It begins then-- the exile. Slowly, Joshua trudges into the jungle-- away from his home, his woman-- toward a destiny filled with danger, ridden with torment-- and no night will ever be dark enough to hide his shame-- nor any day bright enough to comfort him--! 
Appearing in "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Aesir fighting-men (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Vanir
- Hymdul (First appearance; dies)
- Atali (First appearance)
- Atali's brothers (First appearance; dies)
- Ymir
Other Characters:
- Wulfhere's band (Corpse, skeleton or other remains)
- Wulfhere (Corpse, skeleton or other remains)
- Crom (Invoked)
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Frost Giants
- Gods of Ice and Snow (Mentioned)
Locations:
Items:
- Rion's Pendant
- Atali's Gossamer Dress
Events:
Synopsis for "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
Conan, now a member of an Aesir war party, is just finishing off a band of Vanir in the snowy plains, but soon stumbles and falls due to his injuries. A beautiful, scantily clad maiden appears to him, and when she tempts him a little too much, he chases her lustily towards the mountains, knowing she might be luring him to an ambush. When her frost giant brothers appear, he swiftly deals with them and continues his chase, finally catching her. She prays to her father, the god Ymir, to save her, and she vanishes in a flash of blue light. Conan collapses, and is rescued by his Aesir companions, who, while they don't entirely believe his story, are disquieted with the remnants of a dress Conan holds in his hand.
Appearing in "The Fury of the Femizons"
Featured Characters:
- Princess Lyra (First appearance)
- Mogon (Death) (killed by Princess Lyra)
Supporting Characters:
- Queen Vega (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Syrani (First appearance)
- Syrani's Security Police
Other Characters:
- Beast-Men (Vision or hallucination)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Brain Tapes
Synopsis for "The Fury of the Femizons"
Introducing Femizonia, a Kingdom in the 23rd Century ruled by the United Sisterhood Alliance, and chief among them, Queen Vega.
Vega's sister, Princess Lyra, wins a fight to the death, and so earns a new male slave. She soon learns that her slave, Mogon, is a revolutionary sent to spy in the palace. She falls for him, and joins his cause. Together, they attempt to contact the rebel band, only to discover it is a trap set by Syrani, the Security Chief. After Slaying the Security Police, Lyra and Mogon think they are safe, and return to the Palace. Once there, Syrani accuses Lyra of Treason. Lyra is forced to execute Mogon to prove her devotion, but swears to herself that she won't rest until all men are free.
Appearing in "...Man-Thing!"
Featured Characters:
- ⏴ Man-Thing (Ted Sallis) ⏵ (First appearance) (Origin revealed) (Main story and flashback)
Antagonists:
- A.I.M. (Only in flashback)
- ⏴ Ellen Brandt ⏵ (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Alan (First appearance; dies) (Only in flashback)
- Unnamed agent (Only in flashback)
Other Characters:
- God (Yahweh) (Invoked) (Only in flashback)
- U.S. Government (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- U.S. Army (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- Weapon Plus (Mentioned) (Unnamed) (Only in flashback)
- Project Sulfur (Mentioned) (Unnamed) (Only in flashback)
- Hamilton (First appearance; corpse in flashback)
- Judas (Mentioned in narration)
Races and Species:
- Birds
- Alligators
- Man-Things (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
- Humans (Only in flashback)
- Goats (Mentioned in narration)
Locations:
- Earth-616 (Main story and flashback)
- Earthspace (Main story and flashback)
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
- Florida (Main story and flashback)
- Everglades (Main story and flashback)
- Man-Thing's Swamp (Main story and flashback)
- Everglades (Main story and flashback)
- Florida (Main story and flashback)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Hell (Invoked) (Only in flashback)
- Earthspace (Main story and flashback)
Items:
- SO-2 Serum (First appearance; unnamed) (Only in flashback)
Synopsis for "...Man-Thing!"
