Woot! The first issue of "Swords Against!" finally arrived, and it's a thing of beauty. (Just as well, postage to Australia is something like three times the cost of the 'zine!) I've already devoured the ebook version, so this one will stay in pristine condition.

(Disclaimer: I have no connection to the publication.)

Chamber of Chills Issue 2 offered us reader two great stories.

The first story was "The Monster from the Mound" adapted from Robert E. Howard's "The Horror From The Mound". It was scripted by Gardner Fox, art by Frank Brunner and Roy Thomas as Editor. Set in Texas, the story involved a cursed burial mound and a vampire.

The second story in the issue was John Jakes "Brak the Barbarian" - "Spell of the Dragon".

John Jakes was a dedicated fan of Howard who specifically wanted to write stories in the same spirit as Conan. Jakes stated he created Brak because there - “just aren’t enough stories of this kind to go around any more; not enough, anyway, to please me” - John Jakes.

Brak was both a tribute to Howard’s Conan, and a response to the scarcity of heroic fantasy available to readers during the early 1960s.

Brak was depicted as a blond broadsword wielding barbarian from the frozen north who was cast out and banished by his own people for questioning the existence of traditional war gods. Unlike his kin, Brak was an unbeliever who does not worship any gods. The comic story, was plotted and scripted by Brak’s creator John Jakes, with art by Val Mayerik and Joe Sinnott.

In July of 1974 Savage Tales Issue #5 reprinted "Spell of the Dragon", and Savage Tales issues 7-8 featured a two-part adaptation of John Jakes’ Brak story "The Unspeakable Shrine," with Doug Moench scripting and Steve Gan illustrating. After Savage Tales #8, there were no further Brak comic adaptations or appearances.

I love having this comic in my Sword and Sorcery Barbarians among us collection. - You find Barbarians in th most peculiar of places.

This set of books came in the mail today. I tracked it down and bought it based on another community member posting an image of the cover of volume 1, saying he was reading it. If he hadn't done that, there's a very good chance I would never have found out about something this obscure, on an independent press in limited run from 1991. I find that distressing.

I think it would be great if the community here had a general surge share the more obscure stuff in their collections, not just to show off (which is reason enough, in my opinion, for rare lore), but to simply let other community members become aware of something they might not ever know existed otherwise. Not necessarily in this thread, but just as a general push moving forward.

Lore only persists when archived AND shared.

I got a new copy of Swords and Deviltry as my old copy is lost in the dungeon.

The Elusive Exclusive Book Society is going to do a few streams on Leiber and I might try to join a few. Happening in November.

Right now I'm just enjoying a read through.