This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on August 25, 2024.

To Walk on Worlds

By Matthew John – Independently published – June 23, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Wizards are dicks! Or at least that seems to be the core take-home message of To Walk on Worlds, the debut short fiction collection by occasional Grimdark Magazine contributor Matthew John. This volume collects 11 works of pitch black sword & sorcery: seven previously published stories and four never-before-seen. While alternate dimensions and planets feature heavily in the collected stories, they all share the same overall setting, with a few central characters reappearing across them. Looming especially large is Maxus, a ruthless sorcerer—or “meddler” in the setting’s parlance—on a never-ending quest for arcane supremacy.

The title story “To Walk on Worlds” sets the tone for the volume, introducing Maxus and demonstrating the lengths to which he will go to further his own dominance. When he pushes his luck too far in dealings with the local king, Maxus draws the ire of the monarch’s suspicious retainer General Playsus. Suddenly besieged and forced to think on his feet, Maxus uses a series of escalating dweomers to mercilessly crush his opposition and ensure his place at the top of the hierarchy.

Previously published in the tenth issue of Tales From the Magician’s Skull, “A Simple Errand” involves a fateful meeting between Maxus and another recurring protagonist, Lachmannon the Kael. Maxus springs the barbarian swordsman Lachmannon from a prison cell, whisking him away to another world to kill an alien god as part of one of Maxus’ inscrutable schemes. This story combines savage combat with bizarre, otherworldly vistas in the tradition of the best classic sword & sorcery adventures.

“The Circle” is one of the quieter stories in this volume. Fleeing from relentless pursuers, the archer Nylas wanders into ancient ruins in search of shelter. Cautiously joining a stranger’s campfire, he soon learns he has stumbled into a chilling magical trap. Apart from one truly nauseating instance of violence, “The Circle” focuses less on action and more on horror, depicting magic as something very clearly inimical to the natural world.

“The Gift of Gallah” is another tale in which contact with sorcery has unforeseen consequences. Seeking revenge against a taunting meddler called the Hooded One, Andwin plunges through the jungle in search of a mystical source of strength. In true monkey’s paw fashion, Andwin gets what he wants, but not in the way he hoped. Wizards are dicks.

Originally featured in A Book of Blades: Volume II, “Cries from a Sleeping City” is another adventure starring the barbarian Northman Lachmannon. The wealthy ruler of Zanzara hires a tavern full of sell-swords to scour the tunnels beneath the city, searching for the mythical Queen Vashka, thought to be an imprisoned immortal sorceress. Initially skeptical of the task, Lachmannon quickly learns that the tales of Vashka are true. To survive, he must fight to escape a nightmarish subterranean hellscape filled with cannibalistic “eaters” and unseen lurkers that use body-invading tentacles to drive their victims insane with bloodlust. The story is fast paced, with a fun menagerie of monsters and a dark streak a mile wide.

“Man of Xerus” chronicles another meddler’s attempt to walk on worlds. Through intense dedication and powerful magic, the sorcerer Vulka propels himself to another realm, hoping to bargain with a demon and return to his home planet more powerful than ever. In this story’s squirm-worthy body horror-filled finale, Vulka learns that there are far more diabolical foes than demons.

“A Final Errand” reunites Lachmannon and Maxus the Meddler for one more dimension-hopping adventure. Deeply wounded himself, Lachmannon drags a nearly incapacitated Maxus through monster-filled terrain hoping to acquire the “bug juice” that will allow Maxus to regain his magical powers. Much like “A Simple Errand,” the interplay between Maxus and Lachmannon is the highlight of the narrative. Neither fully trusts the other, but there’s a grudging, semi-antagonistic respect between the two that entertains. Despite the seemingly conclusive title of this story, this reader hopes the two cross paths again.

“The Meddler” is perhaps the most horrific story in To Walk on Worlds, and that’s saying something. Bizarre parasitic creatures stalk the wilderness outside an isolated farm house in which terrified young Shel huddles with her tearful little brother. Their parents are feared dead. Who should show up at the door but an injured Maxus, promising a safe escape if Shel is willing to venture out and fetch an arcane talisman from his tower. Shel is in a desperate situation, but everyone knows that you should never trust a meddler… “The Meddler” benefits from an appealing heroine that is easy to root for, supremely creepy monsters, and a tense atmosphere. Over the course of the story Maxus also reveals an important new side of himself.

