Starr The Slayer!

I adore the artwork of Barry Smith. Not Barry "Windsor" Smith, but simply "Barry Smith", the raw talent who wandered into the Bullpen in the late 60's from across the pond with his Kirby/Steranko pastiche style which worked because of pure enthusiasm and a sense of wonder. His flaws in this early stage of his career are many, but there was the pleasure of watching someone improve literally before your eyes as he took on one story and then another.

Among Smith's early efforts of course are a single X-Men story and some few covers, a couple of Avengers tales, a few SHIELD stories, a Doc Strange and Captain Marvel cover among other things. He has two early stories, one a western and the other arguably Marvel's first sword and sorcery story since the old Black Knight saga from the 50's. It appeared of all places in Chamber of Darkness #4 under a Marie Severin/Bill Everett cover and without fanfare, but it was the spark that lit the revolution that was Conan the Barbarian. It was called Starr the Slayer!

The original story has been reprinted several times. First in Conan the Barbarian #16,then later in Conan Saga #6 and later in Essential Conan. Currently it's available in the Marvel Visionaries-Roy Thomas volume, taking the place of the many many Conan stories that Roy developed over his time at the company.

It's a pleasure to see such sheer pleasure being taken in the production of a comic book character and story. All too often these days, we get over-produced and overly-hyped post-post modern ironic spins of concepts we've seen several times before without the joy that makes early comic book concepts so glorious. I look at Starr the Slayer and I see youth, the sheer unbridled unaware power of youth.

Comics today could use some of this untutored and selfless energy.

Marvel is currently publishing a new Starr story. Aside from the Rich Corben artwork attached to the project I have almost no interest. I'll wait until it's collected in trade and give it gander. If I like what I see I might pop for it, assuming I have some sheckels that I can part with relatively painlessly. Otherwise I'll just continue to bask in Barry Smith's original wonder.

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