A Hyborian Age podcast featuring the works of Robert E. Howard, his pop culture legacy, and other weird fiction.
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Welcome back, Cromrades! This season has been a long time in the making - we finally are diving into the world of Michael Moorcock's foundational sword and sorcery work, Elric of Melniboné. This episode focuses on the first third of the book, wherein we discuss what we know about Melniboné, Elric, Yrkoon, and Cymoril, and the greater world of the b…
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Greetings, Cromrades! We are back to put the final touches on our coverage of The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson, and transition to our next story - Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock! We set up some of the similarities and differences between these two stories, and set the stage for Elric as our next sword and sorcery protagonist. One ThingsJon…
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Welcome back to The Cromcast's dive into "The Broken Sword" by Poul Anderson. We've been through heck and back with these characters, but if Odin's presence is any indication, things aren't about to get better! Join us for the final turn with this fantastic tale and learn what fate befalls Skafloc and Valgerd!One ThingsJonathan: "The Wager" by Davi…
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Welcome back to the big show, Cromrades! This week, we discuss chapters 11 - 20 of The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson. Check back in a few weeks for the exciting finale!One ThingsJon: Love Lies Bleeding, a movie!Josh: Fargo, season 1 and 2, a television show!Luke: Nuclear War, A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen, a book!Questions? Comments? Curses?Call us …
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Hile, Cromrades! Here we delve into the first 10 chapters of Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword! We had a ton of fun with this discussion, and hopefully you enjoy it too! We'll return with the next discussion in the coming weeks!One ThingsJon: Devolution and other things by Max Brooks!Josh: From Hell: Master Edition by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell!L…
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An eerie mist shrouds the podcast waves, it's plain to hear that the faeries and elves must be about. They are stalking for a new podcast season to steal away before its named. Alas for them, The Cromcast knows exactly what their next season is all about. Tune in and hear about our plans to read "The Broken Sword" by sci-fi and fantasy author Poul …
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Welcome back to the show, Cromrades! This week, we take a second look at Red Nails, ten years after visiting the lost city of Xuchotl for the first time. This story is widely regarded as a classic amongst the Conan tales. Do you enjoy it? Let us know!Zap! Zap! Lightning Bolt! One ThingsJon: Peyton's PlacesJosh: True Detective: Night CountryLuke: Ga…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! We return with a long-awaited and much merited 'mail bag' at the start of the episode. From there we tackle a discussion of on Mr. Robert Eggers' 'The Northman.' Do we like this movie? NAY! We love it! So, if you love it to, please join us for a bit of a discussion, and we hope you stick around for the next episode wherein …
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Greetings Cromrades! We are so excited to bring you the return of Jim Zub to the show. In the time since we last spoke, Jim has been a part of a high flying launch of Titan Comic's Conan the Barbarian monthly series. If the numbers are any indication, we're guessing most of you are already reading it. If you aren't though, tune in to hear from Jim …
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Welcome back, Cromrades, to the conclusion of our discussion on Hour of the Dragon! As always, we hope you enjoy the insights and observations we share during this episode of the podcast. One ThingsJon: Ed Brubaker's Captain AmericaJosh: Dungeons and Dragons B/XLuke: Warhammer 40KQuestions? Comments? Curses?Call us at (859) 429-CROM!You know you wa…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! Here we revisit Robert E. Howard's "Hour of the Dragon," which you may also know as "Conan the Conquerer!" This is REH's only novel-length Conan story, so we only get through about the front half of the book! It's a heck of a tale, and we hope you join us for this episode alongside the second episode that will drop in comin…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! Today, we join Conan as he ventures into an area of colonization, where native peoples are being hectored by imperial forces and pioneers. Essentially, we're joining him in Texas circa the late 1600's or the mid- 1800's. As such, we've invited Ben Friberg to join us. He's a friend of the show, a Texas historian, chronicler …
