In this volume, Conan turns his back on civilization and heads home to Cimmeria, the brutal country he hails from. We’ve often heard tales of Cimmeria, most notably Robert E. Howard’s poem of the same name (which is adapted in this book) but I don’t believe we’ve ever actually visited it in previous Conan stories. It is presented here as a foreboding land of dark woods and windswept snowy mountains. It comes as no surprise that a man of Conan’s mettle would come from a land so desolate and harsh....
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Robert E. Howard’s legendary character is back for yet another collection of stories from his days with Marvel Comics. This volume collects issues #127-#134 as well as Conan Annual #6. That’s quite a lot of action for less than $20. With the exception of J.M. DeMatteis’ “Creation Quest”, which spans three issues, all of the stories contained in this volume are what would today be known as the “one and done”. Each issue tells an entire tale. It’s a lost art that few of today’s comics attempt, but it serves as an excellent doorway to new readers. If you’ve never read Conan before, you don’t have to worry about starting from the beginning. You could start with this very volume I’m reviewing. As a matter of fact, these are the first of the...
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Variety is a major attraction of the 23 pieces selected from this publisher's online smorgasbord for prospective comics buyers. The longest section features stories about three of Robert E. Howard's larger-than-life, macho characters—Sailor Steve Costigan, Solomon Kane and Conan—prefaced with a wistfully vainglorious personal reflection by Howard himself. Otherwise, moods and styles vary wildly from one item to another. Cantankerous, violent humor from Evan Dorkin's Milk and Cheese is not far from Jason Graham's creepy kiddy story but also in the neighborhood of John Arcudi and Stephen Young's gritty tale of the Old West acted out by talking beetles. Readers can jump from David Malki!'s surrealistic collages of 19th-century engravings...
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From the lands to the north, Conan has traveled seeking his fortune by hiring himself out to those armies he feels are worthy of his talents. In the land of Koth, protected by the ancient god Mitra, Conan finds his new employer in the form of Amalric the Lion, leader of a group of mercenaries, sent by the king to fend off armies who would claim the region as their own. My biggest problem with the previous story arc, was the lack of high action one would expect from a title featuring the barbarian Conan. Issue #8 not only features an epic battle where Conan’s intervention turns the tide of the battle, but it also kicks off with an ancient battle, and the tale of the ancient wizard Thugra Kotan who seals himself up in a giant blood...
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When Dark Horse Comics sent me a package of Conan and assorted books to review, I was in a place that was very difficult. Not for what they’d sent but for the fact that I was writing a long article, and wanted to review fantasy heroes and they were kind enough to send me some things to review in that vein, and then I nearly died, ... THREE TIMES. My appendix blew, I had two massive infections, and all my work began to overflow, since my schedule and life had been turned upside down. And I gave up on the very long article in the midst of one of the infections because I couldn’t think straight. 3000 words of musings about fantasy as a genre shot to hell. So when the new Conan series began I decided to buy them and review them to say...
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This month sees the third installment of Dark Horse's Conan relaunch (counting the #0 issue). I'm pleased to report the series is, for the most part, in as good a shape as ever. That's not terribly surprising considering the main creative team carried over from the previous series. Issue #0 was terrific (and well priced!). Issue #1 was a bit more worrisome, as the bulk of the pages were taken up by a flashback story that I didn't find very enthralling. Issue #2 is even more dominated by this flashback, but I found it much more compelling this time around. So it all works out in the end. The flashback stars Conan's grandfather Connacht, something of a legend among the Cimmerian tribes. Connacht is written very much like his grandson,...
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Conan’s back! And…he’s a guest star in his own book!As you’ve no doubt heard by now, this issue is largely taken up by a flashback sequence drawn by Richard Corben. The story involves Conan’s grandfather, who (according to the new backstory furnished by Kurt Busiek) was Conan’s main inspiration in deciding to head out and explore the lands to the south, so it’s not like there’s a lack of barbarian action involved here. But despite the coup of getting Richard Corben to illustrate, this is a very weird choice for the putative issue #1 of this series (even if this is, in reality, issue #51 of a previous series.)The main story has Conan ambushed by a band of Vanir (essentially, Viking) bandits on the outskirts of his homeland, Cimmeria, to...
