"The Tower of the Elephant!" is a tale that questions my own moral thinking, comes from Conan the Barbarian #4 April 1971, adapted by the legendary Roy Thomas, from the story of the same name by Robert E Howard, drawn by Barry Smith, (later named Barry Windsor-Smith) and Sal Buscema. It was reprinted in 1975 in Savage Sword of Conan #4, a weekly black & white comic from Marvel UK. It was also again reprint in the UK in Conan the Barbarian pocket book in October 1980. But I'll take my reference from the 75 weekly.
Our tale starts in a thief redden bar, full of ugly men and beautiful women, in the Arenjun city of Zamora. Where Kothian, a fat slave trader, loudly holds court. Conan asks him about the Elephant tower that he has heard so much about. He tells him of Yara a high priest and a mysterious jewel, the Heart of the elephant. Conan questions Kothian's courage, which starts a fight and ends in his death. But more on that later. Intrigued Conan spy's upon Yara who enters the tower gate, unseen by all he walks on air. Covertly the young barbarian climbs over the wall and crosses the gardens to find a dead guard, whose killer reveals himself to be Taurus of Nemedia, a prince of thieves. Together they decide to share what ever booty they can liberate from the tower. They face lions that attack in silence, Conan kills one with his sword. The glass sided tower poses the next obstacle, that they manage to scale with the aid of a rope to the very top where Taurus cunningly enter a door to find death, which Conan soon find out was cause by venom from a giant spider, again Conan slays the beast. In a lower chamber the young Cimmerian finds what he at first believes to be a green idol with the body of a man and the head of an elephant. The chained creature awakes from his sleep.
Now this is where the story calls to my moral thinking, Yag-Kosha the alien creature, the last of his race, who had come to earth before the dawn of man, even though his body injured and eyes that no longer see he senses that Conan has blood on his hands. Conan answers from "A spider in the chamber above.. ..and a lion in the garden." To which Yag-Kosha replies "You have slain a man too, this night." Now at first I didn't understand who he was talking about. Yes Conan had killed, but only as a solder in wars, or in self defence, or to save a pretty maiden, but never in cold blood. My comic heroes aren't murders. But then as I thought back to the bar fight Conan had slain Kothian, under the extinguished light of a candle. Beautifully drawn by Smith. This shows perfectly the blood soaked age this tale is set in, but for a young readership in 1971 and 1975 Britain. Now Thomas perfect paced plot pay off. Yag-Kosha requests that Conan ends his immortal life and Yara enslavement, as he is tired of his lonely torment at the priests hands. Conan follows Yag-Kosha wishes with a heavy sword, throw the heart.
Conan finds Yara but doesn't attack with his sword but instead takes the globe like, Heart of the elephant, gives it to the wizard priest and quotes Yag-Kosha's last enchantment, where upon touching the scarlet gem the old priest begins to shrink into the globe. Conan watches as a no longer maimed or blind elephant man acts out his vengeance. Conan turns and flees the crumbling tower. With more questions than answers, the young Cimmerian looks back maybe with some sense of justice.
I think Conan was a little puzzled to about being accused of being a murder. But I do believe he does own a code of honour, even in this Hyborian age, he hold a greater moral standard than other characters around him. This makes him a hero fit to stand with Marvel other heroes like, Spider-Man, Captain America and Thor. That's why I love these tales, so refreshingly crafted by Roy Thomas, Barry Smith, Sal Buscema and Sam Rosen, under Stan Lee's editorial eyes. I can read these tales again and again. I love the adventure and drama, but I love that it gets me thinking about life and myself. Like all stories should. Truly amazing and revolutionary!
Make mine Marvel!
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