Great explication of the hero archetype. I first read Conan when I was maybe 11 and together with the comics he is one of the classic characters of American fiction. The supernatural elements that Howard wove into the stories and the whole Cimmerian/ Hyperborean world is another important aspect of the work. Landscape and setting, inspired by the badlands of Texas.
I didnt know much about Robert E. Howard until more recently when I saw the excellent biopic The Whole Wide World. His biography is fascinating in his correspondence with Lovecraft, his social isolation and his relationship with his mother. The man behind Conan .. I find that fascinating.