This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on May 15, 2024.

The Savage Sword of Conan #2

By Jim Zub (Writer), Richard Pace (Artist), and Patch Zircher (Writer & Artist) – Titan Comics – May 1, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Following a strong first issue, the second bimonthly installment of Titan Comics revived version of The Savage Sword of Conan has arrived. The eye-catching painted cover illustration by veteran artist Dave Dorman (Star Wars, Aliens: Tribes, etc.) shows an axe-wielding Conan locked in combat with a multi-legged monstrosity atop a pile of skulls.

The cover feature for this issue is “Conan: Leaving the Garden,” penned by Jim Zub with art by Richard Pace (Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, etc.). Conan awakens to find himself buried alive, the caravan he was guarding devastated by bizarre, tusked humanoids. “Crom’s children are too stubborn to die,” muses Zub, and the barbarian hauls himself out of his grave through sheer force of will. Grievously wounded and with danger nearby, Conan must keep a low profile while learning more about the warped creatures that massacred his companions. A curious local boy offers Conan his assistance, but it soon becomes clear that the innocent child is enmeshed in a twisted culture. Zub’s storytelling is muscular and solid as usual, and through Conan’s interactions with the boy Zub shows a paternal side of Conan not often seen. Dark and sketchy, Pace’s artwork has an almost expressionistic feel that suits the grim mood of the narrative. The thick blacks and contorted facial expressions are especially effective in the early panels as Conan struggles his way to the surface.

Also included in this issue is “Master of the Hunt, Part Two,” once again written and illustrated by Patrick “Patch” Zircher. Solomon Kane continues his search for the missing Maddocks boy and the hairy beast responsible for a string of disappearances and livestock killings. He’s accompanied on the trail by Old Gruffudd, an elderly blind man who seems to have insight into the recent supernatural goings-on in the Welsh countryside. While the artwork remains stunning, the plot didn’t progress as much as I would’ve have liked in this exposition-heavy installment. The ultimate showdown is nigh, however, as the finale is set to appear in The Savage Sword of Conan #3.

Bonus material includes three full-page pinup illustrations—two of Conan and one depicting Solomon Kane—and the Chainmail letters page. In response to a reader’s letter, the editor promises not only that readers can count on more gorgeous painted covers in the future, but that they’ll also specifically relate to a story within the issue. (Something readers always haven’t been able to count on with the past incarnation of The Savage Sword of Conan.) It’s also mentioned that, while Conan will naturally remain the primary draw, other Robert E. Howard characters beyond him and Solomon Kane will be featured in future issues of the magazine.

While not quite as packed to the brim as the debut issue—there’s no short story this time, and one fewer pinup—The Savage Sword of Conan #2 remains an entertaining read for fantasy adventure fans.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on May 13, 2024.

The Savage Sword of Conan #1

By John Arcudi (Writer), Jim Zub (Writer), Patch Zircher (Writer & Artist), and Max von Fafner (Artist) – Titan Comics – February 28, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Shortly after Titan Comics announced the return of Conan the Barbarian, the next question on fans’ lips was if companion series The Savage Sword of Conan would see a similar revival. Originally launched in the mid-1970s, a few years after the Marvel Comics debut of Conan the Barbarian, The Savage Sword of Conan differentiated itself from its four-color predecessor by adopting a more adult approach. As a black-and-white magazine, The Savage Sword of Conan wasn’t subject to the regulations of the Comics Code Authority, and as a result it was able to portray levels of violence and sensuality that were off-limits in the mainstream Conan title. Many readers enjoyed the added grit and mature tone of the magazine during the classic Marvel Comics run, and after such a long absence curiosity abounded regarding what a modern-day Titan Comics incarnation would look like. (Before losing the Conan license for the second time, Marvel Comics briefly revived the title for 12 issues from 2019-2020, but in this reviewer’s opinion this short-lived version did not significantly differentiate itself in terms of format or content from their parent Conan the Barbarian title.) The first issue of the relaunched The Savage Sword of Conan arrived simultaneously with Conan the Barbarian issue #8, finally giving readers basis for comparison.

