Real Name: Blackmark
Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-71181) human mutate
Occupation: King, warrior;
former gladiator, bandit, slave, and hunter
Group Membership: Leader of a kingdom of many lands;
former leader of a group of bandits
Affiliations: Amarix, Balzamo, Jurgen (co-lord of the Marsh Country; deceased), Langlar of the High Hills (deceased), Seth (co-lord of the Marsh Country; deceased), Lord Shannux (deceased);
numerous subjects and allies (presumably including Smythe)
Enemies: A flame lizard, Kargon and
his soldiers and guards, Lyllith, Masters of Psi-Keep and their
monstrous creations, Nephrus, Reynard of the Commonlands and his
warriors; various owners/masters; unidentified sea monsters
on some level, he felt plagued by Amarix's knowledge
Known Relatives: Shandra (wife, deceased);
Marnie (mother, deceased), Zeph (father, deceased);
Amarix (Blackmark was his heir but not necessarily a genetic relative; see comments; apparently deceased)
Aliases: He
most likely had nicknames (some of which were just taunts and insults);
I'll keep an eye out for those when I index the stories, and add them
here, later
Base of Operations: (All Earth-71181)
Silvertower, Westlands;
formerly the property of various owners;
formerly a piece of land on the island Longsound;
formerly Country McCull
Education: Extensive information of pre-holocaust Earth and its science from Amarix technologically implanted in his mind
First Appearance: Blackmark novel (1971);
(Marvel) Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (August, 1974)
Powers/Abilities: Blackmark is a strong, powerful, fierce, and determined warrior, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, as well as swordsmanship, and he was willing and able to use other objects within reach as needed. He is an experienced equestrian (although riding various mutes (see comments) rather than horses).
Blackmark is a natural leader,
able to inspire and convince others, and he possesses a solid knowledge
of strategy. However, he could become obsessed with strategy and
planning to the detriment of his own welfare or at the expense of
neglecting loved ones.
Blackmark was infused with extensive
information of pre-holocaust Earth and its science from Amarix;
however, he could not consciously access such knowledge, but it instead
came to him as visions or as instinctual behavior in times of need.
Examples of this knowledge include activating and flying a rocketship with no prior experience or training.
|
| Blackmark possesses the Sword of Amarix. In addition to being a sturdy and sharp sword, could emit sonic(?) energy to greatly magnify its strikes, applying force that mortal man could not long withstand. Beings enhanced by other energies, such as those of the masters of Psi-Keep, could withstand and fightback |  |
He also possessed a rocketship, although he could not get it to fly more than a single short trip, and a number of warships, powered by unspecified pre-holocaust "power-plants."
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 195 lbs.)
Eyes: Tawny (light brown to brownish orange; the stories were in black and white, but they described his eyes as tawny)
Hair: Black
Distinguishing features: Blackmark has a cross-like birthmark on his hip.
History:
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - In Earth-71181's dystopian future, society ("Old Earth") was devastated by nuclear war, “New Earth” lived as a shadow world, inhabited by the vestiges of humanity, divided into tyrannical petty kingdoms, wracked by fear, superstitions, and barbaric property. Mutated beasts roamed the blasted lands and swam the poisoned seas. On the cold northern frontiers, a whole new race of malformed men with strange mental powers plotted the eventual conquest of the planet from their Psi Keep fortress.
Science was abominated, its secrets buried, its last adherents scourged and cast out by the people, although remnants of a lost technology lived on in their strange warships and power plants, whose heart glowed strangely at night and whose supply of energy was inexhaustible.
(Blackmark novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Married to the older Zeph the Tinker, Marnie proved to be barren/sterile.
(Blackmark novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - While traveling across the desolate stretch known as Demon Waste, Marnie encountered the dethroned King Amarix of the Westlands and his assistant, Balzamo.
Offering her a purse of gold coins, the dying king convinced Marnie
that his knowledge of Old Earth's science must not be lost, and she
allowed them to use a regenerator to alter her cells so that she could
have children as well a device that transferred Amarix's knowledge
within her such that it would be passed on to her child.
