Set Description:
I gotta tell you - I think Claw the Unconquered gets a raw deal. I mean, here we are - 1975 - Conan is going strong and Kull is as well, but that's it - right? Of all of the other sword & sorcery books - nobody is running as many issues as Claw, and after issue 12 he continues as a backup story in Warlord. OK - I guess Warlord is going strong too. But Red Sonja? 15 issues (yes, 15 is fewer than 12 - boobs shouldn't count); Sword of Sorcery? 5; Beowulf 6; Thongorr? 8. Yeah, 12 issues is a pretty good run in my mind.
So, I got a thing for swords. I grew up on Conan paperbacks and when those ran out the Gor series. Conan comics, and Red Sonja, and Claw were far more common reading material in my collection than spandex wearing superheroes. At least until I discovered Warren mags.
Anyway, I like swords so much that when I learned about stage combat, jousting and such, when I was in my late 20's - I learned that. And then I performed with a jousting troupe for 25+ years. So I know just a little bit about wearing armor (real armor, not theatrical) and how you swing an axe.
For those of you that are familiar with my other sets in the registry, you know that as an artist I often have a very strong opinion about the cover art. For Claw, I anticipate having a strong opinion about the cover art and about the weapons and armor as well.
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| Slot: |
Claw the Unconquered 1 |
| Item: |
Claw the Unconquered 1 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
2103906006
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Owner Comments
Let's take a look at this beauty. Well, the pink screams at the viewer - so you have my attention. I'm not sure what to make of the cast shadow over our protagonist & the fair maiden - but the shape of the silhouette is disturbing. Probably I don't want to fight whatever that is. But when I look closer, I really can't tell what the monster is supposed to be - which probably doesn't help sell the book in my mind. IDK.
Let's look at our people - they're well drafted. I always have liked Ernie's covers. Claw looks solid - barbarianish - and that's the objective, right? and the femme? She looks like she's happy to have the big guy straddling her. I think they look good - plus we've got good use of color to engage me in the cover.
Let's take a look at how ol' Claw is manhandling that pigsticker, huh? Yeah, how about terribly? The cutting edge isn't indexed to his swing, so that's not going to work out so well for defeating monsters. But on top of that, in order for his hand to be in the position shown, he has to have his forearm rotated 180 degrees between his elbow and his wrist. Now, I know he's a big, burly, barbarian - but that is the most cumbersome, heavy, unwieldy, and exertive way to hold a sword in your hand, and you don't get to grow up to be a big, burly barbarian, if when you were a wee, whiny barbarian in training you didn't learn to conserve your strength for when you really need it.
Overall - the cover still works for me, probably just due to the pink!, but looking at the sword and arm combo makes my forearm ache.
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| Slot: |
Claw the Unconquered 2 |
| Item: |
Claw the Unconquered 2 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
2495193006
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Owner Comments
My sole Ernie Chan/Ernie Chua signature. OK - now look at this sweet a$$ cover! L@@K at it! We're in some sort of colosseum - there's a huge battle between Claw and the two-headed horned snake beast from hell. It's green and fuzzy? is it fuzzy? I'm not sure, and I don't think it really matters. It's pretty sweet looking. Claw is standing on one of the heads, is it half-dead? half-conscious? Red gemstone eyes glare out at Claw and he looks ready to slay. Not only that, we've got a total James T. Kirk alien hottie unconscious in the foreground. Yellow skinned, gold accents, and bright white hair & skirt tie it all together. Claw looks like business - barbarian business - his stance is right, his weight looks as well distributed as can be standing on the head & horn of the beastie's 2nd neck, his hands are on the grip correct for a right hander using a sword two-handed, his sword is also indexed close to correct for a strong blow.
Overall - this cover is a winner, with the only real drawback being the text box - and as much as I loathe text boxes, at least this one is tucked down in the corner.
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| Slot: |
Claw the Unconquered 11 |
| Item: |
Claw the Unconquered 11 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
3729671001
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Owner Comments
"Death at Darkmorn" With a cover that looks like maybe Kubert mailed it in. But, my only Giffen signature on some really early work of his. The coolness of Giffen's signature aside - this really could be my least favorite issue from the run. The cover - while dynamic? I guess that's the word I'm looking for - just doesn't sell the book to me. The caste in the background, on what I assume is supposed to be a ledge or a mountain of some sort, is detached from everything below. I don't know if it's floating in the sky or just a weird ass angle - but it doesn't work. Neither the protagonist nor the antagonist on the cover look interesting. Their gear is boring, and I'm generally uninterested.
Overall - this one rates a solid meh. I just can't see with the offerings available on the spinner rack in 1978, that this is interesting enough to part me from my hard earned 35 cents
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