“A Fate Worse Than Exile” is another survival story, this time involving an inveterate liar and cheat named Quent. Trapped in a bone cage with a sullen warrior that hates his guts, Quent must use any means at his disposal to escape his malicious captors and ensure his own passage off the hazardous, untamed island upon which he is marooned. In addition to bloody struggle and a generous helping of moral ambiguity, this tale features one of my favorite sword & sorcery tropes: the “dragon” that the reader can plainly recognize is, in actuality, a dinosaur.

Shel makes a welcome return in “A Chance Burden,” this time older and wearier than she was in “The Meddler.” No sign of her younger brother, but no obvious hint of past tragedy, either. This time she finds herself protecting an infant rescued from the arms of its slain mother. For reasons unknown, the duo are pursued by a squad of mercenaries led by a massive warrior with glowing red eyes. To make matters worse, wolves have begun to circle in the vicinity. Where the bulk of the stories in To Walk on Worlds features characters gleefully choosing expediency over more moral options, “A Chance Burden” features a heroine doggedly electing to do the noble thing, even in the face of certain death. Most of the collected stories function perfectly well as self-contained narratives, but “A Chance Burden” feels like it could easily be used to launch a full-length novel, should John choose to revisit it.

To Walk on Worlds concludes with “Black Harvest,” a cryptic and moody vignette in which a lone farmer is subjected to ominous and portentous questions by a menacing stranger. All the while, sinister tribal drums echo in the hills. The exchange recalls Anton Chigurh’s unnerving conversation with the gas station clerk in “No Country For Old Men.” The stranger’s motives and the full nature of the titular black harvest remain obscure, but we know they can’t be good.

Matthew John’s work is becoming a frequent sight in the top sword & sorcery and weird fantasy-oriented periodicals, but To Walk on Worlds bundles it together in one convenient package, where the connections and references between the stories can more easily be appreciated. The stories in To Walk on Worlds are grim, brutal, horrific, and bleak but also contain flashes of wonder and even humor. As strong a debut collection as this is, To Walk on Worlds also gives readers a sense that Matthew John is just getting started. Just remember: wizards are dicks.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on August 23, 2024.

I Was a Teenage Slasher

By Stephen Graham Jones – S&S/Saga Press – July 16, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Set in 1989, I Was a Teenage Slasher is the first-person confessional of Tolly Driver, a disaffected youth living in the rural town of Lamesa, Texas. While fundamentally a decent person, Tolly has struggled with a sense of rootlessness since the untimely death of his father. Lamesa feels stifling and small, but college and prospects of a life outside of his hometown feel distant and unattainable. His plight goes from bad to worse after crashing a pool party, where his drunken awkwardness is punished with near-fatal hazing at the hands of his classmates. A sudden brush with the supernatural saves Tolly’s life but leaves him fundamentally changed. Tolly undergoes a strange transformation when night falls. A passenger in his own body, he witnesses himself commit horrible murders that he is powerless to stop. Tolly’s only friend Amber begins to suspect that he’s becoming a slasher: not merely a conventional serial killer, but a supernaturally enhanced murderer of the Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees variety. As the death toll rises, Tolly and Amber work together to test his newfound abilities and attempt to prevent future bloodshed.

I Was a Teenage Slasher combines a surprisingly poignant coming of age story with an exploration of the slasher horror subgenre. It avoids becoming too heavy-handed and on-the-nose, but the unwelcome transformation Tolly experiences feels like an allegory for puberty or some manner of gender awakening. The treatment of slasher tropes is likewise fascinating. Tolly does not simply don a mask and embark upon a quest for revenge, instead the slasher quality is transmitted, like vampirism or lycanthropy. In addition to preternatural resilience, in true slasher movie tradition Tolly gains the ability to cover more ground when hidden from his prey’s sight. Even reality starts to bend around him, as if the world is facilitating his inexorable urge to kill. Broken chainsaws roar to life with a single pull of the start cord. Teenagers who know they are being actively stalked irrationally elect to go skinny-dipping by moonlight. I Was a Teenage Slasher leaves the reader with unanswered questions about the supernatural phenomena at the heart of the narrative, but die-hard horror movie fans will find themselves nodding and grinning at how events develop over the course of the book.

