempting to leave Conan behind, sneaks into a door but immediately falls out dead. Conan warily enters the room and discovers it filled with treasure but also encounters the room's guardian, a giant poisonous spider. Conan defeats the monster and descends into a lower chamber, where he encounters a green humanoid creature with an elephantine head. The lonely, blind creature introduces itself as Yag-Kosha and explains to a terrified Conan his alien nature and capture by Yara. The fabled gem, the Heart of the Elephant, is what keeps Yag-Kosha captive and Yara extremely powerful. He begs Conan to kill him, which Conan does. Conan then takes the gem to a sleeping Yara, who is mystically swallowed by the gem. Conan can see a fully healed and powerful Yag-Kosha inside the gem take his final revenge on his captor. With its builder's death the Tower of the Elephant begins to crumble, and Conan flees just in time to see it collapse into a pile of shards.

Solicit Synopsis

Death takes many forms - in "The Tower of the Elephant!" The most mind-staggering Conan tale of all - and wait'll you feast your eyes on Barry Smith's artwork!

Notes

• The issue is adapted from the story by Robert E. Howard, nominated for "Best story", 1972, by the Academy of Comic-Book Arts.
• synopsis by YardIHS
• The story was recounted in Savage Sword of Conan #24

See Also

• 1 image(s) from Conan the Barbarian Vol 1 4
  • 2 reprint(s) of Conan the Barbarian Vol 1 4.jpg
• 11 reprint(s) of Conan the Barbarian Vol 1 4