ALVARO ALVARO
Real Name: Alvaro
Identity/Class:Human
Hyborian era;
Zingaran citizen
Occupation: Ship's captain
Group Membership: Barachan pirates, captain of the Falcon of Zingara
Affiliations: Formerly Yasunga and numerous other crewmen;
he invoked Mitra
Enemies: Conan the Cimmerian
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Conan mocked him as a "fancy-clad, soft-gutted jackal" and "Swine of Zingara"
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly the Falcon of Zingara;
occasionally Messantia, Argos
First Appearance: Conan of the Isles (1968);
Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (1988)
Powers/Abilities: Alvaro was an experienced seaman (and likely pirate) and fighter.
Wielding a rapier, he was considered the deadliest swordsman among the isles around Argos, he normally had icy nerves, and he considered himself a "master of men by sheer force of will."
He kept a dagger concealed behind his back, and he could throw this with great accuracy.
However, he was no match for even a 70-ish Conan.
Height: Unrevealed (he was clearly shorter than Conan, almost by a head, so perhaps 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (perhaps 190 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed (only shown from a distance, but they looked dark, perhaps brown)
Hair: Brown (or red-brown?)
History:
(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (fb) - BTS)
- Zingaran by
birth and Barachan by inclination, Alvaro was captain of the Falcon of
Zingara ship, whose crew included navigator Yasunga.
(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (fb) - BTS)
- Alvaro was accounted as the deadliest swordsman in the isles.
(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles - BTS) - In
Tortage, stronghold of the Barachan pirates, while recruiting a crew
for his new ship, the Red Lion, Conan recognized Yasunga from the crew of the Tigres, sailing under Bêlit decades before.
Yasunga cheered to Amra (as Conan had been known when Yasunga had sailed with him), agreeing to follow him on a journey to the
world's end.
(Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles) - Alvaro interrupted Yasunga, ordering him back as a "black dog," after which he introduced himself, asking why anyone was listening to the wild dreams of this crazy old fool, with his hairbrained quest; he further noted that while he may or may not be the same Amra of old, it mattered not.
Noting that Yasunga was navigator of his ship and would stay with him, he mockingly told Conan, "So up anchor, old gray dog, we've no room for you in the Barachas!"
Conan insulted Alvaro as a
"fancy-clad, soft-gutted jackal" and advising him that if he had no
stomach for an honest venture that he should slink back to his kennel,
but not seek to speak for Yasunga or any other free men.
Admitting he was old, Conan nonetheless warned Alvaro that he still knew a trick or two and would be happy to show him if he liked.
Rising to the challenge, Alvaro drew his rapier
and taunted Conan to show him if he had enough strength to draw his
rusty sword.
As Alvaro lunged forward, Conan drew his sword,
leapt forward, and kicked Alvaro's swordarm aside. As Conan swung his
sword forward, the skilled Alvaro recovered and blocked Conan's sword.
However, although Conan wielded the heavier broadsword, he swiftly matched Alvaro's strikes with a smile on his face.
As those watching appreciated that Conan was
toying with the agile but wearying Zingaran, Alvaro realized that if
the two blades struck with full impact, his rapier would be shattered.
Instead seeking to best the renowned Alvaro in a
means that would swell the Red Lion's crew, Conan continued the
swordfight.
As the crowd rallied behind and chanted for
"Amra," Alvaro's normally icy nerve was shaken, and he fumbled behind
himself for a Shemite dagger he kept tucked away for such occasions as
this.
Suddenly disengaging from Conan, Alvaro drew his
dagger and hurled it his foe as he announced that now they would see
who was master here in Tortage.
Catching the dagger with his left hand, Conan hurled it back, replying, "Yes...I think we will."
The dagger struck Alvaro in the throat, and with
an "Urgggg," Alvaro fell, dead...and the crowd cheered for Amra.
Comments: Created by L. Sprague DeCamp & Lin Carter;
adapted by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Danny Bulandi, Ricardo Villamonte
& Armando Gil.
It's perhaps simplistic, but I typically consider Argos to the Hyborian equivalent of Greece. Messantia was a notable seaport.
I don't know with what to equate Zingara, but apparently Zingarans were ancestors of the Romany.
And, I never quite understood who the Barachans were...
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Alvaro should be distinguished from:
The Falcon of Zingara is a (presumably) pirate ship captained by the Barachan pirate Alvaro, with navigator Yasunga.
Its fate after Alvaro perished in a fight with Conan is unrevealed.
--Conan of the Isles; Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles
Note: The Falcon of Zingara was named, but not shown, in Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles. I don't know if it showed up in the original Conan of the Isles story.
images: (without ads)
Marvel Graphic Novel:
Conan of the Isles, pg. 20, panel 6 (face);
pg. 21, panel 1 (mostly fun, frontal, distant);
panel 2 (mostly full, lateral);
pg. 22, panel 1 (mostly full, fighting Conan);
panel 2 (upper body, dwarfed by Conan);
pg. 23, panel 6 (with dagger);
pg. 24, panel 3 (dagger to the throat)
Appearances:
Conan of the Isles (1968) - L. Sprague DeCamp & Lin Carter (writers)
Marvel Graphic Novel:
Conan of the Isles (1988) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema
(pencils), Danny Bulanadi, Ricardo Villamonte & Armando Gil (inks),
Craig Anderson (editor)
First posted: 11/29/2019
Last updated: 11/29/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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