Conan the Barbarian #47 – “Goblins in the Moonlight” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Dan Adkins
Last issue, Conan was on his way to Phalkar to deliver an amulet to the regent of that city when he got sidetracked by (what else?) a beautiful woman. He saved the woman (Stefanya) from a bloodthirsty mob who accused her of sorcery, but Stefanya told Conan the real sorcerer was her hated master, Zoqquanor. Stefanya is linked to Zoqquanor by a spell that will kill her the instant the
sorcerer dies. Conan and Stefanya searched the burnt-out ruins of Zoqquanor’s castle and found the wizard’s body, hovering somewhere between life and death. After an argument, Conan agrees to the bring the comatose sorcerer with them so Stefanya can revive him. Before they leave, Stefanya changes (into an outfit that shows even more skin than before) and Conan notices a star-shaped birthmark on her hip. They travel into the night and finally stop at some ruins on the plains. Conan is awakened by Stefanya to find they’re beset by freaky-looking goblins, apparently drawn by the magical aura that 
preserves Zoqquanor’s body. Conan wastes all the goblins (with a little help from Stefanya) and they continue on their way. If this story seems shorter than usual, that’s because it is. Deadline problems (and some lost art pages) forced the creators to run a nine page story this issue and do the remaining ten pages next issue. They ran some pin-ups, an essay by a Robert E. Howard fan about Conan’s parents, and an old Wally Wood sword and sorcery tale. This story is still part of the adaptation of Gardner Fox’s “Kothar and the Conjurer’s Curse”, which will run for a few more issues.
Conan the Barbarian #48 – “The Rats Dance at Ravengard” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Dick Giordano, Dan Adkins
This is the second part of the truncated story that ran last issue and is similarly shorter than usual. As they travel, Stefanya asks Conan about his background and he tells her a story about his youth, when (at fifteen) he first ventured out into the wild to prove his manhood. He killed some wolves and found shelter enough to keep from freezing, but ran into some polar bears. Luckily, they were the pets of a priestess named Ursla, who took Conan back to her house. Overcome by her beauty, Conan banged her and she told him he would meet others of her kind one day. But when he returned to his tribe to tell them what happened, they refused to
believe him … until he showed them the brooch Ursla gave him. That impressed them enough that they invited him on the raid against Venarium, where he made his first kill. Conan finishes his story and asks Stefanya about herself. Her memories of her childhood are dim, but she tells him how Zoqquanor used her as his servant, but also taught her courtly manners almost as if she was a princess. (Gee, I wonder what’s going to happen with Stefanya?) The next day, they’re accosted by some horsemen who demand tribute (of Conan’s sword, his horse, and his woman) which the barbarian isn’t inclined to provide. He’s overwhelmed by sheer numbers and ends up staked to the 
ground by the lord of Ravengard, Torkal Moh, who leaves some water just out of reach as he tells Conan the rats will soon arrive to tear him apart. This is another shorter tale (originally backed up with a new Red Sonja story, as indicated on the cover) which gives us a bit more of Conan’s background … specifically, how he first got laid. Not much else happens, although its quite a set-up for next issue, which will be back to regular story length and will continue the Gardner Fox adaptation.