Before departing, Amarix told Marnie that her son would be a child of destiny.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Via this "electronic mating" with Amarix, Marnie conceived a child.
(Blackmark novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Disbelieving and considering Marnie's explanation to be blasphemy, old
Zeph severely beat Marnie with a stick when she told him what had
happened.
After Marnie's recovery, she and Zeph settled in Country McCull, and,
in time, Marnie grew swollen with child.
(Blackmark novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5) - On
a stormy night, Marnie gave birth to a son who screamed in rage and
defiance at being born. Like his mother, the child had a cross-mark on
his hip.
Although Zeph considered the child, born of "demon science and rogue lust" a black mark of evil (and named him Blackmark after this). As Marnie held her son, she had visions of savage warrior combat and monstrous beings. In a moment of haunted, piercing intuition, she was frightened for her child. She sensed that the child was both the son of Zeph and the heir of a man of royal blood and vast vision, and she knew that the price of that heritage would be a destiny great and stormy.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark grew rapidly, large-boned and
strong, bright and alert. Old Zeph found it harder and harder to
nurture the hate and humiliation he had felt at Blackmark's birth.
(Blackmark novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - After a year, Zeph finally smiled and picked up his son.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - As life in Country McCull was severe, Zeph, Marnie, and Blackmark moved, purchasing passage by ferry to the island Longsound, where Zeph abandoned his tinker's trade and took up the cultivation of this piece of unclaimed land. This move exhausted the contents of the purse Amarix had given Marnie.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#2/3) - By the time Blackmark was five, he had learned to
run swiftly, climb trees, and shatter firewood with a deft, two-handed
stroke of the shortsword. Such sights caused Zeph to recall his fears
of the boy's origins and unusual strength.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - Questioning his mother, Blackmark
learned of the holocaust that had destroyed the previous society.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark spoke to a smith "in the lane," who told him of the men of Psi-Keep, mutated
by the holocaust, who could use their minds to shape monster-mutes of
various forms and send the shapes flying like clouds.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#2/3) - One evening, as Blackmark and Zeph returned from hunting leap-mutes in the woods, Blackmark asked Zeph of Psi-Keep. Uneasy on the subject, Zeph advised Blackmark not to speak to strangers nor worry himself over nonsense, but Blackmark noted that he must worry himself over true matters, as it seemed that he was the one needed to do so.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - In Blackmark's 6th year, a warm breeze tempted Blackmark to go burrow-mute hunting, alone on the moors.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#2/3 - BTS) - Great paddle ships arrived on the Longsound
shore. Led by their armored warlord Reynard (although he was not identified until over 15 years later) and astride charger-mutes, they
rode into the isle's local villages, destroying them and slaughtering
their inhabitants.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#2/3) - The warm breeze carried to Blackmark evidence of the marauding riders, and he raced up the steep hillside. At the crest, he stopped to catch his breath as he felt a growing dread. As Blackmark approached the village, he crouched and watched behind a stacked sheaf of grain. As Zeph futilely confronted the warlord, Blackmark rushed and attacked the warlord's mount until it kicked him away, after the warlord slew Zeph.
Driven by grief and rage, a screaming young Blackmark rushed and
pummeled the nearest soldier's armored leg until his small fists bled.
He was soon subdued by a broadsword hilt striking his head. Dazed, he
could only watch as his mother rushed out and stabbed the warlord's
charger with a pitchfork, killing it. The furious warlord then raped
Marnie in front of Blackmark (who was restrained and forced to watch by
the other soldiers), ultimately killing her when she raked his face
with her fingernails.
The Warlord had his men drub the youth and leave him there. He returned
to his hut and wept before rage drove him to climb to the tallest
nearby peak amidst a fierce storm, and he vowed to punish all who had
wronged him and to become ruler of the whole planet. He then had a
vision of mathematical formulas, rocket ships, and other technology,
realizing they would affect his destiny. 