Fortunately, this first issue seems geared to put longtime fans of The Savage Sword of Conan at ease. The standard cover artwork features a bold painting by Marvel Comics-era veteran Joe Jusko, showing Conan standing victorious over a pile of slain warriors in Stygian (i.e., Egyptian-themed) garb, a beautiful bronze-skinned maiden at his side. Precisely the sort of cover readers would have been welcomed with during the original magazine’s heyday. The nostalgic artwork is immediately followed up by a foreword by Roy Thomas, the fan-favorite writer and editor responsible for introducing the character of Conan to the comic book medium. Thomas provides some insight into the launch of the original magazine in the mid-70s and concludes with some tantalizing hints that he may be returning to the Conan character in future issues of Titan Comics’ incarnation.

Written by John Arcudi with artwork by Max von Fafner, “Conan and the Dragon Horde” is this issue’s main feature. Self-contained and unconnected to the ongoing Conan the Barbarian storyline, this comic portrays Conan as the leader of a mercenary band in service to an exiled Hyrkanian prince. Prince Zaahid promises riches untold to any man who helps him retake the throne from his estranged brother, but it soon becomes clear that Zaahid is keeping deadly secrets from his underlings. Increasingly skeptical and restless, Conan finds himself at odds with his employer. Not only must he deal with the giant, scaled beast defending Zaahid’s desired throne, Conan must guard himself against the lions and twin brutes that guard the prince. “Conan and the Dragon Horde” packs a great deal of adventure, violence, and sensuality within its 48 pages. Some may find the art style somewhat unconventional, but the exaggerated, detailed musculature on display vaguely reminded me of the Baki the Grappler manga by Keisuke Itagaki.

Conan the Barbarian writer Jim Zub’s contribution is something a little different than what we’re used to seeing from him: a prose story, rather than a comic. “Sacrifice in the Sand” is a short story based on Jusko’s Egyptian-themed cover artwork. The tale involves a Stygian captain named Nkosi, escorting a beautiful captive across the desert to be sacrificed as a bride of the snake god Set. Conan is depicted similarly to a stalking beast, striking from ambush to thin the numbers of Nkosi’s warrior band before ultimately pitting his sword against the captain in single combat. It was interesting to see Zub try his hand at regular fiction. When compared to Conan creator Robert E. Howard, Zub’s prose writing feels a little on the verbose side; Howard could have doubtless covered more ground given the same word count. But Zub’s enthusiasm is palpable, and he delivers an exciting vignette.

The final comic of the issue is “Master of the Hunt, Part One,” both written and illustrated by Patrick “Patch” Zircher. Instead of Conan, this story focuses on another of Howard’s literary creations: the vengeful Puritan swordsman Solomon Kane. Set in Wales, “Master of the Hunt” is a moody, gothic affair. Wandering through the countryside, rootless adventurer Solomon Kane encounters a family whose sheep have been rent apart in the night by a mysterious, hairy beast. With the husband away tracking the monster, Kane pauses to lend a hand to the Maddocks household’s wife and young son. An eerie appearance by Lord Arawn of the mythical Fair Folk leads Kane to become further embroiled in the family’s plight, and he vows to get to the bottom of the mystery. Backup stories featuring Kane were an occasional part of the Marvel Comics series, and his return in the Titan Comics reboot is a welcome one. So far Zircher’s depiction of the character seems a faithful one and his artwork is exquisite.

Other materials included in this inaugural issue include pinup illustrations of Conan and other characters, a map of the Hyborian Age, and an essay by Howard scholar Jeffrey Shanks providing additional background and publication details for Solomon Kane.

The days of the Comics Code Authority have long since passed, and Titan Comic’s Conan the Barbarian hasn’t shown any reluctance to depict either violence or (non-explicit) nudity. Is there still a niche for The Savage Sword of Conan to fill? Even lacking an all-ages/mature division in content between the two titles, I would argue that this magazine is a welcome addition to Titan Comics’ stable. With the ongoing Black Stone plot, the main Conan the Barbarian title appears increasingly invested in long-form storytelling, making The Savage Sword of Conan an ideal venue for shorter, standalone pieces. The primary title has committed itself to four-issue story arcs—so far with one writer and one artist per arc—but there is no need for The Savage Sword of Conan to play it safe; I hope to see further experimentation in terms of artwork and creative teams in future issues of the magazine. And as demonstrated with Solomon Kane in this issue, The Savage Sword of Conan also serves as a natural platform for the reintroduction of other long-dormant Howard characters to today’s audience. If the level of quality and variety on display in issue #1 of The Savage Sword of Conan is maintained, the magazine has the potential to surpass even the flagship Conan the Barbarian comic.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on May 4, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #10