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Volume Five in the very successful Conan series by Dark Horse is written by Timothy Truman, who gives a heartfelt introduction covering his discovery of and fascination with the character in his youth. Much of the book is an adaptation of the title story by Conan creator Robert E. Howard, and a quite a good one I think. Truman does a fine job following Kurt Busiek as regular writer on the title. He is a little more in-your-face than either Busiek or Howard, but that works well here, adding a feeling of immediacy to the narrative. Some of the art is by Cary Nord, the first artist on the series (he did the cover), later chapters are by new artist Tomas Giorello, sample above, who has a style that makes use of more obvious brush strokes...
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I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this relaunch of sorts, but so far, it’s pretty good. If you read the #0 issue that came out last month, you’ll find a minor connection between that story and this one. Conan’s still up in the northern territories and he’s got more “dwarven” like vermin to deal with. The first few pages seem to go through the motions of obligatory violence and set up before making a sharp left turn. The surprise here is that there isn’t much of a Conan story in this issue at all! Instead, we’re taken aback a couple of generations with Conan’s grandfather, Connacht. The story centers around Connacht’s journey to the north and his rescuing of two young boys from being sacrificed (or just killed) by a deranged cult....
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This hardcover is the proverbial "handsome volume," and it collects some formerly disparate stories from the first run of Dark Horse's revivified Conan franchise, and here, assembles them as a single narrative about "Young Conan" -- his birth, childhood, and a swaggering teenhood that Robert E. Howard doubtless would've wanted for his own (but then, what boy doesn't really want to cut through all social complexities with a broadsword, while bedding the local lasses in the nearest stable?) If you're looking for a clue on how Conan became Conan, well, a single, psychologically-revelatory moment isn't in this long "origin issue," though there are several turning points where he is forced, steadily, into a life of increasing violence,...
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When Dark Horse launched their Conan comic in 2003, the line kicked off with Conan #0, an introductory story that gave readers a taste of what Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord had in mind for their stories about the world’s most famous barbarian. Now, 50 issues later, the book has shifted to Timothy Truman and Tomás Giorello, and to draw attention to the book’s slight shift in direction, it’s being retitled Conan the Cimmerian. So what better way to celebrate than another bargain-priced #0 issue, right? After traveling through the “civilized” lands, Conan is returning home to Cimmeria, land of darkness and deep night. Unfortunately, his homecoming is short lived as he almost immediately encounters the Vanir. And as much as Conan can’t stand...
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"The Chronicles of Conan" series from Dark Horse is reprinting Marvel's 1970s comic books featuring Robert E. Howard's mighty barbarian swordsman, Conan. This new series collects Conan's appearances in Marvel's line of black-and-white magazines from the same period. These rousing tales of fierce combat, beautiful women, devilish sorcery, and supernatural monsters are all well scripted by Thomas and illustrated by various artists. Some stories are original; others adapt Howard's tales or Conan pastiches by others; some are unrelated Howard stories rewritten to feature Conan. One is based on a plot by novelist John Jakes. Though the artwork here has been reduced in size, the mostly excellent printing faithfully reproduces the exquisite...
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This latest collection drawn from Dark Horse's ongoing full-color Conan series includes a variety of fine, offbeat stand-alone stories illustrated by artists other than series regular Cary Nord, including some in which Robert E. Howard's famous barbarian swordsman is only a secondary presence. In "Storyteller," drawn by Eric Powell (The Goon), a village dreamer who relates tales of adventurers to unbelieving audiences gets his own chance for heroism. Timothy Truman draws a two-parter in which a royal advisor tries to influence a prince by rewriting one of the ancient tales of Conan that the prince has become fascinated with. Veteran Marvel Comics Conan artist Rafael Kayanan illustrates a vivid tale in which Conan and the formidable...
