Editing Conan the Barbarian (section)

==Book editions==
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The character of Conan has proven durably popular, resulting in Conan stories by later writers such as [[Poul Anderson]], [[Leonard Carpenter]], [[Lin Carter]], [[L. Sprague de Camp]], [[Roland J. Green]], [[John C. Hocking]], [[Robert Jordan]], [[Sean A. Moore]], [[Björn Nyberg]], [[Andrew J. Offutt]], [[Steve Perry (author)|Steve Perry]], [[John Maddox Roberts]], [[Harry Turtledove]], and [[Karl Edward Wagner]]. Some of these writers have finished incomplete Conan manuscripts by Howard. Others were created by rewriting Howard stories which originally featured entirely different characters from entirely different milieus. Most, however, are completely original works. In total, more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories featuring the Conan character have been written by authors other than Howard.

The [[Conan (books)#Gnome Press series, 1950–1957|Gnome Press edition]] (1950–1957) was the first hardcover collection of Howard's Conan stories, including all the original Howard material known to exist at the time, some left unpublished in his lifetime. The later volumes contain some stories rewritten by [[L. Sprague de Camp]] (like "[[The Treasure of Tranicos]]"), including several non-Conan Howard stories, mostly historical exotica situated in the [[Levant]] at the time of the [[Crusades]], which he turned into Conan yarns. The Gnome edition also issued the first Conan story written by an author other than Howard—the final volume published, which is by [[Björn Nyberg]] and revised by de Camp.

The [[Conan (books)#Lancer/Ace paperback series, 1966–1977|Lancer/Ace editions]] (1966–1977), under the direction of [[L. Sprague de Camp|de Camp]] and [[Lin Carter]], were the first comprehensive paperbacks, compiling the material from the Gnome Press series together in a chronological order with all the remaining original Howard material, including that left unpublished in his lifetime and fragments and outlines. These were completed by de Camp and Carter. The series also included Howard stories originally featuring other protagonists that were rewritten by de Camp as Conan stories. New Conan stories written entirely by de Camp and Carter were added as well. Lancer Books went out of business before bringing out the entire series, the publication of which was completed by Ace Books. Eight of the eventual twelve volumes published featured dynamic cover paintings by [[Frank Frazetta]] that, for many fans,{{who|date=December 2017}} presented the definitive, iconic impression of Conan and his world. For decades to come, most other portrayals of the Cimmerian and his imitators were heavily influenced by the cover paintings of this series.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

Most editions after the Lancer/Ace series have been of either the original Howard stories or Conan material by others, but not both. The exception are the [[Conan (books)#Ace Maroto series, 1978–1981|Ace Maroto editions]] (1978–1981), which include both new material by other authors and older material by Howard, though the latter are some of the non-Conan tales by Howard rewritten as Conan stories by de Camp. Notable later editions of the original Howard Conan stories include the [[Conan (books)#Donald M. Grant series, 1974–1989|Donald M. Grant editions]] (1974–1989, incomplete); [[Conan (books)#Berkley series, 1977|Berkley editions]] (1977); [[Conan (books)#Gollancz series, 2000–2006|Gollancz editions]] (2000–2006), and [[Conan (books)#Wandering Star/Del Rey series, 2003–2005|Wandering Star/Del Rey editions]] (2003–2005). Later series of new Conan material include the [[Conan (books)#Bantam series, 1978–1982|Bantam editions]] (1978–1982) and [[Conan (books)#Tor series, 1982–2004|Tor editions]] (1982–2004).