Anyway, I was thinking about that line in the movie when they ask Conan what is "best in life," and he answers, "To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." While this is pretty badass in the context of Conan's character, can you imagine trying to hang out with a guy like that? I feel like my answers to "what is best in life," would be "a cold can of mountain dew, hanging out with my girlfriend, and playing old video games with my friends." I think Conan and I might have a hard time understanding each other on a personal level.
"Robert E. Howard's blatant misogyny and uncomfortable racist overtones, everything (however, in his defense he really wasn't that radically racist or misogynistic for the 1920's and 30's when his stories were written)."
ReplyDeleteI can understand people in this enlightened multicultural era considering Howard racist, but sexist?
What's "blatantly misogynistic" about Valeria of the Red Brotherhood, treated as the closest anyone - man or woman - comes to Conan's equal, who saves Conan at the end of the story she appears in? What's misogynistic about Red Sonya, the Russian she-devil who had to babysit the drunken hero of the story she appeared in? What's misogynistic about Dark Agnes, who reads like the ultimate deconstructionist fantasy of a radical feminist?
Of course some of his female characters are damsels in distress, but given the historical/fantasy context, it's simply realistic. Equal rights and opportunities for women are rare in the sort of societies Howard spoke of, and he still managed to make some strong female characters.
And of course, I needn't remind you that the real Conan seemed to have different priorities from the film incarnation. As he said in "Queen of the Black Coast":
"Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content."
Not too different from "a cold can of mountain dew, hanging out with my girlfriend, and playing old video games with my friends," really.
how'd you do the chunky paintin coloring on this? You still doin lines digitally? You told me you use manga studio for linework sometimes, and I'm think bout tryin my hand at some digital inking. Who knows. I may be able to pull it off. I'm ... decent at drawing sometimes
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