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Welcome back, Boils and Ghouls! Your three-headed podcast hosting ogre has selected a couple of delightfully frightful tales for tonight's Cromtober recording! They are of the nautical horror bent, set in demon-haunted New England: Dagon, and The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft! We discuss all manner of horrific details regarding these two …
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Greetings, Cromrades! We're kicking off our 2023 Halloween festivities with a bang! We're pleased and thankful to have had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Gaunt, otherwise known as John Langan! We meander around a ton of topics, discussing horror writing styles, the importance of regionalism in horror, the focus / intent of the Corpsemouth collect…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! Here we revisit the Robert E. Howard story "Jewels of Gwahlur," another yarn in the Hyborian Age of Conan the Cimmerian. While it isn't our favorite Conan story, there are some interesting facets to discuss. One ThingsJon: Legacy DC Characters, and the ending of Irredeemable. Josh: Dragon Quest!Luke: The Last House on Needl…
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Have you heard of the wickedness seeping out from the city of Khauran? The queen, her majesty Taramis, has seemingly gone mad or been possessed by a demon... They're even crucifying men in the dessert. I recently heard all the gory, delicious details from three fools performing in the street. You too can listen to them spin the yarn and decide is w…
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Listen not to this episode if you fear the immaterial but destructive sound waves of the three podcasters of the Black Circle. If you are of steely stuff, then plug those headphones in and join The Cromcast as they analyze Robert E. Howard's novella, "The People of the Black Circle". Originally published between September and November of 1934 in We…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! This week's show is a double-feature! We not only unpack 'The Devil in Iron,' but we're also joined by Howard Andrew Jones! HAJ happens to have a book of his own that has just dropped, entitled 'Lord of a Shattered Land.' You can buy it direct from Baen here!Needless to say, this is a longer episode, as we cover not only RE…
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Welcome back to the show, Cromrades! One of our jokes became an idea for an episode, and now we present to you our fantasy draft of characters featured in the Conan stories we've read and covered up through Queen of the Black Coast. We hope you enjoy the shenanigans! The list of characters we compiled prior to the draft: CharacterStoryAscalanteThe …
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Hello Cromrades and welcome to another nautical episode here on The Cromcast. This is no ordinary sea tale though, today we ride the gusty seas with the one and only Queen of the Black Coast. Tune in for a tale of how love transcends all, for piratical fun, and for the finest winged ape you've never wanted to see. One ThingsJosh: The highest form o…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! This week's show is a banger! Join us as we not only unpack 'Iron Shadows in the Moon,' but also get deep into a discussion of mythos! You can read 'Iron Shadows' here!If you are looking for some guide posts, be sure to check out the recent episode from Weird Studies for their own discussion of 'mythos' and the third season…
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Welcome back to the show, Cromrades! This week we are thrilled to share a conversation we had with sword and sorcery fan and comic book writer Jim Zub! Jim tells us about the upcoming Conan comic series from Titan Comics. By now, hopefully you've all had a chance to pick up the Free Comic Book Day copy of Conan the Barbarian Issue #0! The art by Ro…
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Today's Cromcast ventures into the home of Nabonidus, who knows what wonders and magic we may perceive. We are also joined by a friends fourth rogue, Matt John of the aptly named, Rogues in the House podcast!Tune in for cartoonish violence and Scooby-Doo traps galore!Be sure to find Matt on his usual channel with Rogues in the HouseOne ThingsMatt: …
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Welcome back, Cromrades! This week we join Conan to sail the seas and explore a fantastic island where intrigue abounds! Hope you brought a jaunty hat and your cutlass!If you are looking for a great review / lit crit piece on this story, we reference David C. Smith's take on this story from the 'Hither Came Conan' blog series on The Black Gate. You…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! We are still cruising down the ReRoad of Kings, and it's time to make a stop at Xuthal! Do we have any thoughts about titillating and exciting Slithering Shadow? Do we ever! Join us, won't you? One ThingsJon: Snowblind by Rangar Jonasson.Josh: The Call of Cthulhu, and the blurred line between the real world and mythos filte…