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Roberto De La Torre (Artist) – Titan Comics – April 24, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

After inexplicably and violently turning on his most loyal companion Brule (Conan the Barbarian issue #9), a prophetic dream returns King Kull to his senses. He rescinds the death sentences placed on Brule and Conan, and after apologizing for his episode of “mania” he urges both men to accompany him on an immediate ocean voyage to stamp out the threat posed by the black stone. An experienced pirate, Conan returns to shipboard life with gusto: rowing, drinking, sparring, and even dallying with an alluring archer in Kull’s employ. As Conan’s spirits improve, however, Kull’s mental state darkens. The closer Kull and his band of elite Red Slayers come to their destination the moodier Kull becomes. Brule and Conan worry that Kull may be “courting darkness” and becoming susceptible to the black stone’s corrupting influence.

This issue was a transnational one within the current story arc, mostly dominated by the ocean voyage. The cancellation of Conan and Brule’s executions and the speed with which any hurt feelings on their behalf melted away seemed abrupt. The sudden reversal makes the Conan vs Kull battle at the end of Conan the Barbarian #9 feel forced and artificial in retrospect, as if it were wedged in to give the previous issue a shocking climax rather than as a natural development within the story. It also could have been made more explicit that the seafaring expedition’s ultimate destination was revealed to Kull in his dream. How Kull knows where to head is under-explained, and the other characters seem remarkably pliant, signing on for a vaguely proposed ocean journey under a capricious, mentally unwell king.

On the positive side of things, the contrast between Conan and Kull is handled skillfully. Conan is significantly less morose than he was during the “Thrice Marked for Death!” storyline. While it’s not stated outright, perhaps seeing Bêlit one last time (Conan the Barbarian issue #8) gave the barbarian a sense of closure, helping him move past his grief. King Kull, on the other hand, is depicted as someone constantly feeling the immense weight of his royal position. Amusingly, given Conan’s eventual destiny to become king himself, Conan views Kull’s court as a “gilded cage,” quickly concluding that he would rather live and die a free man rather than accept the demands and responsibilities that come with the royal crown. True to his depiction in the original Robert E. Howard short stories, Kull is a more cerebral individual than Conan. Where Conan’s depression throughout the “Thrice Marked for Death!” arc is unusual for him, readers are given the sense that Kull often tends towards melancholy and self-imposed isolation. It will be interesting to see if Jim Zub manages to communicate that Kull’s dark moods and ambivalence to the throne are inherent to the character and not just due to the warping corruption of the black stone.

This issue’s essay by Robert E. Howard scholar Jeffrey Shanks provides additional background for King Kull and the publication history of stories featuring him. While the Kull stories were never as popular as the ones starring Conan, they have their ardent defenders. Howard’s Weird Tales contemporary H. P. Lovecraft is noted as being particularly fond of Kull among his friend’s creations, preferring him to Conan.

Instead of the usual letters page, the issue concludes with a brief interview with artist Rob De La Torre. None of the questions are particularly deep or penetrating, but as De La Torre’s art has been a highlight of Titan’s Conan the Barbarian comic readers may appreciate the insight into his influences and hopes for the future.

This was a solid issue that effectively contrasts Conan with his literary predecessor Kull. Conan may have been thrown millennia into the past, but as a barbarian-turned-conqueror Kull is also foreshadowing for Conan’s own future as king. Conan the Barbarian issue 10 ends on a strong note and I look forward to the next issue, but I am also growing slightly uneasy at the weight Zub is giving to the ongoing black stone storyline. I wouldn’t mind seeing Conan’s adventures embark on a different direction after the current arc concludes.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on April 13, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #9

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Roberto De La Torre (Artist) – Titan Comics – March 27, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

As the “Thrice Marked for Death!” story came to its sudden conclusion (Conan the Barbarian issue #8), Conan had found himself under the sway of a trio of specters that had invaded his body and mind. Rather than allow himself to be reduced to a mindless puppet for their master Thulsa Doom, Conan marshaled one final burst of strength to turn his ancient Pictish blade on himself. The instant the sword pierced his flesh lightning struck, transporting Conan 80,000 years into the past. As issue #9 begins, a groggy and injured Conan immediately comes face to face with the fierce Pictish warrior Brule. While Conan and Brule once shared a brief otherworldly encounter during a desperate moment (Conan the Barbarian issue #4), neither have any memory of each other beyond a vague sense of familiarity. Unsure of how to handle the dangerous stranger, Brule escorts Conan to see his king in Valusia. While another familiar face awaits in Valusia, City of Wonder, so does a deadly confrontation with an unexpected opponent.

