Claw the Unconquered by Michelinie, Chan, Giffen et al

September 20, 2020

Claw the Unconquered was a DC Comics title that debuted in 1975. DC wanted to get a piece of the market Marvel had established with adaptations of Robert E Howard’s Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, Kull the Conqueror and Solomon Kane. Editor Joe Orlando talked with writers, and after a false start settled on David Michelinie. Claw emerged as a Conan-like character at first, and the art supplied by Ernie Chan – himself a Conan contributor over at Marvel – for the first seven issues of the comic deviated little from that conception.

Issue Nos. 8–12 were pencilled by Keith Giffen, then in his early years in the comics business. He brought a different energy and perspective to Claw, helping Michelinie separate the book from the Marvel model of heroic fantasy, and bring it into its own space. It is unfortunate the book suffered two cancellations during its short run, just as it got going. It improbably came back after ending in No. 9, only to be more-permanently cancelled after No. 12 as part of the DC Implosion.

And so here’s an exploration of a book that should have gotten some more issues.

NO. 1

Page 1 as published.

Scan from Heritage Auctions. Art by Ernie Chan. Lettering by Ben Oda.

Cleaned-up art.

Indicia re-set and added, new colour.

NO. 12

As published.

A scan of Joe Kubert’s original art that has seen better days.

Cleaned-up art with missing bits drawn in where the trade dress was, and bleeds extended.

New trade dress includes a new version of the logo. New colour. And without the Code looking over our shoulders anymore, we can show a little blood on the battlefield.

NO. 13

Claw was cancelled after No. 12, so materials for subsequent issues never saw print in the USA outside Cancelled Comics Cavalcade No. 1. However, the cover for No. 13 was used on a Mexican edition, where Claw was known as Garra el Indomable!

Scan of Joe Kubert’s art.

Cleaned-up art with bleeds extended.

New colour and re-created trade dress applied.

NO. 14

Scan of Joe Kubert’s art.

Cleaned-up art with missing bits drawn in where the trade dress was, and bleeds extended.

Colour and re-created trade dress applied.

House ad created by Michael Uslan for DC President Sol Harrison, announcing a whole new adventure line. Most books would last only a few issues. Claw got 12, and The Warlord lasted 133 issues plus annuals.

Another diversity house ad showing new directions for DC Comics.

A great piece of concept art by the series’ original artist Ernie Chan (then known at DC as Ernie Chua).

Scan of the original art from Heritage Auctions.

New design and colour.

OMNIBUS

Claw the Unconquered Omnibus collecting all 14 original issues and the two stories from The Warlord.

MAP

The map of Claw’s world first appeared in No. 5, and was later reprinted in No. 11. Created by David Michelinie (content), Paul Levitz (cartography), Debra Ulrich (calligraphy), Joe Kubert and Tex Blaisdell (forests, mountains).