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Howdy, Cromrades. Today The Cromcast continues down their 10th anniversary trail by stopping in at the small kingdom of Khoraja where we'll come face to face with Natohk... or is that Thugra Khotan hiding under those mummy bandages? Tune in to hear about the first world war in Hyborea and the role that Conan plays in it. Dissect the role of the Yas…
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Hile, Cromrades! We continue our season with another humdinger! For this episode we read the much lauded The Tower of the Elephant, and frame up the episode in a less conventional fashion using the old TSR Conan Role-Playing Game System from 1985! Join us, won't you?Useful Reads about The Tower of the ElephantHoward Andrew Jones and Bill Ward's Rer…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! This week, we follow Conan (or is it, Amra?) into the bowels of hell beneath The Scarlet Citadel. Here we meet Pelias, who, as it has been said, does like to party. We spend the majority of the discussion devoted to the labyrinth beneath the Scarlet Citadel and its denizens. Join us, won't you? One ThingsJon: Rosalind Kerve…
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"The clangor of the swords had died away, the shouting of the slaughter was hushed;silence lay on the red-stained snow. The bleak pale sun that glittered so blindingly fromthe ice-fields and the snow-covered plains struck sheens of silver from rent corselet andbroken blade, where the dead lay as they had fallen. The nerveless hand yet gripped thebr…
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"Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of..."Here it is - a return to Conan on The Cromcast!A decade in the making, we circle back around to REH's Conan! We discuss the "The Phoenix on The Sword", published in the Dec…
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Happy New Year Cromrades! Thank you for tuning in for our last episode of 2022 and our last episode dedicated to poetry. We have enjoyed digging into poetry by our patron saint, Robert E. Howard, as well as his lyrical companions in "Weird Tales" H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith. For this last episode in Season 17, we thought we would take a w…
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Hello Cromrades! We are proud to announce the release of The Cromcast Chronicle #3! You can find the newest issue here, as well as our past years' entries here!You can peruse the Cover and the Table of Contents below. And, you can hear us talk about what's inside!Happy holidays, everyone!!!Questions? Comments? Curses?Email us! (thecromcast at gmail…
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Hile, Cromrades! We continue our poetry season by opening things up a bit... For this episode we contrast select poems of the Weird Tales Three! Read the entries here:Clark Ashton Smith's Nyctalops!H.P. Lovecraft's Fungi from Yuggoth!Robert E. Howard's Adventurer!One ThingsLuke: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones!Jon: Planes, Trains, and…
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Hello again Cromrades and welcome to another lyrical Cromcast episode featuring even more poetry by Robert E. Howard. Today's selections come from Luke and he was inspired by REH's use of color in his poems and pulled three top shelf choices for the show. Be sure to check 'em out-Summer MornHigh Blue HallsAlways Comes EveningGo to minute 29 if you …
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Well met, Cromrades! We are beginning a brief jaunt into the weird world of pulp poetry this week, with a look at Robert E. Howard as a poet, and some of our favorite poems of his. We discuss what a poem even is, how we differentiate it from prose writing, and follow a hip-hop tangent down the well for a bit. We hope you enjoy the show! LinksFrank …
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Hile, Cromrades! We return for our second spooktacular episode for this October. Our Halloween festivities this year are focused on spectral locomotives! For this episode we read Dicken's 'The Signalman' and Leiber's 'Belsen Express.' Heady talk around the firepit await you!One ThingsJosh: Is absolutely DIGGING some Scott Oden, particularly 'A Gath…
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Howdy Cromrades! It's the most wonderful and spooktacular time of the year, around these parts we call it Cromtober. Our 2022 Halloween festivities are focused on spectral locomotives, you know, ghost trains! Trains have long inspired tales of ghosts and haints and even sometimes serve as means of conveyance to get your soul down to hell. For our f…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! We're closing in on the end of this short road. The temperatures are dropping, and the sound of wolves echoes around us. Time feels a little... strange, these days. Doesn't it? Whatever the case, you should pour yourself a drink, kick back, and join us for the second half of The Winter Players by Tanith Lee! One ThingsJon: …