Dr. Ted Sallis is a scientist working on a variation of the lost super-soldier serum on behalf of a government contractor. He sets up shop in the Florida Everglades with his assistant (and lover), Ellen Brandt. What he doesn't realize though, is that Brandt is actually a spy working for a criminal organization. As soon as Sallis confirms the success of his super-soldier serum, Brandt contacts her people.
The thugs raid Sallis' lab and try to steal the formula from him. The only existing sample is contained within a needle. Ted grabs the sample and races out towards his car. The thugs begin following him. Driving away, Sallis realizes that the only way that he might survive (and preserve the formula) is to inject himself with it. If nothing else, he succeeds in keeping it out of criminal hands.
After injecting himself with the formula, Ted's car goes off of a bridge and into the swamp. The super-soldier serum coursing through his bloodstream interfaces with the surrounding vegetation and transforms Sallis into a mindless, shambling muck-monster that men will come to call the Man-Thing!
The Man-Thing rises from the swamp and attacks the criminals. He grabs one and shatters his spine against his knee. Ellen Brandt is present and begins screaming. The Man-Thing discovers that he has an empathetic connection to all humans, and fear produces a swelling of rage within him. He grabs Ellen by the face and secretes a corrosive substance from his pores, burning Ellen badly. For whatever knows fear... burns at the touch of the Man-Thing!
Appearing in "Black Brother!"
Featured Characters:
- Joshua (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Belle
Races and Species:
Locations:
Synopsis for "Black Brother!"
The governor of Potonga, Joshua, finds himself in a difficult position when the government sets him up. He's framed as unfaithful husband and a traitor to his race when damning photos are taken of him. In reality he was simply moving the woman after she feigned injury but unbeknownst to him it was a setup in order to make it look as if they were being sexual. Joshua's own wife Belle set him up in order to live the wealthy life she would receive in exchange for assisting in Joshua's downfall.
Appearing in "The Night of the Looter!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Carla (First appearance; dies)
- Ralph (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- Swamp Tank
Synopsis for "The Night of the Looter!"
A couple, Carla and Ralph, come to the Savage Land with a Swamp Tank to steal Ka-Zar's vibranium, but when they force him to open the door to where it's stored the vibranium destroys the tank. Carla is carried off and killed by the Swamp Men when Ralph is not able to save her because the gun he was using only had blanks due to Carla replacing the bullets with blanks in an effort to get Ralph killed.
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- First appearance of the Man-Thing. Chronologically, Man-Thing appears next in the "Behold the Man-Thing" story-arc in Marvel Comics Presents #164-#167. His next actual appearance is in Astonishing Tales #12.
- The The Fury of the Femizons storyline from this issue continues in Fantastic Four #151; The Femizons featured in this issue are native to an alternate future timeline, and should not be confused with the Femizons led by Superia.
- Joshua's Burden first and only appearance of Joshua
Publication Notes[]
- The Frost Giant's Daughter is adapted from the short story by Robert E. Howard. It was reprinted in Conan the Barbarian #16 and Savage Sword of Conan #1.
- The Fury of the Femizons is reprinted in Savage Tales #3 and in Fireside Book Series #4.
- ...Man-Thing! is reprinted in Monsters Unleashed #3 and Book of the Dead #1.
- Joshua's Burden O'Neil is credited as Sergius O'Shaughnessy.
- The Night of the Looter is reprinted in Savage Tales #6, and a toned down version is printed in Astonishing Tales #14.
Trivia
- The original version of "The Frost Giant's Daughter", authored by Robert E. Howard, was never published in Howard's lifetime. Howard submitted the story to Weird Tales under the name "The Frost King's Daughter", but then-editor Farnsworth Wright rejected it. Instead, Weird Tales published "The Phoenix on the Sword", a provincial story that launched the entire Conan franchise. Although the story had gone through numerous revisions over the years, it was eventually published in 1976 in Donald Grant's deluxe hardcover collection of Conan stories.