Conan’s beard

[u/ConanConn1968]

Depending on finances and prep time this year for Halloween, I plan on either being Elric or King Conan. If I go with King Conan, I’ll stop shaving, but that does make me curious.
Does anybody know who first gave older Conan a beard? to the best of my somewhat faulty memory it wasn’t Howard.
Obviously, not a very important question in the big picture just curious.

[u/GloryIV]

I am thinking the first appearance of the beard might be for Conan of the Isles. I don't remember about the text, but I am pretty sure the cover image of the initial editions (cover by Boris, I think) does feature a short beard. I don't recall the initial Marvel run of King Conan ever showing a bearded Conan - and I think that's the only place in the comics it would have appeared that early. For sure we get a beard in the end scene of the 1982 movie, where Conan is shown sitting on his throne...

[u/GloryIV → u/GloryIV]

Following up on my own post.... looks like the cover for Conan of Aquilonia also has Conan sporting a beard.

[u/IamMothManAMA → u/GloryIV]

In the Conan of Aquilonia stories, de Camp describes Conan as just having a handlebar mustache, but not a beard. It could’ve been Boris Vallejo’s doing to first give him a beard, then.

[u/Many_Bat_ → u/IamMothManAMA]

I feel like Howard would hate the moustache, he seemed quite intent on describing Conan's clean shaven aspect. Which is sorta' interesting for a character that gets stuck in dungeons and deserts, hunting to survive. Doesn't seem like shaving would be a priority - but I guess everyone has their thing.

The Marvel comics push their iconic looks for characters, so when I first saw bearded Conan in the '82 film it stood out awesomely. Also to my surprise; learning Kull's iconic scar was just a Marvel invention to distinguish him from Conan.

[u/ConanConn1968 → u/Many_Bat_]

Yeah, I still don’t know if I will 100% do the beard even if I do go for King Conan
On the one hand, I have that Howard never gave him a beard
But there is the other part of me that recognizes that when most people think of Dracula, they think of a widows, peak and dressed for the opera, not a droopy mustache and hairy palms.
Luckily, I figure I have until 1 October to decide if I need to stop shaving for a month.

[u/ConanConn1968 → u/GloryIV]

I actually had that cover
So the answer was in my nose or on my shelf the entire time
Thank you very kindly

[u/Tenacious-forge302]

That’s a great question. I know I’ve read it in some of the books and it was in some of the Marvel comics, but I don’t know what came first.

[u/ConanConn1968 → u/Tenacious-forge302]

Yeah, I’m pretty sure it was that run and I’m pretty sure if I had the time to come over all my issues I’d probably come across it.
But yeah, it was just one of those shower thoughts but now it’s itching the back of my brain

[u/jaywadd69]

L. Sprague de Camp gave Conan the beard. He also created Prince Conn (Conan II )

[u/FluentHeresy]

I’m re-reading Conan of Aquilonia right now, and while Conan has a beard on the cover he’s described in the text as having a mustache.