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Hile, Cromrades! We gather for an episode centered on the front half of Tanith Lee's 'The Winter Players.' Join us, won't you? One ThingsJon: Better Call Saul. 'nuff said.Josh: The Standups on Netflix. Get some chucks in...Luke: Warhammer's Kill Team. If you are gullible, and want to spend a paycheck or three, then give it a go. If not, then maybe …
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Welcome back to the show Cromrades! In this episode, we return the road with some ghosts on our tail. Join us as we wrap up Tanith Lee's "The Companions on the Road" and discuss some cool motifs, the evocative imagery, and more about Lee's prowess as a writer. One ThingsJosh: Blades and Spells, for the gamer who craves adventure but lacks timeLuke:…
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Welcome back, Cromrades! It's a new season and a journey down a new road, with new companions. We're taking a trip with Tanith Lee! Join us as we discuss the first half of her sword and sorcery novella "Companions on the Road!" Learn more about Tanith Lee on Blackgate.com!One ThingsJon: 50 Years of WatergateJosh: Dark Horse Conan, particularly the …
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Hile, Cromrades! We gather a final time on the end of our Gothic Road. Join us as we put some final nails in the coffin of this season!One ThingsJon: Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics!Josh: Jason Aaron's take on Thor: God of Thunder!Luke: Barry on HBO (he just can't quit it).Questions? Comments? Curses?Call us at (859) 429-CROM!You kn…
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The Cromcast has reached the final story of the Gothic road and boy is it a doozy. Before we jump into it though, you should probably drink this potion. It might help... release your inner podcaster. Join the fellas as they dissect the themes of repression, guilt, and resentment at the center of Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jek…
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Hile, Cromrades! For our final episode from Howard Days 2022, we present a most excellent crossover event! In this recording from Saturday, June 11, Josh and Luke are joined by Matt John of Rogues in the House Podcast, Monolith Games, and Modiphius Entertainment!If you enjoy this recording, or you have ever enjoyed a REH story (and you know you hav…
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Hile, Cromrades! For this episode, we present another recording from Howard Days 2022!The panelists discuss the latest news regarding Howard publishing, entertainment and how his influence continues. Panelists include Joel Bylos, Paul Herman, Matt John, Fred Malmberg, Matt Murray, Steve Saffel, and Jay Zetterberg.If you enjoy this recording, or you…
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Welcome, Cromrades! For this episode, we present another recording from Howard Days 2022!In this recording, Josh and Luke chat with Rusty and Shelly Burke at the Cross Plains Public Library on Saturday, June 11th.If you enjoy this recording, or you have ever enjoyed a REH story (and you know you have!), please consider donating to Project Pride. Wh…
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Hile, Cromrades! For this episode, we present another recording from Howard Days 2022!In this recording from Saturday, June 11, Paul Sammon shares comments and stories related to his involvement with the first two Conan movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger .If you enjoy this recording, or you have ever enjoyed a REH story (and you know you have!),…
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Hile, Cromrades! For this episode, we present another recording from Howard Days 2022!For this recording, Josh and Luke are joined by various attendees for afterhours conversations on Friday, June 10th.If you enjoy this recording, or you have ever enjoyed a REH story (and you know you have!), please consider donating to Project Pride. Whether it's …
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Hile, Cromrades! For this episode, we present another recording from Howard Days 2022!This recording is from Friday, June 10th, and is from the Robert E. Howard Celebration Banquet. The guest of honor is Fred Malmberg, who shares comments and stories about his years in the gaming industry, as well as the influence of Robert E Howard on the history …
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Hile, Cromrades! For this episode, we present another recording from Howard Days 2022!This recording from Friday, June 10th includes academic papers delivered by Drs. Dierk Guenther, Gabriel Mamola, and James McGlothlin. The panel is moderated by Dr. Jason Ray Carney.If you enjoy this recording, or you have ever enjoyed a REH story (and you know yo…
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