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Dark Horse continues its re-printing of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian series with Chronicles of Conan Volume 12. This trade paperback collects issues #108 through #115. Conan is making his way back from the southern black kingdoms to more civilized lands as the book opens. The first story, “Man-eaters of Darfar” finds Conan and the Stygian apprentice wizard Erfu, captured by the savage Darfar tribesman, cannibals who file their teeth to razor sharpness. Next up is an oddity but one that shows how resourceful Roy Thomas was in his 10 years at the helm of both Conan the Barbarian and The Savage Sword of Conan. Roy frequently adapted non-Conan stories that had been written by Robert E. Howard and turned them into Conan stories, generally...
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May 12, 2008: Conan #50 (Review)
The Hand of Nergal couldn't have come at a better time. Up until this story arc, my interest in Dark Horse's Conan had feigned to the point that despite its relative consistency, I'd seriously considered dropping it from my pull list for the first time since its first issue, released almost five years ago. Mostly due to the series' somewhat monotonous direction, every issue felt a little too similar in approach and as the Conan section in my storage boxes continued to grow, each subsequent release became a little too familiar and therefore less memorable. The upcoming reboot implies that Dark Horse would agree with this assessment, but that being said, its should comes as some form of reasonable relief that the finale easily stands...
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Dark Horse has been reprinting Marvel Comics’ color Conan comics for a few years but now they are adding the Conan stories from the black & white Savage Sword of Conan Magazine. This volume one Omnibus edition features 544 pages and includes the Conan stories from Savage Tales # 1 – 5, and Savage Sword of Conan # 1 – 10. Back in the day as a young Conan fan, Savage Tales was like the Holy Grail. These first five issues pre-dated Savage Sword and within a few years had already escalated in price beyond my pocket change. With this volume we are seeing these stories again for the first time in over 30 years. What immediately strikes you about the book is the incredible roster of artists. These are truly legendary names: Barry Windsor...
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June 25, 2007: Conan #41 (Review)
Conan is one of those characters that has stood the test of time. In all of his iterations over the years one thing has remained constant, the spirit of his original adventures by Robert E. Howard have always been maintained. I personally have read many of the non-comic Conan books and have always had an affinity for the character and the newest comic book incarnation has yet to let me down. The real challenge with Conan, especially when adapting the original material, is to give the reader what they want while all the while maintaining the integrity of the source material. After the death of Nestor the Gunderman, Conan seeks revenge and kills the corrupt priest that put the Gunderman to death and goes into hiding. In a city controlled...
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June 21, 2007: Conan #41 (Review)
As promised this issue of Conan heralds the return of the property to Robert Howard’s original works, interwoven with the new mythology that Dark Horse has created for the Cimmerian. In issue #41, this is done extremely well. Even though this issue is largely exposition for the story arc, it is still very interesting and a fun read. For one thing the current Conan storyline is blended seamlessly into the original Howard work of “Rogues in the House” in this issue. Last we left Conan, he had just murdered a priest of Anu in retaliation for the torture and execution of his friend Nestor. Conan’s revenge took a particularly brutal form as his time in Zamora had taught him the harsh lesson that there is little honor among thieves. Nestor...
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Two old pros have fun in this latest installment of the Conan sage. Robert E. Howard's muscle-bound barbarian is usually presented as a grim loner; thus, it's surprising when, coming upon the theif Alvazar buried in hot sand up to his neck, Conan jovially gives him a refreshing drink of dog's blood, then butchers the priests who were executing the man for stealing a sacred relic. This version of Conan needs a comic sidekick, and his banter with Alvazar enlivens the string of adventures as the two team up to track down a series of magical objects that they hope to sell for money, but that also could open the way for a malevolent elder god to re-enter this world. Along the way, the two rogues encounter wizards, animated mummies, demons...