Following so close on the heels of The Angel of Indian Lake, readers can’t be blamed for feeling a sense of déjà vu. Many familiar Stephen Graham Jones elements are present and accounted for. Apart from the slasher-centric plot, there’s a painfully realistic presentation of suffocating small-town life. Jones returns to poke at the “Final Girl” trope once again, and there’s even a horror movie-obsessed Native American girl as a supporting character. Lamesa feels like a distinct setting from the Indian Lake Trilogy’s Proofrock, however, and hapless Tolly has a very different voice than the wounded, combative Jade Daniels. While there are touches of the unreliable narrator here and there, I Was a Teenage Slasher is also written in a more plainspoken style, with less of the challenging impressionistic touch of Jones’ earlier works.

While it feels lighter and less intentionally literary than The Only Good Indians and the Indian Lake Trilogy, I Was a Teenage Slasher is a fun summer horror flick in novel form. Existing Jones fans are sure to enjoy the ride, and it also serves as an approachable introduction for newcomers curious about one of the genre’s hottest talents.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on August 14, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #13

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Doug Braithwaite (Artist) – Titan Comics – July 24, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian enters its second year of publication, and a new story arc begins. Issue #12 concluded with an epic confrontation with a powerful enemy, but this installment shifts gears. Rather than pick up where we saw Conan last, the narrative returns to a younger version of the barbarian. Having first gotten a taste of adventure with his participation in the destruction of Aquilonia’s border outpost of Venarium (shown in the Free Comic Book Day 2023 issue, released prior to the start of the monthly series), the teenaged barbarian has taken up his salvaged sword and horned helmet and headed north into the frozen wastes. Feeling unexpectedly deflated after his first victory in battle, Conan remains eager to test himself and discover his place in the world. Over the course of this first issue in the “Frozen Faith” story arc, Conan encounters several threats to his young life, from dangerous wildlife to threatening Northmen, but he wonders if mere survival is enough to give his life meaning.

With the start of this new arc, writer Jim Zub has taken the Conan the Barbarian narrative in an intriguing new direction. With so much of the comic’s first year occupied by an ongoing high-stakes plotline involving the malignant influence of the mysterious Black Stone and recurring foe Thulsa Doom it feels like a relief to take a step back from all of that and return to basics. Like the original Robert E. Howard stories themselves, other publishers’ comic series have jumped around to different points in Conan’s adventuring career, and it’s reassuring to see that tendency continue in the current Titan Comics incarnation, rather than follow a strictly linear progression.

Zub gives readers an uncommonly intimate look into Conan’s thoughts with this issue. Flashbacks show Conan as a child, untrained but already fierce at a tender age. His father tells him of the Cimmerians’ ancestral god Crom, who lives in the mountains, judging his descendants from afar. Crom famously declines to intervene on his worshippers’ behalf, but he is said to gift every Cimmerian at birth with an iron will. This issue shows Conan as a child, questioning the beliefs his people take for granted and then carrying those doubts into his teenage years. Conan has been tested in battle, but he has emerged unfulfilled, skeptical of religion, and almost nihilistic. This feels like a risky approach to take with a character like Conan; sword & sorcery heroes usually skip the origin story and are commonly depicted fully formed and self-assured. Are readers ready for Conan the Larval Barbarian? I am unsure of what to think at this point, but I am curious to see where Zub takes the character in the next few issues.

“Frozen Faith” marks the return of artist Doug Braithwaite, who previously handled the “Thrice Marked for Death” story arc (Conan the Barbarian issues #5-8). Braithwaite renders this issue’s action scenes and snowy landscapes with aplomb, but I still feel like he etches too many fine lines into Conan’s face, making him appear at least a decade older than he is supposed to be at this point in his life.

Conan the Barbarian #13 offers readers a fresh start. This issue delivers a change of pace for existing readers and serves as a gentle jumping-on point for newcomers curious about Titan Comics’ most successful series to date. While core sword & sorcery enthusiasts find this meditative depiction of Conan slightly jarring, I suspect the added introspection may appeal to grimdark fans hungry for a little existential philosophy in their dark fantasy.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on August 12, 2024.