As
if in response to his challenges, a lightning bolt struck near enough to
where he was standing to knock him off his feet and render him
unconscious. Upon awakening, he futilely tried to drive scavengers from
feeding upon his parents' bodies before a group of slavers arrived,
saving him from the animals but chaining him up and throwing him in a
cage in the back of the wagon their dray-mutes pulled. Nonetheless,
Blackmark again vowed that he had a power that would one day free him
and make him king.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#3/3 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark spent 11 years being judged, auctioned and sold to another.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#3/3 (fb) - BTS) - Believing he would eventually meet up
with Amarix's successor, Balzamo endured capture and torture by agents
of King Kargon, who had led the ousting of Amarix and the usurping of
his title.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#3/3 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark's hatred eventually drove him to rebellion and to escape the life of slavery and lived for a time as a bandit.
Over time, Blackmark fought his way to leadership and organized the various clans into an awesome force.
After hearing of Blackmark and his activities for three years, King
Kargon was driven to take action, and he sent his army to storm
Blackmark's lair; although the army suffered more losses than they
could afford, Blackmark (and presumably many others) was eventually
taken captive.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#3/3) - Though held in chains and whipped, the now 21-year-old Blackmark refused to kneel. Seeing this, Kargon ordered Blackmark to be thrown to the untamed charger-mutes who would gnaw his wounds to the bone. However, Kargon's wife, Lyllith, opined that this was a waste and he should be made a gladiator. Well aware of Lyllith's infidelity with other gladiators, Kargon nonetheless agreed, certain Blackmark would die as a gladiator.
(Blackmark novel / Savage Sword of Conan#3/3 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark was taken to the gladiatorial training facility under Nephrus.
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#3/3) - As
Blackmark defeated his opponent, the visiting Lyllith became excited,
and instructed Nephrus to bring Blackmark to her. Although she tried to
seduce him, brushing against him, asking for gratitude, and asking if
her being a queen frightened him, Blackmark assured her that she
neither frightened nor excited him.
As Blackmark walked away, Lyllith ordered Nephrus to bring him back, and Nephrus hurled whip around Blackmark's neck. However, Blackmark caught his hand underneath the lash, yanked Nephrus off his feet, and then flipped the lash over Nephrus' neck, pulled him in and crushed his larynx, killing him.
Lyllith's guards then assaulted Blackmark, and though he nearly overcame them, they eventually cornered him with pointed lances, forcing his surrender. As the lusting Lyllith again urged that Blackmark be spared, Kargon -- appreciating his wife's lust -- ordered that Blackmark would face the flame lizard the next day. Again denying Lyllith's offer, Blackmark was eventually overwhelmed by the guards.
Blackmark was thrown into a cell with an old "wizard," who -- recognizing Blackmark's cross-like birthmark, revealed himself to be Balzamo, former servant of Amarix, of whom Marnie had told her young son. Blackmark noted that all he had received was unfathomable nightmares and visions without meaning.
The next morning, Blackmark and Balzamo were brought into the arena,
and Balzamo declined Blackmark's offer to slay Balzamo to cheat Kargon
of such a feat. In Kargon's section, Blackmark recognized a visiting
warlord as the man that had slaughtered his parents.
As he rushed to charge Kargon's viewing booth, the flame lizard was released and charged Blackmark. After his sword bounced off the creature's armorlike scales, Blackmark was swatted to the ground by its tail. Balzamo distracted the flame lizard, and Blackmark used the time to scale the arena's central statue, leap atop the flame lizard's head and stab into its eye and brain, killing it.
As the triumphant Blackmark retrieved and raised his sword, the crowd began cheering for him. 
(Blackmark
novel / Savage
Sword of Conan#4/3) - Blackmark demanded Balzamo's freedom, but as he
prepared to demand his parents' killer be brought down into the arena,
Lyllith urged that Kargon kill the dangerous warrior, bypassing the
rules as he was king.
As Kargon's archers took aim at Blackmark despite a rumble of protest from the crowd, Balzamo advised Blackmark that he might ignite a revolution by "moving the Warlock Shrine" (flying an ancient pre-holocaust ship lodged in the ground of the arena; a legend existed that whoever could free the silver ship from its earthly prison would be new King of the World). Realizing that refusing the challenge would turn the mob against them, Kargon allowed this, reminding Blackmark that the price of failure was death.
