ARGON
ARGON
Real Name: Argon
Identity/Class: Human (possibly the
Elder race or an
earlier age of man)
magic-user;
presumably
pre-Cataclysmic era, but
possibly distant past (see
comments)
Occupation: King, warrior, sorcerer
Group Membership: Unidentified kingdom
Affiliations: Unidentified pet, unidentified servants, unidentified steed (see main image)
Enemies: Chane, "the devil," Hound of Hell, various creatures (many of whom were stuffed and kept as trophies) and beings slain, unidentified mystic creature, unidentified sorcerers
Known Relatives: Unidentified father (former king), unidentified grandfather and ancestral line (many or all of whom had allegedly been kings)
Aliases: None known
Base of Operations: Presumably a realm of Hell (or
some similar nether realm)
formerly a castle in an
unidentified region and unspecified era on Earth (see comments)
First Appearance: Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (May, 1981)
Powers/Abilities: Argon is allegedly a powerful warrior, unable to find his match in man or beast (mystic of mundane). He has some measure of mystical abilities as well, sufficient to fend off mystic attacks from experienced sorcerers. He is an experienced equestrian and swordsman, and he appears to be largely fearless.
Argon was served by a number of conventional servants and rode what appeared to be a normal steed. He apparently had armies and a whole kingdom under his control. He had an arsenal of swords, battles axes, and other bladed weapons.
Argon owned a jeweled sword that was considered valuable by all who saw it. He stuffed and displayed the various creatures he slew as a sort of trophy room in his private chambers within his castle
Height: Approximately 6'4" (he appeared a bit taller than Chane)
Weight: Approximately 250 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed (black and white comics)
Hair: Bald (black eyebrows, moustache, and mouche/"soul patch")
History:
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) <According to Argon himself> - Argon was
the son of kings, his ancestors having ruled their land peacefully for many
centuries, and he was raised to reign justly and with a brave heart.
Argon, however, soon became bored with simple governing. He
lived for war, conquest..."for masses of men opposed in frenzied battle!" When
that paled, Argon risked his life in single combat. Finally, even that seemed
tame.
Argon came to live only for the hunt. He stalked the most
fearsome creatures of this Earth and the wiliest of men. In his private
chambers, which none of his servants dared enter, he placed stuffed specimens of
fallen animals and creatures he had slain. Eventually, he concluded there was no
other beast worthy of him.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) - Eventually, Argon learned of the Hound
of Hell, and he swiftly became obsessed with hunting the creature and nothing
else. At first he attempted to conjure up the creature, and he consulted
countless wizards and warlocks. The spells they wouldn't reveal to him he stole
from their sacred books.
The mages he had stolen from (and perhaps others) apparently
sent various creatures against him, but his magical power had become great, and
he considered his foes' attempts at vengeance to be pitiful.
However, he learned that he could not call the Hound to
Earth; rather, if he wished to hunt it, he must follow it to Hell itself.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) - To protect himself from human foes that might seek to harm him or deter him from dealing in the occult, Argon allowed his monstrous pet to roam his estate in the evening. By daytime, the pet was placed in an underground lair; and Argon placed his jeweled sword near a pitfall, which would cause anyone who approached the prized sword to fall into the lair, where they were generally slain by the monster.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 - BTS)
- Traveling adventurer Chane of the Yellow Hair fell into the pit while trying
to claim the jeweled sword. Using his own sword, however, Chane drove the
monstrous pet back.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Watching from pit's entrance and fearing for his
pet's life, Argon called, "Hold!" Noting that his pet had been sorely tested and
asking the warrior to let him live, after Chane had done so, Argon noted how the
departing creature was glad to be rid of him, having never faced a warrior of
his mettle and wouldn't forget him soon. Argon then tossed a rope down for Chane
to scale his way out of the pit. As Chane emerged, Argon told him, "Well met,
stranger! I salute your courage and your skill! No man before you has lived to
climb out of that hole!"
When Argon replied, "Before I tear your throat out, tell me
why..." To which Argon responded, "Why? I have some small dealings in matters
occult and there are those who seek to deter me. I am simply protecting myself!"
