Recently Balladeer’s Blog covered Robert E. Howard’s stories about his overlooked characters James Allison and Turlogh Dubh. This time around I’m taking a look at another neglected creation of Howard, best known for his Conan, Kull and Solomon Kane stories.
EL BORAK – This character’s real name was Francis Xavier Gordon, an old west gunfighter from El Paso, Texas, who wound up traveling much of the world outside of the United States. Gordon settled in Afghanistan where his prowess with swords and pistols made him a tolerated outsider and earned him the nickname El Borak.
That epithet means “The Swift” and was a reference to Muhammad’s mythical flying horse the Buraq. F.X. Gordon was renowned for his fast draw, swiftness with a scimitar and quick-wittedness. Robert E. Howard seems to have patterned El Borak along the lines of real-life figures like Lawrence of Arabia or Nicholson of India, but with the distinctly American touch of the character’s gunslinger past.
Let’s dive into these action-packed sword and pistol adventures.
THE DAUGHTER OF ERLIK KHAN – First published in the pulp magazine Top-Notch in December, 1934. El Borak was hired by a pair of scurvy Britishers to guide them to a nonexistent captive friend of theirs. They secretly plan to loot the treasure of Mount Erlik Khan in the city of Yolgan.
That city was avoided by even the most daring Afghani tribes because its pre-Islamic origins lay in outright devil worship and the Satanic priests were still the ruling caste of Yolgan. When the treacherous Brits lay a trap for El Borak after they no longer need him, then leave him for dead, he sets out for revenge.
The former wild west gunfighter infiltrates Yolgan and comes across a former lady love named Yasmeena. In the years since their last meeting, she had married a Kashmir prince, but when he proved abusive, she fled him. That prince has offered a fortune to any who will return Yasmeena to him so that he may torture her to death. Continue reading
SOUTHEASTERN U CONQUERS DIVISION TWO – Every year multiple NAIA teams upset higher division teams and yesterday saw the SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE bring down NCAA Division Two’s SAVANNAH STATE TIGERS. Neither team scored in the 1st Quarter, but the Fire went up 27-0 by Halftime. After a scoreless 3rd Quarter, Southeastern University consummated the Upset in the 4th with a 34-14 triumph. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER FOUR – Down in NCAA Division Three, the number 5 team in the nation – the SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY JOHNNIES – hosted the 4th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS. The Johnnies put the Warhawks on Upset Alert at the Half with their 9-3 lead, then carried through with a 24-10 victory. 
CHARGERS ON THE ROAD – In NCAA Division Two, the storied HILLSDALE COLLEGE CHARGERS took it on the road against the LAKE ERIE COLLEGE STORM. The Chargers were chasing the Storm 14-0 in the opening Quarter and 21-14 at the break. The 3rd Quarter ended with Lake Erie College on top 28-21, but in the 4th Hillsdale College stormed from behind to win the game 35-31. 
SHOWCASE Vol 1 #73 (April 1968) 
Jack gets tipped off about the abduction of Vincent Yatz, a scientific genius who recently defected from the Soviet Union to the United States. 
Our hero learns that Devlin will be covertly turning the captured Yatz over to Major Smej that night using a costume party attended by the rich and powerful as cover. Jack Ryder throws together a costume from leftovers he buys at a costume shop – the yellow, green and red sheepskin cape/stole ensemble that will become his Creeper outfit going forward. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER THREE – The number 5 team in the nation – the GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS – welcomed the 3rd ranked COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Lakers led 7-0 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Grand Valley State out in front 17-6, but the Lakers had to hold on against a furious 4th Quarter rally by the Orediggers. The final score was Grand Valley State 25 Colorado School of Mines 22.
WORKING OVERTIME – The SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE SAVAGE STORM won a 41-34 Overtime affair against the visiting ARKANSAS TECH WONDERBOYS ### Meanwhile, the BLUEFIELD STATE BIG BLUES survived a 35-34 OT visit from the JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN BULLS ### And the MCKENDREE UNIVERSITY BEARCATS defeated their hosts the NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS 31-24 in the extra session. 
Accused rapist Joe Biden, head of the Biden Crime Family and a fascist lunatic, continues stoking hatred in the country, branding everyone who disagrees with any of his positions “dangerous.” Biden thrives on dividing the country after the administration of de facto Third Party President Donald Trump, the greatest president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime. 
The Biden Regime runs the U.S. like a Mafia bust-out operation, and, sadly, there is no effective opposition party. (
COUNTERSTRIKE is a tragically forgotten British sci fi television series from 1969. Jon Finch (left) portrayed Simon King, an alien agent who worked for the Intergalactic Council. This council had sent him to Earth to protect it from a group of renegade aliens from a dying planet who wanted to conquer the Earth and make it their new home. 
Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know how fond I am of bad and weird movies. I cannot yet review Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, the horror version of A.A. Milne’s characters from the Hundred Acre Wood, because it has not been released yet. A full trailer is out now and you can view it below. 
Once again it’s time for another Faculty Lounge Fascist Roundup! It’s no secret that privileged white Democrats aka “baizuos” have distorted the educational system into a partisan “church” of irrational thought and ugly intolerance. 
This French-produced (but English language) series about William Tell was the perfect antidote for fans of derring-do who were bored with the umpteen versions of the Robin Hood legend. 
William Tell and his son (the famous one with the apple on his head) defiantly foiling Gessler’s sinister machinations with the aid of fellow rebels. 
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