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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on February 12, 2026.

Conan the Barbarian #26

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Fernando Dagnino (Artist) – Titan Comics – October 8, 2025

Review by Robin Marx

In Conan the Barbarian #26 by Jib Zub (W) and Fernando Dagnino (A), the once-mighty nation of Aquilonia is declining under the harsh misrule of “mad king” Numedides. With the monarch largely withdrawn from daily affairs, vassals in outlying holdings have become uneasy, especially in the southern province of Poitain. Emboldened by the brewing strife across the border, the neighboring realm of Zingara launches an offensive into Poitain while the province’s count is away petitioning King Numedides. When news of the invasion reaches Numedides, rather than dispatch the full military might of Aquilonia, he instead elects to send a single expendable mercenary company: the Westermarck Wolves. Already a seasoned adventurer by this point, Conan the Cimmerian follows his sellsword brethren into the fray. When the leader of the Westermarck Wolves falls in battle, Conan instinctively assumes command, turning what could have been a disastrous rout into a more ordered retreat. Outnumbered and with no reinforcements from the royal army forthcoming, Conan must join forces with Poitain’s beleaguered Count Trocero to expel the invaders.

Conan the Barbarian #26 covers a massive amount of ground in a single issue. While battle scenes take up much of the page count, Jim Zub manages to incorporate some nice character work and set up the chess board for events to come. While Conan has either been solo or in a subordinate role for much of the Titan Comics Conan the Barbarian run (e.g., serving as Bêlit’s second-in-command, or with the Aesir reavers in the frozen north), here we see Conan smoothly and naturally assume the top leadership role during combat and have that battlefield promotion immediately made permanent by his comrades. Conan also wastes no time distinguishing himself in other ways; where chivalrous Count Trocero hesitates to stoop to “dishonorable” measures even despite the massive imbalance between the Aquilonian and Zingaran forces, Conan has no such compunction against “uncouth and unorthodox” (dare I say barbaric?) tactics and executes his plan with ruthless efficiency. Readers of the original Robert E. Howard stories or the Marvel and Dark Horse comic adaptations are accustomed to seeing the Cimmerian commanding various mercenary companies, ship crews, and bandit mobs, but between the King Conan story last issue (Conan the Barbarian #25) and his new generalship in this issue, Conan the Leader is becoming a more prominent element in the main Titan Comics Conan the Barbarian title.

While the invading Zingaran army serves as the primary enemy for this particular issue, Zub heavily foreshadows conflict between Conan and King Numedides. Conan is presented as a leader who puts himself at the forefront of every skirmish, whereas Numedides is an aloof tyrant unconcerned for the plight of his subjects. Longtime fans know where this is headed. What realm does the future King Conan rule? Aquilonia. The ruler immediately prior to Conan? King Numedides. While Conan’s ascension to the throne is only covered by Howard in passing—first in Conan’s debut story “The Phoenix on the Sword” (1932), then later in “The Scarlet Citadel” (1933) and The Hour of the Dragon (serialized 1935-1936)—it appears Zub is setting us up for a much closer look at the forging of King Conan. Pastiche novelists L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter offered their own take on the Cimmerian’s rise to power in Conan the Liberator (1979), but de Camp and Carter’s additions to the Conan canon are viewed less enthusiastically now than in decades past, so I suspect Zub will ignore Conan the Liberator (and its unpopular satyrs).

Artist Fernando Dagnino’s return so soon is a surprise, seeing as how his last issue was Conan the Barbarian #24. Given how artistic duties have been rotated in the Titan series thus far I would have expected either Roberto De La Torre or Doug Braithwaite to handle the new arc, but since I rate Dagnino highly his return is a welcome one. Facial expressions remain Dagnino’s strong suit, but his montage-like battle depictions also stand out. The breakneck pacing of this issue leaves little space to cover multiple combats, but Dagnino manages to communicate both the desperation of the fights and Conan’s gory heroics. The storytelling economy on display is impressive. Also be sure to note the banner above King Numedides’ head on the final page for a fun visual hint.

Conan the Barbarian #26 is packed, from start to finish. While its breathlessness means some of the supporting characters’ deaths do not quite have the emotional impact they would in a less compressed story, the stage has been set for exciting and turbulent times ahead.

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