He explained that his monstrous pet was used to eliminate approaching human
foes. "My inhuman foes, I fear not." Claiming to perceive that Chane had come
there without deceit or treachery, and to have been truly astounded by his
courage, Argon offered that the two of them could be of mutual benefit to each
other. As Chane mounted his horse and followed Argon to his nearby castle, the
two men introduced themselves.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 - BTS) - Argon and Chane left their steeds with Argon's servants as Argon led Chane into the castle.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Argon offered that they would dine after he had
told Chane of his own pursuits and why he had invited him there.
Revealing his past and showing Chane his trophies, Argon
instructed Chane that he would join him in Hell and help bear the Hound of
Hell's monstrous carcass home; the priceless jeweled sword would be his reward.
Before Chane could respond, Argon, his eyes aglitter, intoned a dark phrase that
made lightning crash and thunder roll. Then, flames soared out of the stone
altar and leap convulsively to draw the two men down into a subterranean world
of stone and flames. Argon proudly announced that they were there to fulfill his
destiny to kill the hound of Hell, after which they passed through a tunnel and
suddenly identified the creature. As Argon ordered Chane to join him in pursuing
the hound, he obsessively charged forward, ignoring Chane's warnings that the
creature was playing the same game Argon had played with him, luring him into
the bowels of Hell. Heedlessly, Argon laughed as he followed the creature deeper
and deeper into the caverns, and Chane reluctantly followed. Suddenly, Argon
halted, fear-stricken as he found the hound crouching at his master's foot. As
the immense demon picked him up, Argon's last lucid thought was an awareness of
having been tricked by the devil's bait.
Argon in hand, the "devil" sent Chane back into the flames
and then back up through Argon's altar. With a crash and tumble of stone, the
entry to the devil's domain was again sealed.
Escaping the wreckage, Chane headed off in search of the
jewel-hilted sword.
Comments: Created by Gil Kane.
I don't know what the Elder Earth is
exactly, but I'd tend to think it was the time before the age of Atlantis
(mostly 20,000 - 18,000 BC, but as far back as 30,000 BC by some counts).
Maybe it was the same era as
Thongor
(which may have been as early as 500,000 or even 1 million BC according to a few
references). Pre-Atlantean civilizations were discussed at length in the
comments of Thongor's profile.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Argon has no
known connection to:
ARGON - hero assimilated by death Metal--Death Metal#1
Argon's
altar
Within Argon's castle, this would appear to be the spot from which he performed many of his mystic rituals, such as open portals to other realms, as demonstrated here.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Argon offered that they would dine after he had
told Chane of his own pursuits and why he had invited him there.
Revealing his past and showing Chane his trophies, Argon
instructed Chane that he would join him in Hell and help bear the
Hound of
Hell's monstrous carcass home; the priceless jeweled sword would be his reward. Before Chane
could respond, Argon, his eyes aglitter, intoned a dark phrase that made
lightning crash and thunder roll. Then, flames soared out of the stone altar and
leap convulsively to draw the two men down into a subterranean world of stone
and flames.
Later, after capturing Argon, the "devil" sent Chane back into the flames and then back up through Argon's altar. With a crash and tumble of stone, the entry to the devil's domain was again sealed.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
Argon's
castle
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) <According to Argon himself> - Argon was the son of kings, his ancestors having ruled their land peacefully for many centuries.
Argon, however, led his people into war. After becoming bored with that, he hunted the most fearsome creatures of this Earth and the wiliest of men. In his private chambers, which none of his servants dared enter, he placed stuffed specimens of fallen animals and creatures he had slain; these served as trophies. Eventually, he concluded there was no other beast worthy of him.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Argon led Chane -- who had impressed Argon by overpowering Argon's monstrous pet -- towards his castle.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 - BTS) - Argon and Chane left their steeds with Argon's servants as Argon led Chane into the castle.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Revealing his past and showing Chane his trophies, Argon instructed Chane that he would join him in Hell and help bear the Hound of Hell's monstrous carcass home. Argon then opened a mystic portal through his altar into the hound's nether realm, transporting him and Chane there.
After capturing Argon, the "devil" sent Chane back into the flames
and then back up through Argon's altar. With a crash and tumble of stone, the
entry to the devil's domain was again sealed.