Conan: City of the Dead

By John C. Hocking – Titan Books – June 18, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Conan: City of the Dead is a deluxe omnibus packaging of two pastiche novels by sword & sorcery veteran John C. Hocking: the fan favorite Conan and the Emerald Lotus and its long-awaited sequel Conan and the Living Plague. Conan and the Emerald Lotus was originally published by Tor Books in 1995 and has been out of print for roughly two decades. While Conan and the Living Plague was penned soon after the release of Emerald Lotus, a chain of unfortunate complications at the publishing end prevented the novel from receiving an official release until now, nearly 30 years after its creation.

Fans of Robert E. Howard’s enduring Conan the Barbarian character have long had a fraught relationship with the pastiche novels written by non-Howard authors. While there were occasional attempts to revive the stories in their original form as published in Weird Tales magazine—perhaps most notably by horror legend Karl Edward Wagner—in the decades following Howard’s death in 1936, the most ubiquitous editions of the stories were those produced under the stewardship of L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. In addition to reprinting Howard’s work, de Camp and Carter took it upon themselves to complete Howard’s unfinished stories, rewrite stories featuring Howard’s other pulp heroes into Conan adventures, and even write wholly original tales starring the barbarian. As the Conan paperback series shifted to different publishers, other authors including Robert Jordan, Poul Anderson, and Harry Turtledove joined de Camp and Carter in contributing their own novel-length Conan adventures, to the extent that by the Tor Books era (1982-2004) pastiche works by other hands were much more readily available than the Howard stories that inspired them. Publishers Wandering Star and Del Rey upended all this beginning in 2003, collecting and releasing the Howard texts free of the modifications and embellishments of subsequent authors. For many Conan fans, this was their first opportunity to read the unadulterated texts, and it inspired a mini backlash against the pastiche novels, many of which diverged widely from Howard’s tone and characterization of Conan. Twenty years have passed, however, and it seems that Conan fans have begun to reevaluate the role and value of pastiche. While some pastiche novels are widely considered better left forgotten, others have become much sought after. Alongside installments by Karl Edward Wagner and John Maddox Roberts, Hocking’s Conan and the Emerald Lotus has become a lucky find for secondhand bookstore shoppers. The collected Conan: City of the Dead release by Titan Books makes Emerald Lotus and its long-lost sequel available to the general public at last.

Conan and the Emerald Lotus finds the titular barbarian coerced into working as an assassin for a twisted wizard hoping to eliminate a rival sorceress and steal her cache of emerald lotus powder, an addictive herbal substance that amplifies magical power while extracting a terrible physical cost from its users. Conan switches allegiances as soon as he manages to extricate himself from his employer’s curse, however. He sets out with the sorceress Lady Zelandra and her colorful retinue—tempestuous knife-throwing young maiden Neesa and a rotund, mute bodyguard named Heng Shih—escorting them into the forbidden deserts of Stygia in search of the source of the emerald lotus and the shadowy manipulator that controls its supply. Conan and the Emerald Lotus deals extensively with the price of power and the extreme lengths to which sorcerers will go to further their mastery of world-warping magic. While Lady Zelandra is a sympathetic character and an ally to Conan, Hocking makes it clear that her lust for power and dependency on the emerald lotus put her on the same grim path as her warped competitors, just not quite as far along.

Conan and the Living Plague is another dark adventure set into motion by evil sorcery. Now serving in a mercenary army, Conan and his comrade-in-arms Shemtare (a character briefly featured in Conan and the Emerald Lotus) are hired to pilfer riches from the vault of Dulcine, a city-state both ravaged by a lethal contagion and besieged by an invading army from without. The resulting adventure is a covert heist, with Conan and a handful of companions of varying levels of competency and trustworthiness venturing into territory in which a single misstep means instant death. Along the way Conan discovers that the epidemic is no natural malady, but instead an intelligent and malignant entity with a yearning for conquest.

Conan: City of the Dead delivers the sort of blood and thunder that sword & sorcery readers expect. Both collected books share relentless pacing, frequent and savage combat, and plentiful horrific elements. Where Conan and the Emerald Lotus features significant moments of cosmic horror—fans of the Cthulhu Mythos will recognize references in the mystical language intoned by the book’s sorcerers—Conan and the Living Plague leans especially hard on the otherworldly terror. The Living Plague is rendered in an intensely creepy and alien manner, and—as Conan is dismayed to learn—it’s not the worst thing lurking beyond the stars.