Trusting his instincts, Blackmark entered the craft, where his visions
of his past merged with the reality of his present, he knew in what
sequence to manipulate the craft's crystal controls. Activating the
craft and flying it a short distance before returning to the arena,
Blackmark inspired fear and awe in those present. Realizing that he
indeed possessed Amarix's knowledge, Blackmark also found Amarix's
sword and discovered the power activated by the stud on its hilt.
As the crowd rushed Kargon and overwhelmed his archers, Blackmark
fought his way past Kargon's elite warriors, demanding to know the name
and location of the warrior with whom Lyllith become friendly. Upon
learning the warlord had killed Blackmark's parents, Kargon laughed,
and Blackmark angrily slew him.
Learning the location of Lyllith's flight, Blackmark correctly reasoned
that the warlord was with her. Ordering the gate shut to prevent their
escape, Blackmark caught up and hurled his sword at the warlord, who
pivoted Lyllith to take the sword instead. Leaping atop his
charger-mute, the warlord escaped just before the shutting of the gate,
which ironically ensured his escaped by trapping Blackmark on the
inside.
With Kargon's men defeated or scattered, Balzamo convinced Blackmark to
go to his waiting people. Acknowledging that they had felled a tyrant
and won a kingdom, Blackmark told the people that this was one step on
the path he wished to take, and they agreed to follow him. A winged
lizard-creature soon appeared overhead, causing concerns of the ill
omen. Blackmark fired an arrow that passed harmlessly through the
creature's chest, after which the creature flew north to Psi-Keep, and
Blackmark correctly reasoned that Psi-Keep's masters were warning him
that they were watching.
Believing Blackmark had driven the creature off, the crowd hoisted him
onto their shoulders and proclaimed him their new king. Blackmark
considered that with his loyal subjects and with Amarix's knowledge and
sword, he would achieve his destiny.
(Kull and the Barbarians#2/4
(fb) - BTS) - Over the next year, Blackmark tripled the size of the
kingdom he had claimed. He renamed the castle "Silvertower," apparently
based on the presence of the silver rocketship with which it was
associated.
(Kull and the Barbarians#2/4 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark invited numerous warlords of other lands to Silvertower
(Kull and the Barbarians#2/4 - BTS) - Reynard of the Commonlands (secretly the warlord who had slain Blackmark's parents; see comments) met with warlords of other lands who had planned to swear loyalty to Blackmark. Defeating the rival Smythe in combat, Blackmark pressured the others to allow him to speak for them and to challenge Blackmark.
(Kull and the Barbarians#2/4)
- Blackmark watched as the various warlords arrived, after which he
greeted them; expecting a challenge, he identified Reynard as that man
via his ice-cold stare. During the subsequent banquet, both Blackmark
and Reynard studied each other behind an air of casualness.
When
Blackmark asked Reynard to be the first to swear an oath to him,
Reynard denounced him as a slave trying to perform in a noble manner
and noted he must be whipped. Despite noting Reynard's chain mail armor as
opposed to his own cloth outfit, Blackmark challenged Reynard with
swords instead. 
After a fierce and well-matched struggle, Blackmark
wore down Reynard and gained the advantage. Realizing this, Reynard
hurled a flaming torch at Blackmark, who deflected it but left himself
vulnerable. Considering this treacherous, Blackmark activated the
sword's power, allowing him to regain the advantage and defeat Reynard.
Realizing the other warlords' superstitious fear (thinking the sword to be dark sorcery), Blackmark sheathed his sword rather than slaying Reynard. When Blackmark again offered Reynard the chance to toast, Reynard accepted the offer to unite with the goal of forming one undivided world. With Reynard's acceptance, the other warlords joined in as well, and a tenuous unity was reached.
(Kull and the Barbarians#2/4 - BTS) - Celebration and drink continued for some time.
(Kull and the Barbarians#2/4) - When
Balzamo congratulated Blackmark on his accomplishment, Blackmark voiced
his frustration that he had achieved Amarix's goals, but his own goal
of avenging his parents remained unfulfilled.