Escaping the wreckage, Chane headed off in search of the
jewel-hilted sword.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
Comments: We don't really have any idea where or when Argon's castle was. See comments in the main section.
Argon's
pet
(Savage
Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) - To protect himself from human foes that might
seek to harm him or deter him from dealing in the occult, Argon allowed his
monstrous pet to roam his estate in the evening. By daytime, the pet was placed
in an underground lair; and Argon placed his jeweled sword near a pitfall, which
would cause anyone who approached the prized sword to fall into the lair, where
they were generally slain by the monster.
According to Argon, no one had escaped from the pit after
falling in.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 - BTS) - Traveling adventurer Chane of the Yellow Hair fell into the pit while trying to claim the jeweled sword.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Landing hard, Chane took a few moments to adjust to the darkness, at which point he perceived a monstrous beast lumbering threatening towards him. Dodging the creature's leap, Chane dove for his sword, with which he slashed at the creature's monstrous arm, driving it back until it huddled and whimpered against the wall.
Watching from pit's entrance and fearing for his pet's life, Argon called, "Hold!" Noting that his pet had been sorely tested and asking the warrior to let him live, after Chane had done so, Argon noted how the departing creature was glad to be rid of him, having never faced a warrior of his mettle and wouldn't forget him soon. Argon then tossed a rope down for Chane to scale his way out of the pit. As Chane emerged, Argon told him, "Well met, stranger! I salute your courage and your skill! No man before you has lived to climb out of that hole!"
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
Comments: The creature is never identified by name, and Argon may well have considered him unfit to deserve a name.
If I had the choice to name him, I would call him Reebuus. No particular reason...it just struck me as a name for him.
Presumably Argon captured the creature and made it his slave/pet. Perhaps it was a Deviant mutate, an alien, a magically summoned/conjured creature, a member of some lost race, or something else altogether?
Argon's
servants
As a king, Argon presumably ruled a kingdom...and thus had servants in his castle. His servants did not dare to enter his private chambers, which held his trophies. Argon and Chane left their steeds with some servants after reaching the castle.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
Comments: Were Argon's servants just afraid of the stuffed creatures in the trophy room, or did they know there would be consequences from Argon?
What was their fate after Argon was trapped in Hell. Did they leave and make their own lives from that point on, or did they stay until someone else took over? The world may never know...
Argon's
sword
The jewel-hilted sword was apparently a normal sword, be-decked with jewels, which made it valuable. Argon may have purchased it, taken it from someone, had it constructed, etc.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) - To protect himself from human foes that might seek to harm him or deter him from dealing in the occult, Argon placed his jeweled sword near a pitfall, which would cause anyone who approached the prized sword to fall into a subterranean cavern, where they were generally slain by Argon's monstrous pet.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Traveling adventurer Chane of the Yellow Hair fell into the pit while trying to claim the jeweled sword.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 - BTS) - Using his own sword, however, Chane drove
the monstrous pet back, and Argon had to ask Chane not to slay the beast.
Argon offered the priceless jeweled sword as Chane's reward
if he would help Argon bear the Hound of
Hell's monstrous carcass back to his castle.
Later, after "the devil" had captured
Argon and sent Chane back to Argon's castle, Chane headed off in search of the
jewel-hilted sword.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
Argon's
trophies
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) <According to Argon himself> - Argon came to live only for the hunt. He stalked the most fearsome creatures of this Earth and the wiliest of men. In his castle's private chambers, which none of his servants dared enter, he placed stuffed specimens of fallen animals and creatures he had slain. Eventually, he concluded there was no other beast worthy of him.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Argon revealed his history and showing Chane his trophies.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
The apparent ruler of a Hell-like nether realm, he(? - see image on right) was the master of the Hound of Hell. He apparently used the Hound of Hell as bait to draw Argon to his realm, where he could capture him.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) - Having concluded that there was no man
or beast that could present a challenge to him, Argon learned of the Hound
of Hell, and he swiftly became obsessed with hunting the creature and nothing
else. At first he attempted to conjure up the creature, and he consulted
and/or stole from countless wizards and warlocks.
