Jason Aaron Bought a Sword to Research ‘Conan the Barbarian’

 “Once I got the job, I went and bought a sword! I bought a work-related sword.”

One of Marvel Comics’ most prolific writers across some of its most popular books, Jason Aaron is clearly having fun with CONAN THE BARBARIAN.

And next week, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 hits shelves at your local comic shop!

Written by Aaron with art by Mahmud Asrar, the issue sees Conan’s experience in “civilization” take a dark turn as he’s sentenced to death. Meanwhile, the nefarious Crimson Witch takes a step closer to her dangerous and destructive goals.

In a new Earth’s Mightiest Show bonus clip, your host Langston Belton sits down with the scribe to discuss his history with the character, his plans for the future, and—yes—buying a sword for Conan the Barbarian-related research purposes.

On why he fell in love with Conan in his youth, Aaron explains, “They’re mostly short stories, but every story that you would read would be very different. Conan would be a different age, he’d be in a different setting, he’d be doing a different kind of job—sometimes he’s a pirate, sometimes he’s a thief, eventually he’s a king. So I like that: every story you picked up, it was something wildly different.

And regarding his very own Cimmerian tale, the writer says, “This first big arc is really one 12-issue story. Each issue is jumping around to different periods within his life. And we’re telling an overarching story across that.”

Watch the clip above, then prepare to read CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 at your local comic shop next week!