In the following days, Blackmark molded his new associates' forces into a united army under his Phoenix banner, which was seen throughout the land as his power and influence grew; all the while, he futilely searched for the armored warlord who had slain his parents. His dreams were plagued by visions of a bright city and of a voice urging him to use the sword. Blackmark became frustrated as Balzamo could not help him understand the sword, merely attributing this inability to Amarix's brilliance, which far exceeded his own.
As
dawn approached, an exhausted rider arrived, noting how shadowy, winged
creatures from Psi-Keep had assaulted Lord Shannux's castle in the Ice-Wastes. Blackmark
then gathered what forces could be ready by dawn and led them out
toward Shannux's castle.
(Marvel Preview I#17:
Chapter 2) - As Blackmark's forces approached Castle Shannux, Blackmark
appreciated that they were too late and that the castle had already
fallen. Almost immediately, Blackmark sensed the approach of Psi-Keep's
winged monstrosities, and although his orders drove his troops to
prepare for battle, they were all helpless against Psi-Keep's
creatures, through whom their weapons passed harmlessly.
Eventually,
despite Blackmark's warnings, many of those who had not fallen under
the creatures' assaults panicked and fled off the edge of cliff, dying
in another fashion. Blackmark's sword served to protect his own life,
but did no damage to the creatures. Ultimately, he ordered his men to
retreat, and his composure led the survivors to retreat to the next
ridge. The mind-creatures did not follow, and Blackmark found Reynard
waiting at that ridge, having fled earlier. 
Stifling his questions of Reynard's flight and ignoring Reynard
ridicule of Blackmark's plans to face the mind-creatures again,
Blackmark was pleased when Balzamo arrived, delivering crates of a
weapons: Having deciphered the function of one from Amarix's
technology, Balzamo reasoned that the weapon's electrical charge would
interfere with the mental impulses sent out by Psi-Keep's masters.
Reynard denounced the weaponry as blasphemous witchcraft, but Blackmark assured his men this was their best chance against Psi-Keep's monsters, which would otherwise destroy them. As Reynard and Blackmark argued for and against retreat, the debate was rendered moot when Psi-Keep's creatures attacked anew.
After girding his troops, Blackmark rushed his mount forward and blasted the first of the creatures to arrive, destroying it (and apparently paining its creator(s) as well). Emboldened by Blackmark's success, his troops followed his orders to join the fight, and soon the creatures were all destroyed or driven off. Basking in cheers, Blackmark led his troops into Castle Shannux; amongst the carnage and slaughtered victims, he was surprised to find the beautiful Shandra, daughter of Shannux, with whom he quickly bonded.
(Marvel Preview I#17: Chapter 2 - BTS) - Blackmark's forces stayed the winter, repairing and refortifying Castle Shannux, and Blackmark and Shandra grew closer.
(Marvel Preview I#17: Chapter 2) - As Spring arrived, Blackmark and Shandra were married in Silvertower's great hall in a wedding attended by many.
As
his forces struggled to fight off Psi-Keep's monsters in numerous keeps
and kingdoms, Blackmark focused on information and strategy at the
expense of neglecting his new bride. Each night, Shandra was frightened
by Blackmark's ongoing nightmares, further distancing the two.
When Blackmark resolved to focus the next month on mustering their forces for an attack on Psi-Keep, his attention was further drawn away from Shandra.
(Marvel Preview I#17:
Chapter 3 (fb) - BTS) - Preying on Shandra's loneliness, Reynard
seduced her, eventually convincing her to leave with him.
(Marvel Preview I#17: Chapter 2) - At month's end, when Blackmark went to tell Shandra that they were prepared to depart, he found her gone, with only a note that she had left with Reynard and did not want him to follow her. Frustrated at his own failings, Blackmark led his forces to sea.
(Marvel Preview I#17:
Chapter 3 (fb) - BTS) - Once
they were en route, however, Reynard revealed his plan to betray
Blackmark to Psi-Keep as well as the fact that he had only used her to
get at Blackmark, and she had served her purpose. When she angrily
lunged at him, Blackmark stabbed her in the side and then placed her in a
small boat he set adrift, intending for Blackmark to find her corpse.