According to interviews, Hocking wrote Conan and the Emerald Lotus to address some of the flaws common in latter day pastiche and recapture some of the magic of the original Howard, and by that standard Conan: City of the Dead is a tremendous success. While other authors (e.g., Scott Oden) may more faithfully evoke Howard’s prose style, Hocking demonstrates a deep understanding of Conan as a character. He captures Conan’s explosive physicality, emphasizing his pantherish reflexes over sheer strength. And where lesser authors depict Conan as blithely fearless, through both novels Hocking shows Conan as experiencing fear, but not allowing himself to succumb to it. The ability to power through that fear and do what must be done is what separates Conan from his compatriots.

Readers who enjoy Conan: City of the Dead are strongly encouraged to seek out Hocking’s novella “Black Starlight.” Originally serialized in issues of Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian from 2019-2020, the story was collected and re-released in 2023 as part of Titan Books’ ongoing Heroic Legends series of digital shorts. “Black Starlight” begins immediately after the conclusion of Conan and the Emerald Lotus, chronicling a further adventure of Conan with Lady Zelandra, Neesa, and Heng Shih in the wilds of Stygia. Not including “Black Starlight” as part of the Conan: City of the Dead package seems like a missed opportunity on Titan Books’ part but given the fact that they rescued it from falling into obscurity with their ebook release it seems uncharitable to grumble too much.

As a long-time fan of the character, it’s exciting to see Titan Books release both new novels starring Conan (e.g., Conan – Blood of the Serpent) alongside long out-of-print treasures like Conan and the Emerald Lotus. The inclusion of the never-before-seen Conan and the Living Plague sweetens the deal, making Conan: City of the Dead a must-buy even for those lucky readers who already own the original Emerald Lotus paperback. Newcomers to Conan are still advised to start with the original Robert E. Howard tales, but if you’ve devoured those and yearn for more, Conan: City of the Dead is the cream of the pastiche crop.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on July 12, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #12

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Roberto De La Torre (Artist) – Titan Comics – July 3, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

At the climax of Conan the Barbarian issue #11, the nefarious skull-headed sorcerer Thulsa Doom burst from his crypt, dealing King Kull a devastating sword blow. Master of the alien Black Stone that has been the catalyst for the deathly magic hounding Conan’s steps through the entire first year of the Titan Comics series, Thulsa Doom stands poised to not only topple Kull’s kingdom of Valusia, but also to establish “a new age of Doom”: an immortal empire of evil capable of subjugating humanity well into the distant future of Conan’s own Hyborian Age. Cosmic power floods into Doom as Kull lies writhing in a pool of his own blood. The only obstacle to the would-be tyrant is Conan, a barbarian of humble origin, lacking any noble lineage and displaced in time. Wielding his Pictish blade, Conan leaps into the fray.

Entitled “Terror Undreamed Of!”, this issue marks both the conclusion of the current “The Age Unconquered” storyline and the culmination of the first year of the Titan Comics incarnation of Conan the Barbarian. While the narrative itself is straightforward—consisting of the duel between Conan and Thulsa Doom, with a brief flashback to the sorcerer’s mortal life and rise to power—it feels like the creative team have pulled out all the stops for this issue.

Roberto De La Torre’s artwork has been a highlight of the eight issues he handled, but in addition to the dynamic battle sequences readers have come to expect De La Torre is also given license to let loose with his depiction of Doom’s sorcerous might. The issue is packed with impressive full-page spreads showing Doom reveling in his magical powers, monologuing maniacally on backgrounds crackling with mystical lightning. While invariably exciting and action-packed, De La Torre’s artwork hewed towards gritty realism in previous issues, giving the over-the-top cosmic, sorcerous scenes of this issue even more visual impact.