Conan the Barbarian issue #9 launches a new story arc, “The Age Unconquered,” and also marks the return of artist Roberto De La Torre. While Doug Braithwaite’s turned in solid work for the “Thrice Marked for Death!” story arc, I suspect many readers from the Marvel Comics era of Conan the Barbarian will be pleased to see the return of De La Torre’s more classic style. Jim Zub’s narration meets the high standard set in his previous issues, but without drawing too much attention to itself this time around.

Appropriately, this month’s companion essay by Robert E. Howard scholar Jeffrey Shanks details the ancient Thurian Age in which Conan has found himself, epochs before his own native Hyborian Age. Home to Howard’s King Kull and Brule the Spear-Slayer, the Thurian Age is a pre-cataclysmic era dating back to before the fall of Atlantis. Shanks covers both the setting and its inspirations, and also provides a brief introduction to the King Kull cycle of stories. While not as widely known as Conan, King Kull was actually an older character. As Shanks points out, the very first Conan story was actually a re-written version of an unpublished Kull tale.

The abrupt and inconclusive finale to the “Thrice Marked for Death!” story arc left a sour taste in my mouth, but this issue left me feeling more optimistic about the direction of the story. It has been a pleasure to see Zub introducing references to other works by Conan creator Robert E. Howard, with cameos or dialogue relating to non-Hyborian heroes and villains. Readers who enjoy Conan’s adventures are likely to enjoy Howard’s other literary creations as well, perhaps they just need a slight push. In fact, Conan the Barbarian issue #9 feels like a “backdoor pilot” to a stand-alone King Kull comic title. That being said, part of me feels it is still a bit early in the Titan Comics run to dwell so much on other Howard characters and settings when new readers have spent so little time with Conan and his Hyborian Age. Crossovers, throwbacks, and referential Easter Eggs are fun for veteran readers, I just hope new fans aren’t overlooked in the apparent push towards a Robert E. Howard-based Titan/Heroic Signatures comic universe. That concern aside, Conan the Barbarian issue #9 delivers the thrills, plunging Conan into a desperate new situation in a vibrant and exciting setting.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on March 20, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #8

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Doug Braithwaite (Artist) – Titan Comics – February 28, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

At the conclusion of Conan the Barbarian issue #7, our hero finds himself alone. Not only was Conan forced to kill comrade Chaundra the Chat by his own hand, the other thieves of the Gloryhounds are also dead, supernaturally compelled to murder each other by the three specters inadvertently freed from the stolen Black Stone. With all other involved parties eliminated, the specters force themselves into Conan, psychically battering him into submission. The undead trio agree that Conan will make an ideal tool for their dormant master Thulsa Doom, but to fulfill their dark goals they require blood sacrifices made using the ancient Pictish blade Conan acquired during his adventures with Brissa (during the “Bound in Black Stone” story arc, Conan the Barbarian issues 1-4). Unfortunately for Conan’s ghostly tormentors, distraught after the death of his pirate queen Bêlit, the barbarian pawned the weapon for drinking money immediately after his arrival in Shadizar ten months ago. With Conan as their unwilling puppet, the specters use him to carve a bloody swath through the city in search of the Pictish sword.

This issue marks the end of the Conan the Barbarian “Thrice Marked for Death!” storyline. While it was exciting to see the usually indomitable Conan’s metamorphosis into a Terminator-like possessed killing machine, this story arc’s conclusion felt unfulfilling. The last two issues kept raising the stakes, making me wonder how everything would be resolved, but—unsatisfyingly—the answer is that readers aren’t given much of a resolution. Conan’s plight is significantly worse than his situation at the beginning of the story, and apart from combat victories he doesn’t emerge particularly triumphant.

After four issues of flashbacks, the Bêlit plot thread does receive some payoff as a vision of his departed soulmate provides some spiritual assistance at a critical moment. However, the inclusion of two other familiar faces from past issues muddies the moment, making Bêlit’s aid seem less crucial and special than it would have had she alone appeared in Conan’s time of need.