(Marvel Preview I#17:
Chapter 3) - Blackmark's flagship led his fleet into the ocean where
they could use the warships' pre-holocaust power plants.
They eventually passed into the fog marking the boundary of the great
Northern sea, through which no ship of New-Earth had knowingly passed,
and then found a small, drifting boat, in which they found Shandra,
gravely wounded and left there by Reynard. Blackmark had Shandra
brought to his cabin where she told him of Reynard's betrayal. Noting
his own failings, Blackmark assured her she needed no forgiveness for
her actions, and he instructed Balzamo to save her.
(Marvel Preview I#17: Chapter 4 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark considered that the storm's abating before the entire fleet had been destroyed hinted that Psi-Keep's masters had stretched their powers to the fullest and could no longer sustain them.
Knowing Psi-Keep would be prepared for them, Blackmark nonetheless urged his fleet forward. Psi-Keep's masters soon assaulted them with a powerful storm that churned up waves to tear apart the ships as well as monstrous sea creatures, and much of the crew either drowned or were devoured. Blackmark lashed himself and Shandra to his ship's mast, and he howled his defiance into the storm. By the time the dark clouds broke, only three ships remained of the fleet, but despite his bosun's concern, Blackmark urged them forward to Psi-Keep.
(Marvel Preview I#17: Chapter 4 (fb) - BTS) - Blackmark's forces hastily repaired their battered ships.
(Marvel Preview I#17:
Chapter 4) - Docking at the island base, Blackmark led his forces to
scale Psi-Keep's cliffs; with Shandra in need mostly of rest, Balzamo
accompanied Blackmark on this mission. Man-sized mutates showered the
troops with boulders and molten lead. With Balzamo's guidance (via
knowledge he had gained from studying ancient maps), the survivors took
refuge within a cavern/crevice and then followed the to a trail that
led them to the base of Psi-Keep's castle. Blackmark led his forces in
charging the castle, and -- as Psi-Keep's mutant masters had virtually
exhausted their powers via the storm -- slaughtered the shadow legion
and mind-demon hordes present, as they were now merely flesh and blood.
Narrowly avoiding disembowelment by an enemy sword, Blackmark savagely
fought his way through his foes. Finally, he was challenged by Reynard
who further revealed -- upon seeing Blackmark's cross-mark under his
torn clothing -- that he was the warlord who had slain Blackmark's
parents. Realizing he at last had a chance at his long-sought-after
vengeance, Blackmark screamed in fury and fully charged his sword as he
rushed Reynard. Backed by Psi-Keep's masters' remaining power, however,
Reynard withstood Amarix's sword until a wave of the other combatants
separated them. Nonetheless consumed by his own fury, bonded to the
sword's power, and heedless of his own wounds, Blackmark slaughtered
all enemy forces in his path.
Blackmark subsequently scuttled the castle's ramparts, pouring gallons of burning oil intended for Blackmark and his troops down gutters and stairs into the bowels of Psi-Keep's mutant masters' stronghold. Though Psi-Keep burned, its mutant-masters focused their power into Reynard and sent him to challenge Blackmark anew. However, overcome with animalistic rage, Blackmark thrust his sonic-sword through Reynard's head and then pitched him over the parapet. As Psi-Keep's masters screamed in rage and agony, Blackmark considered his vengeance (17 years in the coming) fulfilled.
However, still assailed by Amarix's visions, Blackmark asked Balzamo
when these dreams would end. Balzamo told him that the dreams would
emerge in their own time, and he pointed out a flower blooming at the
base of Psi-Keep as a positive omen. Acknowledging these words,
Blackmark plucked the flower and brought it back to Shandra, only to
learn that she had died while he was away. He held and rocked her cold,
white form, his words of pain muffled in her hair as he unwittingly
crushing the flower he dropped under his shoe.
Comments: Created by Gil Kane.
"Mutes" apparently refers to mutated animals. I don't think they ever directly stated that, but that's what I inferred. When I first read it, I read the small print as "mule." Dray-mutes were mule-like beasts of burden.
Archie Goodwin apparently helped Gil with the writing.
Flying the ancient silver ship out of the ground
is a pretty obvious parallel to Arthur pulling the sword from the
stone.