However, Argon eventually learned that he could not call the Hound to
Earth; rather, if he wished to hunt it, he must follow it to Hell itself.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Argon instructed Chane that he would join him in Hell and help bear the Hound of Hell's monstrous carcass home; the priceless jeweled sword would be his reward. Before Chane could respond, Argon -- via his stone altar -- opened a mystic portal to the Hound of Hell's realm. Then, flames drew the two men down into a subterranean world of stone and flames.
After they passed through a tunnel, Argon suddenly spotted the Hound of Hell. Argon obsessively charged forward, ignoring Chane's warnings that the creature was playing the same game Argon had played with him, luring him into the bowels of Hell. Heedlessly, Argon laughed as he followed the creature deeper and deeper into the caverns, and Chane reluctantly followed.
Suddenly, Argon
halted, fear-stricken as he found the hound crouching at his master's foot. As
the immense demon picked him up, Argon's last lucid thought was an awareness of
having been tricked by the devil's bait.
Argon in hand, the "devil" sent Chane back into the flames
and then back up through Argon's altar. With a crash and tumble of stone, the
entry to the devil's domain was again sealed.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
Though he may well have been able to alter his size and form, he looked to be about 75' tall...or maybe 100'?
Comments: So, who was this devil?
Satan (Marduk Kurios)?
Maybe Murray or Olivier?
Some other demon that ruled its own Hellish realm back whenever Chane was around?
See here from some unresolved devils...
Hound of Hell
The Hound of Hell was some demonic creature owned by a devil, who apparently used the Hound as bait to draw Argon to his realm, where he could capture him. If the "devil" was like 75' tall, the Hound looked to be perhaps 10' (or 15') tall at the shoulder.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (fb) - BTS) - Having concluded that there was no man
or beast that could present a challenge to him, Argon learned of the Hound
of Hell, and he swiftly became obsessed with hunting the creature and nothing
else. At first he attempted to conjure up the creature, and he consulted
countless wizards and warlocks. The spells they wouldn't reveal to him he stole
from their sacred books.
However, he learned that he could not call the Hound to
Earth; rather, if he wished to hunt it, he must follow it to Hell itself.
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3) - Argon instructed Chane that he would join him in Hell and help bear the Hound of Hell's monstrous carcass home; the priceless jeweled sword would be his reward. Before Chane could respond, Argon -- via his stone altar -- opened a mystic portal to the Hound of Hell's realm., Argon -- via his stone altar -- opened a mystic portal to the Hound of Hell's realm.
Argon proudly announced that they were there to fulfill his destiny to kill the hound of Hell, after which they passed through a tunnel and suddenly identified the creature. As Argon ordered Chane to join him in pursuing the hound, he obsessively charged forward, ignoring Chane's warnings that the creature was playing the same game Argon had played with him, luring him into the bowels of Hell. Heedlessly, Argon laughed as he followed the creature deeper and deeper into the caverns, and Chane reluctantly followed. Suddenly, Argon halted, fear-stricken as he found the hound crouching at his master's foot. As the immense demon picked him up, Argon's last lucid thought was an awareness of having been tricked by the devil's bait.
--Savage Sword of Conan#64/3
The Hound of Hell has no known connection to:
images: (without ads)
(Savage Sword of Conan#64/3, pg. 1, panel 1 (sword);
pg. 2, panel 2 & 5 (monstrous pet confronts and battles Chane);
pg. 3, panel 1 (monstrous pet reeling before Chane);
pg. 4, panel 1 (atop steed);
panel 2 (face w/ helmet);
panel 5-6 (castle);
pg. 5, panel 1 (servants);
panel 5 (face, no helmet; weapons
rack);
pg. 6, panel 2-3 (trophies);
panel 5 (altar);
pg. 7, panel 1 (full; enemy);
panel 3 (altar in flames as mystic
portal);
pg. 8, panel 1 (Hound of Hell);
pg. 9, panel 4 ("devil" with hound);
pg. 10, panel 1 (in devil's hand);
panel 2 (devil, full body);
panel 5 (altar destroyed)
Appearances:
Savage Sword of Conan#64/3 (May, 1981) - Gil Kane (writer, artist), Danny Fingeroth (associate editor), Lynn Graeme (consulting editor), Louise Jones
(later Simonson; editor)
Last updated: 04/11/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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