As always, the Jeffrey Shanks essay includes with issue #8 provides some welcome added context to the events of the Conan the Barbarian comics. The mysterious Black Stone has occupied a place of central importance in both Titan Comics’ story arcs to date, and Shanks points out that corrupting ebon stone is a recurring motif in Robert E. Howard’s (non-Conan) stories. Shanks also traces the influence back to earlier writer Arthur Machen and his 1885 work The Novel of the Black Seal, which Howard is known to have read and enjoyed.

Cliffhanger endings intended to spur readers to buy the next issue are ubiquitous in both comics and the serialized pulp magazines before them. However, whereas the “Bound in Black Stone” story had a distinct beginning, middle, and end, “Thrice Marked for Death” is much less self-contained, to the story’s detriment. While I’m excited to find out what happens next, I suspect the incompleteness of this story will be frustrating to those who read Conan the Barbarian in graphic novel format rather than the monthly issues.

There’s much to be commended about Jim Zub’s handling of the Conan the Barbarian series, but simultaneously it feels like he’s already struggling with the four-issue story arc format. Issue 9 brings with it a new story arc and the return of “Bound in Black Stone” artist Roberto De la Torre, but perhaps it would have been better to give “Thrice Marked for Death” some additional issues and tell a more complete story rather than adhere to the (self-imposed?) four-issue arc structure. “Thrice Marked for Death” is an exciting ride that ends with a bang. But while the impulse to leave readers wanting more is understandable, some more resolution would have been appreciated in the story arc’s concluding issue.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on February 13, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #7

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Doug Braithwaite (Artist) – Titan Comics – February 7, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

When we last left Conan, he and his surviving comrades from the Gloryhounds were celebrating their narrow escape from the temple of Bel, God of Thieves. After a night of carousing, Conan and lissome rogue Chaundra the Chat tumbled into bed. As Conan the Barbarian issue 7 begins, however, Chaundra has undergone a startling transformation. The loquacious young woman has become a mute killer, with demonic aggression and strength that belies her slender frame. His life on the line, Conan has no choice but to dispatch his supernatural assailant. Battered and rattled, he stumbles out of the inn and into the streets, heading for the Gloryhounds’ secret hideout. As it has so often, his mind drifts back to reminiscences of his romance with slain pirate queen Bêlit, but he now finds his memories inexorably dragged into darker territory, warped recollections of events that never happened. It begins to dawn upon him that he and his fellows may have escaped the three spectres in Bel’s temple with their lives intact, but they emerged far from unscathed.

With this issue, the Conan the Barbarian “Thrice Marked for Death!” storyline begins sprinting towards its conclusion. This issue is full of both action and supernatural menace, giving both artist Doug Braithwaite and colorist Diego Rodriguez quite a workout. This is perhaps the goriest installment of Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian yet, with numerous limbs lopped and even a severed tongue. While dialogue is infrequent in this issue, Jim Zub’s breathless narration keeps pace with the artwork, highlighting Conan’s desperation as he struggles against formidable odds. Like all Cimmerian warriors, Conan’s is a life “measured in sword strokes,” writes Zub. It shines “bright and bloody.”

Appropriately enough, the accompanying Jeffrey Shanks essay explores Robert E. Howard’s use of horror in the original Conan stories. In Tolkien-style fantasy, magic and the supernatural tend to be inherent to the world. In Howard’s variety of sword & sorcery, however, he starts with a gritty, history-inspired setting where magic and monsters are “intrusive” elements. When the supernatural appears, something has gone deeply wrong and the protagonist is in mortal danger. This use of the otherworldly, of course, shares much with the horror genre. Howard’s blend of grounded settings with infrequent supernatural incursions made his stories a popular fixture of Weird Tales magazine and launched the sword & sorcery subgenre of fantasy, so it’s safe to say that this fantasy-horror mixture resonates with many readers. Zub’s work on the current Conan the Barbarian comic continues to carry the torch.

Conan the Barbarian issue 7 ends with quite a bombshell. While there’s only one issue left in the “Thrice Marked for Death!” storyline, it’s becoming clear that the effects of the cursed monolith introduced in the first “Bound in Black Stone” arc will continue to be felt in future issues as well. Issue 8 can’t come soon enough for this reader.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on December 28, 2023.