Jim Zub likewise seems to have had a great deal of fun scripting this issue. Thulsa Doom’s dialogue is both arrogant and unhinged in classic pulp villain tradition. It’s also possibly a bit on the verbose side for someone engaged in a desperate sword battle with an opponent like Conan, but not having to breathe presumably allows Doom to expound at length about his superiority and wicked plans while trading blows with the barbarian. Zub’s narration matches Doom in its gleeful breathlessness, occasionally unleashing bursts of alliteration (e.g., “…the necromancer’s scornful soul merges with the star-splashed sorcery of the stone and its source.”). Lettering in comics tends to be unobtrusive, but Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Tyler Smith take the opportunity to punch up Thulsa Doom’s grave threats and dire pronouncements with eye-catching typefaces and splashes of bold color.

With issue #12, Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian ends its first year on a high note. Personally, I would have preferred the series spend less time on long-form storytelling and the Black Stone plot device; Conan isn’t a character that demands a great deal of established continuity. In this initial year I also wish the series had focused more on delivering solid solo Conan adventures rather than using time-traveling crossovers to soft-launch a Robert E. Howard comic universe on behalf of rightsholders Heroic Signatures. While Jim Zub has taken Conan the Barbarian in a different direction than I predicted, the artwork remains fantastic and the stories engaging. The Battle of the Black Stone event miniseries teased with this year’s Free Comic Book Day issue makes it clear that Zub isn’t yet done with the Black Stone and character crossovers, but issue #12 leaves Conan in an exciting situation ripe with possibility. Conan the Barbarian Year Two is full of potential.

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This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on June 2, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian #11

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Roberto De La Torre (Artist) – Titan Comics – May 22, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

At the conclusion of Conan the Barbarian issue #10, Kull led Conan, Brule, and the Red Slayers to his homeland in Atlantis, only to find that the village of his birth has been replaced by a yawning abyss. As the party descends into the chasm, Conan flashes back to his conversation with Yag-Kosha (in Conan the Barbarian issue #9), a pachyderm-headed alien god who he slayed a decade ago in his own life (during the events of the 1933 Robert E. Howard story “The Tower of the Elephant”), yet encountered alive and well just days ago in Valusia. Yag-Kosha emphasizes that Conan’s soul has been “set adrift” in time, but that his fate is entwined with Brissa, a Pictish warrior woman from his own era (missing and presumed dead as of the conclusion of Conan the Barbarian issue #4) and her distant ancestor Brule.

Upon reaching the bottom of the pit, Conan and Kull discover a series of ancient cyclopean chambers that—judging from the arms and armor left behind—appear to have once been inhabited by giants. The situation quickly becomes deadly as the explorers inadvertently release a horde of hostile subhuman creatures. Even accompanied by the elite Red Slayers, Kull and his companions face a difficult struggle.

Rob De La Torre’s artwork is a visual feast, as always. His John Buscema-inspired character artwork and dynamically staged combat scenes receive a great deal of justified praise, but his backgrounds are also worthy of attention. His oppressive monolithic architecture and craggy, menace-filled subterranean passages create a real sense of place for the events of the story. Diego Rodriguez’s color work in this issue was also effective. Whether an intentional reference or not, the bluish-white coloration of the subterranean attackers brought to mind the Morlocks from the 1960 film adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.

Jim Zub’s storytelling continues to excite, with the issue’s climax leaving this reader full of questions and wanting more. The flashback to Conan’s conversation with Yag-Kosha felt a little lengthy and redundant, however. By this point it should be abundantly clear to both the reader and Conan himself that the barbarian is outside of his natural place in time and space. Additional, talk of “fate” and “destiny” in Conan pastiche never sits well with me. While there was occasional foreshadowing in the Howard stories that Conan would one day become a king, I’ve never had the sense that outside forces were in play or that his claiming the throne was in any way preordained. Much of the appeal of Conan is that he is a self-made hero who uses his wits, skills, and physique to accomplish his objectives. He’s no “chosen one”; Conan forges his own destiny.

On the other hand, while Howard purists may balk, I appreciate that Zub has been incorporating elements of the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film into the comic. While originally created by Howard as an antagonist for King Kull, Thulsa Doom was the memorable movie villain and has been an “off-screen” presence in this comic since the first story arc. Movie fans will also doubtless appreciate the appearance in this issue of a certain instantly recognizable sword.

