![By George, what a handsome brute!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCWKG0i9El7rYaPkX4OfzN6WeDySTyAAjxc0rup0qlXlmCSVfyXNlzCatJTBGS9o-zGLTWik5t5A4ONQV2-ZsI5HQor4jx-oPPG9_fQgFUEEPBRu8SXoCmktNh9ZE_m1w9PpMfEKn93irOGWCbmOuR0GxFRBQ0-irxz6CmGsHCNI23jbHrGY/s1600/0521-richardashford-marvelage112.jpg)
from Marvel Age #112 (Marvel, May 1992)
Here's Richard heralding a return to greatness in the pages of the "new look" Conan (he now has a yellow oval around his "C")!
![Aw, don't be blue, Richard. Conan will never be cancelled!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8Ytu-tZFPtPmXtfNFdSAfcZnodPVkDiTYgTp1c71UnH9OtRRQ2PM_1QUpzKB19may8O4bjih8muWgxr0vFOBeuRBhpG3Z6qZHmpSgMbR0LjNxUit5Q9QzBF8YELaM-wTFJY1-SnlDUaCe7SYIE1wZoBd3S2oH_tUDcAq2W3U1poKaeO0Hnk/s1600/0521-richardashford-conanthebarbarian1970-266.jpg)
from "The Hyborian Page," the letters column of Conan the Barbarian (1970 series) #266 (Marvel, March 1993), by Richard Ashford
Sadly, Conan the Barbarian was cancelled less than a year after that.
![This photo of Conan was taken using LAVA for illumination!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGLyOCCICpi5EOwh1Pl9Zfg2wEcQLS1H_P9OGRzuKEZY4V2pDZeDQvpZy4b8GWLdxztNKRyxsoik4vJ1EZ7FN2Wdke0w9PKFRqeU9ovka6M8zhBLHfWL5E9af-voHwTH7Dcawckt6WkrjzHY8WWVqI8-AmLPNWrGretpwJv3DJlwF1z6M-t0/s1600/0521-richardashford-conanthebarbarian1970-275a.jpg)
![Done! Over! Kaput! Finito!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXIHpJm2W-Cz9uGC55JZp71glU2_6nxm6mrN8bSRsVoC6vsOkkXFks4CdIy9lsKJeIIEtxc-cMeD9Q4WIkPn418HIEAFudeNmAtfOUYTesl46xcvQ6sydAGp0HXwxitrgiNgoKRld4ffAPczKoVwLfF074eWiPMfklY9OluzuZkeY1_iA5AQ/s1600/0521-richardashford-conanthebarbarian1970-275b.jpg)
from Conan the Barbarian (1970 series) #275 (Marvel, December 1993); cover by Colin MacNeil; interior script by Roy Thomas; interior pencils by Mike Docherty; interior inks by Ricardo Villagran, Alfredo Alcala, and Ernie Chan; interior colors by Nelson Yomtov; letters by John Costanza
Luckily Conan was back in 1994's Conan the Adventurer*! *Cancelled in 1995.
![No longer can Conan barbarate; now he is restricted to adventurating.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoNxa1OnX4jfE0tKfcny85LR9HTkvTBCcgV3ec4qiYv2Ie8q5MQLATuzCuvfDpzW9O6EvzA_Yd3EMUcFP4bx6cF1WzSoPRZ3w21qOyCBy0MtQoxU_c6j9uliHUAxsFUMEDWMatPBTBJCHxan2Hagij7JjZ67uJNAS_k1rxHCGpEn6G1c9HGk/s1600/0521-richardashford-conantheadventurer1.jpg)
from letters column of Conan the Adventurer (1995 series) #1 (Marvel, June 1994)
That's okay! Richard also edits Marvel Comics Presents...whoops.
![Yes, it's true: the only good rumours is the Fleetwood Mac album.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VhEJwayOpkY8ksHMEcUcwrGRf47wv_I70IonMwfTwwTy0o4VMrbIeGkpTX5GxS3-Tr07H8PTms0C_VI6rtiwQNtk5lPwCmuk9aiZn6i0je0GOHEPvYcGEf5sQgMGYAMry3nt6OKKFbroZl_AVgaCMEkElXorKdsdrVJbs7ezSqD4p5pF68g/s1600/0521-richardashford-marvelcomicspresents1988-170.jpg)
from Marvel Comics Presents (1988 series) #170 (Marvel, Late December 1994)
With all that, I bet you can located Richard within the blink of an eye in this photgraphically accurate picture portrayal of the Marvel Pen (Bull)!
![Don't bother clicking this one, it doesn't get any bigger.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaYGM9wF5POoWd_LSAbEnZC1Mxmdsp8E8OHu-4m1QKQM_oaoaPre9bkNoruzNHdb4M5EeyxGnPFkDL8tw9iJu1jVcw-DPqsj_VxBNw5-GLxVTBT_CoyxTss5f3I-bGRzUEmhUSKeoeS5uJaJIkFeIxOSI_G_lJSVlx3_K6VUQ9JEGctVy4hA/s1600/0521-richardashford-marvelage120b.jpg)
![Captain, I calculate that course of option would be illogical.'](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSmTdRBEgZkoF4ZQ81U2UdQvWNGZw1mfGNjt67bDyQEnltvk1UeetIIn5kGUtwu5IV06_TSjauGci-6Ev9Y4lvH5KJi-aQKDxOcCkU69XE0eOFACQ9EbV77ajGNK1XrXP1INd5WbXCZBbyhkPXVxa7FXaX-BHlaVRO1aujZzTbQWHrBc8hPE/s1600/0521-richardashford-marvelage120c.jpg)
from Marvel Age #120 (Marvel, January 1993), art by Rick Parker
(Click top picture to Bullpen-size)
Happy birthday, Richard!
1 comment:
Let’s not forget that he was also one-half of the dynamite songwriting and performing duo Ashford & Simpson, which I have deduced purely from the fact that there can’t possibly be anyone else with the same last name.
(I’m an easy mark for that New Look joke, by the way. Never gets old.)
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