Conan the Barbarian #6

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Doug Braithwaite (Artist) – Titan Comics – January 3, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian issue 6 opens immediately after the previous issue left off. Conan and the Gloryhounds—the overambitious band of thieves Conan is effectively babysitting—have succeeded in getting their hands on Tarim’s Touch, only to discover that careless handling of the black stone relic has unleashed a trio of ravening spectral guardians. Trapped between an incorporeal threat and a temple swarming with alerted Bel worshipers, Conan and the thieves must battle their way to freedom.

Despite the considerable gap in time and geographical distance between the current events and those of Conan the Barbarian issues 1-4, in “Thrice Marked for Death! Part II: Cursed” writer Jim Zub makes plain the connections to the previous “Bound in Black Stone” story arc. It’s confirmed that Tarim’s Touch is composed of the same supernaturally infused black stone that had such a malevolent effect on the Cimmerian countryside, and the specters that escaped from the relic follow the same dark tentacled god that Conan faced off against in his homeland. In the Marvel Comics and Dark Horse versions of the Conan the Barbarian comic, even the longest plotlines were generally neatly confined to a single arc of about five or six issues, so it’s interesting to see Zub attempt some longer-form storytelling in the Titan Comics incarnation. Conan’s adventures aren’t necessarily desperately crying out for ongoing continuity, but I’m not opposed to its introduction.

As hoped, Conan’s slain pirate queen Bêlit (originally appearing in Robert E. Howard’s 1934 Weird Tales story “Queen of the Black Coast”) makes another appearance through flashbacks. In the previous issue, the tragic loss of Bêlit is used to explain Conan’s current state of nihilistic dissolution, but here it highlights that Conan already has some experience with spirits and the afterlife, even before encountering the specters from the black stone. Where Bêlit’s fierce love allowed her soul to briefly return from the realm of the dead and save Conan’s life at the climax of “Queen of the Black Coast” (also a scene adapted and given to Valeria in the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film), now he faces spirits resurrected to kill again in their master’s name. As a fan of the original Howard stories, I appreciate seeing the events of the classic tales incorporated into newer adventures in this way. However, I suspect that newcomers unfamiliar with the “Queen of the Black Coast” short story or its previous comic adaptations may not be getting the full effect of the Bêlit flashbacks.

The artwork continues to appeal. Diego Rodriguez does some excellent work with the color in this issue. After so many sepia-toned scenes lit by torch and lantern-light in the previous issue, the unearthly green glow of the specters has real impact. In terms of the line artwork, I still think Doug Braithwaite makes Conan’s face too lined for this early stage in his life, but that can be explained away as the Cimmerian’s lack of access to sunscreen. On a more positive note, Braithwaite shows him wearing the classic disc-shaped necklace from the earliest issues of Marvel’s 1970s Conan the Barbarian, a fun visual throwback to Barry Windsor-Smith’s depiction of the character.

Conan the Barbarian issue 6 answers some questions while raising several more. I’m excited to learn more about the black stone and its ghostly servants, and I hope to continue to see Conan’s past with Bêlit influence his current adventure.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on December 3, 2023.

Conan the Barbarian #5

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Doug Braithwaite (Artist) – Titan Comics – November 22, 2023

Review by Robin Marx

Issue 5 of Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian begins several months after the conclusion of the “Bound in Black Stone” story arc. Since putting his homeland of Cimmeria behind him, Conan has journeyed across much of the continent and even put to sea as a member of a pirate crew. After loving and losing freebooter queen Bêlit, however, Conan is a drunken shell of a man. He passes his days in disreputable taverns in the even more notorious city of Shadizar, earning his drinking coin acting as a hired thug for an ambitious band of thieves calling themselves the Gloryhounds. Constantly pushing their luck, the aptly named Gloryhounds drag a reluctant Conan into their most audacious heist yet: an attempt to filch Tarim’s Touch—a religious relic carved from dark stone—from the very heart of the Temple of Bel, patron god of thieves.