Reynard turning out to be the warlord who slew Blackmark's parents seems a bit too convenient. Also hard to believe that Blackmark wouldn't recognize him, even though he had worn the helmet that covered portions of his face. Blackmark recognized him from a distance in the arena. I wonder if Gil knew he wasn't likely to have a chance to write a third Blackmark story and he decided to try to wrap up loose ends...
The first of the four stories in Marvel Preview#17 was first printed in Kull and the Barbarians#2/4.
In the first chapter of the first Blackmark story, his mother, Marnie, has a vision, in which she sensed that Blackmark was both the son of
Zeph and the heir of a man of royal blood and vast vision, and she knew
that the price of that heritage would be a destiny great and stormy. The transfer is also referred to as an electronic mating.
I think that Amarix's science enabled Marnie to
become impregnated with Zeph's child and that Amarix implanted the
knowledge and drive that led Blackmark to become who and what he was. I
don't THINK Amarix implanted his genetic material within Marnie during
the technological knowledge transfer, but I don't think it's clearly
stated that he did not. It is possible that Zeph was Blackmark's father
by raising him, while Amarix was actually his genetic father.
I would ASSume that the island Longsound was named for Long Island Sound.
I plan to index all of the stories, and then start working my way through the characters, beings, and technology, and ultimately Earth-71181 itself. The Sword of Amarix will get its own profile at some point.
Thanks to our own Loki for providing the top left Gil Kane color image,
as well as the image of young Blackmark with the sword, as mine was
blurry no matter how many times I scanned it.
Earth-71181 (Blackmark) Dystopian future, previous society (“old Earth”) was devastated by nuclear war, “New Earth” lived as a shadow world, inhabited by the vestiges of humanity, divided into tyrannical petty kingdoms, wracked by fear, superstitions, and barbaric property. Mutated beasts roamed the blasted lands and swam the poisoned seas. On the cold northern frontiers, a whole new race of malformed men with strange mental powers plotted the eventual conquest of the planet from their Psi Keep fortress. Blackmark novel (1971); Savage Sword of Conan #1 (1974)
This profile was completed 1/22/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Blackmark should be distinguished from:
Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5, intro, stylized title;
splash page (astride mute)
pg. 11, panel 5 (newborn, crying);
#2/3, pg. 1, panel 1 (youth with sword) - used reprint from Fantagraphics
pg. 8, panel 1 (youth; assaulting soldier's foot);
#3/3, pg. 1, panel 1 (chained);
pg. 13, panel 2 (vs. flame lizard);
#4/3, pg. 3, panel 2 (gladiator);
pg. 6, panel 5 (sword of Amarix);
pg. 7, panel 2 (sword hilt's stud);
pg. 10, panel 2 (face, close-up, if needed)
Kull and the Barbarians#2/4 pg 4, panel 1 (raising a toast);
pg. 9, panel 5 (defeating Reynard with sword);
Marvel Preview I#17 cover, color picture
chapter 2, pg. 18, panel 2 (strategizing/neglect Shandra)
chapter 4, pg. 8, panel 2 (destroying Psi-Keep);
pg. 12, panel 4 (embracing dead Shandra)
Comics Journal#61 cover (Winter, 1981)
Appearances:
Blackmark novel (1971) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Bantam Books (publisher)
Savage
Sword of Conan#1/5 (August, 1974) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Roy Thomas (magazine editor)
Savage
Sword of Conan#2/3 (October, 1974) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Roy Thomas (magazine editor)
Savage
Sword of Conan#3/3 (December, 1974) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Roy Thomas (magazine editor)
Savage
Sword of Conan#4/3 (February, 1975) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Roy Thomas (magazine editor)
Kull and the Barbarians#2/4 (May, 1975) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, & Archie Goodwin (consulting editors), Roy Thomas (magazine editor)
Marvel Preview I#17 (Winter, 1979) - Gil Kane (writer/artist), Rick Marschall (editor), Ralph Macchio (associate editor), Roy Thomas (consulting editor)
First posted: 09/13/2021
Last updated: 09/11/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!
+