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Imagine…A Conan book where are favorite Barbarian is no where to be seen…It's no joke, but is indeed what you get with Conan The Book of Thoth. This volume reprints the four issue series from Dark Horse comics and lifts the veil on Conan's arch-foe, the black wizard Thoth-Amon of Stygia. It's interesting to note that while Thoth may be considered Conan’s greatest foe, he actually only appeared in just one story written by Conan creator Robert E. Howard, "The Phoenix on the Sword" which first appeared in Weird Tales in 1932. It was really in the Marvel Comics' series that Thoth-Amon would become Conan’s greatest enemy. Thoth's origins were always shrouded in mystery and Kurt Busiek, who has been writing Conan's adventures at Dark Horse,...
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Robert E. Howard's memorable villain finally gets an origin story of his own in this volume, which collects a four-issue miniseries of the same name. Thoth is a beggar "in the blighted city of Memphia," his morals slowly eroded by an abusive father and harsh life on the streets. When his friend Amon receives an invitation to apprentice in the house of the kindly priest of Ibis, Thoth kills Amon and takes his place in the priest's home. Busiek (Astro City ,JLA/Avengers ) and the legendary Wein (Swamp Thing ) do a fine job telescoping a lifetime's worth of sinister plotting and backstabbing into relatively few pages. Narration is well-executed and evocative ("a new wind did waft through Memphia, thin and dry though it was") and the...
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November 12, 2006: Conan #33 (Review)
Any reservations I had about writer Kurt Busiek no longer being with this title went bye-bye in the first couple of pages of this issue, the first for new series writer Tim Truman. In fact, I was incredibly impressed with Truman's more pulpish dialogue, tone and pacing, which are closer in spirit to Robert E. Howard's original works. That’s not a slight against Busiek, who did an incredible job on this book; it's just an observation and a reassurance to fans of the series and the character. After having his share of adventures in the City of Thieves, Conan heads west toward Corinthia, buxom blonde in tow. But the wilderness of Hyperboria presents its own challenges, and in the vast expanses between civilizations Conan must overcome...
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Master adapter Russell (Neil Gaiman's Murder Mysteries; Elric: Stormbringer) here turns his hand to Howard's famous swordsman, Conan, and the results are, as usual for Russell, exceptional. This hardcover reprints a three-issue miniseries adapting Howard's short story "The Jewels of Gwahlur," which finds Conan training the armies of the kingdom of Keshan as cover for his pursuit of the Teeth of Gwahlur, a legendary cache of jewels he intends to steal. In a deserted palace in the ancient capital of Alkmeenon, protected from the surrounding jungle by a ring of cliffs, Conan searches for the treasure and finds intrigue, mystery, danger, and a mysterious and beautiful young woman who claims to be a goddess. Russell's marvelous artwork...
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August 21, 2006: Conan #31 (Review)
Mike Mignola completes his run on adapting the incomplete Robert Howard story "The Hall of the Dead" by proving that he is uniquely suited to the more Lovecraftian of the Conan tales. While it's a fairly slight story (despite beautiful art from Cary Nord), the arrogance and odd humor of Conan ("How's your wife, Surna? Does she miss me? I wonder.") coming from Mignola's pen can't help but feel borne from the same place as Hellboy's own stoicism and wry world view. The centerpiece of this issue is a fight against the dead- a legion that is troubled by the fact that they are old and brittle, thereby susceptible to fire- that Conan and Nestor must endure in order to get out with stolen jewels just as the Hall of the Dead collapses in on...
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July 05, 2006: Conan #29 (Review)
Beginning with this issue, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola takes over the writing chores for a few months, lending his supernatural vibe to an adaptation of a Robert E. Howard story fragment "The Halls of the Dead." Mignola's Conan is much more stoic than Kurt Busiek's interpretation. The dialogue is sparse, but direct, and this gives the character a more intimidating and iconic feel. Of course, when you have an artist like Cary Nord--who beyond being an exceptionally detailed penciller is also a phenomenal visual storyteller--you don't really need that much dialogue to begin with. Classic sword and sorcery high adventure, with that creepy atmospheric Mignola touch. This issue is a great jumping-on point for anyone that is not already...
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