Thus begins the “Thrice Marked for Death” storyline. While Jim Zub continues to handle the writing duties (and is expected to do so for at least the first two years), the change in artwork is instantly noticeable. Scheduled to return with Conan the Barbarian issue 9, Roberto De La Torre is taking a well-deserved break and letting UK artist Doug Braithwaite deliver the artwork for this second arc. Unlike De La Torre’s classic John Buscema-inspired lines, Braithwaite has a thoroughly modern style comparable to the newer Dark Horse and Marvel depictions. Facially, his Conan looks a bit craggier than I would expect for this point in the barbarian’s career (ostensibly still his mid-twenties), but it’s not a bad likeness. The color artist is now Diego Rodriguez, who has given the artwork a sepia cast that suits the torch-lit environs in this issue. While I thoroughly enjoyed De La Torre’s artwork in the previous issues, Braithwaite’s artwork is also appealing and feels appropriate. If this first issue is any indication, it appears that we can expect his combat scenes to be slightly bloodier and more explicit than De La Torre’s. Decapitations may have been ubiquitous in De La Torre’s Conan the Barbarian run, but Braithwaite seems to give Rodriguez many opportunities to reach for the red paint.

Conan the Barbarian #5 is set after the events of Robert E. Howard’s 1934 Weird Tales story “Queen of the Black Coast.” It’s briefly touched upon in flashback panels, but readers curious about Conan’s career as a pirate and his tragic, whirlwind romance with Bêlit are encouraged to look there, or perhaps even the 1970s Marvel Comics or 2012 Dark Horse adaptations of the story. For those who are unfamiliar with “Queen of the Black Coast,” Howard scholar Jeffrey Shanks provides some additional background, including spotlighting how it provides rare insight into Conan’s personal philosophy. For my part, I approve of Zub’s choice to deliver new adventures occurring between the original short stories, rather than add to the already tall pile of adaptations. While Conan becomes entangled with a wide variety of women during his later career, I’ve always had the sense that Bêlit was as close as the barbarian ever got to a soulmate, and I’m interested to see if Zub continues to explore Conan’s grief and the aftermath of her death in future issues.

While I was left a little deflated by the finale of the previous plotline, Conan the Barbarian #5 marks a promising start for the second story arc. Braithwaite has a very different visual style than his predecessor, but his gory theatrics a good fit for the series.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on November 13, 2023.

Conan the Barbarian #4

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Roberto De La Torre (Artist) – Titan Comics – October 25, 2023

Review by Robin Marx

Our hero is already in dire straits at the opening of Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian #4. The struggle between Conan and the high priest of the Black Stone cult has plunged them both into the deep emerald-green waters at the core of the temple. Tentacles rise to meet the barbarian as he sinks into the murky abyss, and he pledges to slay the cult’s misshapen deity, even if it costs him his own life. As he begins to drown, however, he sees a vision of an ancient Pictish chieftain. This echo from the past provides Conan (and the reader) with some welcome backstory. Conan learns more about the mysterious black stone that has had such a malign influence on the countryside, and how he has become embroiled in a hidden struggle against the occult dating back tens of thousands of years. While his ghostly benefactor is unable to provide Conan with direct aid, the brief conversation steels his resolve, and—lungs bursting—he swims down to meet his godlike foe.

Conan the Barbarian #4 is the conclusion of “Bound in Black Stone,” the first story arc in this latest Conan comic. Jim Zub’s narration was solid and evocative as usual. The ancient Pict is a figure that will be instantly recognizable to those who have read “The Shadow Kingdom” (1929) or Robert E. Howard’s other King Kull stories. Kull’s Thurian era is the distant past of Conan’s own Hyborian Age, and it was fun to see Zub link these two distant epochs. The essays by Jeffrey Shanks at the end of each issue go to great lengths to point out the connections between various corners of the Howard literary universe and, like Thulsa Doom being name-dropped in issue #3, it appears that Zub is very intentionally laying the groundwork for future cross-pollination between Howard’s heroes and settings.

De La Torre’s artwork maintains the high standard of quality seen in the previous issues. The forceful and dynamic posing of characters during the combat scenes was especially noticeable in this installment.

While I found Conan the Barbarian #4 largely successful, I was left baffled by some of the creative choices. The Pict warrior woman Brissa was one of the most talked-about elements of the new series, but she was completely absent from this issue. Mentioned briefly, but not shown. The tropes of comic storytelling being what they are, it’s painfully obvious that we haven’t seen the last of Brissa (Zub has hinted as much in interviews), but it felt like an unfair and anticlimactic way to handle an exciting supporting character.

The battle between Conan and the tentacled aquatic creature felt like another missed opportunity. Generally, in this situation a Conan the Barbarian reader would expect to be treated to some particularly impressive artwork, perhaps even a two-page spread revealing the blasphemous alien god in all its glory. Somewhat disappointingly, De La Torre delivers an unexpectedly subdued combat against a mostly hidden monster.

While my enthusiasm for Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian remains high, the finale of “Bound in Black Stone” didn’t quite attain the heights of preceding issues. The creative team have demonstrated their formidable capabilities, but this time it felt like they weren’t operating at full strength. I’m excited about the foundation Zub seems to be constructing for future stories and even upcoming titles featuring other Robert E. Howard heroes, but it seemed like the story’s immediate present was underserved. And Conan is a character that lives in the moment.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on September 6, 2023.

Conan the Barbarian #2

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Roberto De La Torre (Artist) – Titan Comics – August 30, 2023

Review by Robin Marx

The second issue of Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian begins in the ashes of Aquilonian frontier outpost Hauler’s Roam. Conan and the Pictish scout Brissa watch from hiding as the undead “Tribe of the Lost” wordlessly gather together the bodies of their savaged victims. Loading the corpses into a net they drag behind them, the rotting horde heads north, crossing the border into Conan’s homeland of Cimmeria. Sole survivors of the supernatural raid, Conan and Brissa follow in pursuit, hoping both to warn Cimmerian warriors of the encroaching threat and learn the location of the larger army of zombies. Along the way Conan and Brissa learn more about one another, with initial mistrust eventually giving way to camaraderie.

The artwork for this issue is the best seen thus far. For Conan the Barbarian #1 I commented that the reader’s viewpoint often felt a bit too distant from the action, obscuring facial expressions and other fine details. Issue #2 displays a marked improvement on that front. Not only are we given a clearer look at character’s faces, they are good faces as well. As to be expected given the situation, Conan mostly wears an expression of grim determination throughout the issue, but Roberto De La Torre avoids stone-faced monotony through subtle attention to Conan’s eyes. Now that we’re able to get a better look at her face, we can see that Brissa is rendered in a style that would not be out of place alongside Belit, Valeria, Red Sonja, and other warrior women and love interests from the 1970s issues of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian, rather than a more modern standard for comic book heroines. This consistency with the classic artwork is appreciated. While the characters and fight scenes take center stage, De La Torre’s art also does a quietly effective job showcasing the rugged wilderness of Cimmeria.

There’s more narration than dialogue in Conan the Barbarian #2, but Jim Zub continues to take a light hand with the text. He mostly lets the artwork speak for itself, using brief and evocative language as needed to communicate the less visual aspects of the story. Most of this issue is taken up by overland travel, but there are some nice character moments as Brissa and Conan—thrown together by circumstance—gradually feel each other out. The Tribe of the Lost and the unseen power commanding it remain mysterious, but some intriguing hints are revealed.

There has been a small amount of grumbling from canon purists about the coziness of comic book Conan’s relationship with the Pict Brissa. In “The Black Stranger,” one of the original short stories by Robert E. Howard, Conan takes considerable umbrage at another character’s suggestion that he has been living among the Picts: “Even a Zingaran ought to know there’s never been peace between Picts and Cimmerians, and never will be.” The comic book Conan is much younger than the one depicted in “The Black Stranger,” and I’m curious to see if this long-standing feud between Cimmerians and Picts will be reflected in the plot developments of subsequent issues of Conan the Barbarian.

Conan scholar Jeffrey Shanks’ brief article for this issue takes no position on “Pictgate”; instead he draws a connection between Zub’s comic character Brissa and the lineage of Howard’s Pictish characters Brule the Spear-slayer and Bran Mak Morn. The issue concludes with a letters column, in which Zub reiterates a statement he has made in interviews, that his intent for Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian is to focus on creating new tales, rather than retell classic adventures. A laudable goal, in this reader’s opinion.

Enthusiasm remains high regarding Conan’s comic revival, with Conan the Barbarian #1 reportedly outselling all Titan Comics releases to date. A third printing of the first issue is in the works, and Titan reports that this second issue is already back at the printers for a second run. Conan the Barbarian #2 maintains the high standard of quality seen in #1 and the Free Comic Book Day issue #0 and is an easy recommendation for fans of dark fantasy comics.

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