This issue features not one but two essays by Robert E. Howard expert Jeffrey Shanks. The first goes into detail about Thulsa Doom. In addition to listing Thulsa Doom’s appearances across Howard’s body of work, Shanks also suggests that the skull-headed sorcerer was an inspiration for both the lich monster in Dungeons & Dragons and Skeletor from the Masters of the Universe franchise. The second, briefer essay examines the Nemedian Chronicles epigraph (i.e., “Hither came Conan…”) that accompanied Conan’s debut in “The Phoenix on the Sword” (1932) and has been a popular inclusion in Conan films, comics, and novels ever since. The premise of the essay boils down to “Some versions of the quotation begin with ‘Know, oh prince…’ and others ‘Know, O prince…’; which is correct?” This sort of pedantry is real “inside baseball” stuff, unlikely to be noticed or remarked upon by any but the most hardcore Conan fan, but the essay both informed me and made me grin.

With Conan the Barbarian issue #11, Zub has laid the groundwork for an epic showdown with the potential for repercussions throughout both the Thurian Age and Conan’s own distant Hyborian Age. While it feels like there may be too much plot remaining to neatly resolve in a single issue, I look forward to seeing where Zub takes us.

#ReviewArchive #ComicReview #SwordAndSorcery #JimZub #RobertoDeLaTorre #TitanComics #ConanTheBarbarian #GrimdarkMagazine #GdM

This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on May 18, 2024.

Conan the Barbarian – Free Comic Book Day 2024: Battle of the Black Stone

By Jim Zub (Writer) and Jonas Scharf (Artist) – Titan Comics – May 4, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Set some years after the events of the current Conan the Barbarian story arc, Conan is shown working out of Fort Tuscelan, defending the frontier outpost from incessant attacks by the Picts (making this story a prequel to the 1935 Robert E. Howard story “Beyond the Black River”). Raids have been a constant threat since the kingdom of Aquilonia carved out the province of Conajohara from the Pictish wilderness, but Conan is troubled by their growing frequency and intensity. After defeating a particularly formidable foe, he discovers evidence of dark forces at work: a medallion carved with a strange “searing eye” symbol. Laying eyes on the sigil causes a flood of memories to rush over to Conan: recollections of his deadly encounters with the malignant Black Stone and its undead minions. Simultaneously, in other lands and eras distant from Conan’s Hyborian Age, other heroes have their own encounters with the mysterious searing eye…

Subtitled “Battle of the Black Stone,” this year’s Free Comic Book Day issue of Conan the Barbarian is intended to serve as the prelude for a large-scale event that will get underway this autumn in The Savage Sword of Conan issue #4 and the Conan: Battle of the Black Stone miniseries. While the monthly Conan the Barbarian title has featured other non-Conan characters created by Robert E. Howard in the past—most notably King Kull—the Free Comic Book Day 2024 issue lays the groundwork for what may be the biggest crossover event the so-called “Howardverse” has seen to date.

While I’m excited to see the direction in which Jim Zub takes the story, while reading this issue I had a distinct sense of déjà vu. Back in 2019, when Marvel Comics still had the license for the character, Zub penned a title called Conan: Serpent War. The four-issue miniseries involved snake-worshipping cultists attempting to summon a malign god, an interdimensional and epoch-spanning threat that compelled Conan to join forces with some of Howard’s other characters, Solomon Kane and Dark Agnes de Chastillon, with James Allison appearing as part of the framing device. While there are some new additions, the Battle of the Black Stone prelude also includes those same three characters grappling with a supernatural menace that affects their own disparate eras in parallel. The apparent similarity between Conan: Serpent War and what we’ve seen thus far of Battle of the Black Stone makes me wonder if Zub is attempting to realize a creative vision that was either thwarted or otherwise left unfulfilled during his tenure on the Marvel Comics Conan the Barbarian. Either that, or Heroic Signatures (the rightsholder for Robert E. Howard’s various literary creations) is planning to launch new comic titles for non-Conan characters and is hoping to raise their profiles in advance.

The Jonas Scharf artwork in this issue appeals. His Conan is a bit hairier than many depictions, certain to please the subset of fans who prefer to see the barbarian with chest hair and furry forearms. Scharf’s expressive faces are another highlight of the issue.

For those who were unable to acquire Conan the Barbarian Free Comic Book Day 2024: Battle of the Black Stone from their local comic store, a digital edition is available directly from Titan Comics. Foreshadowing an exciting event, this issue is engaging for existing fans while simultaneously providing a gentle introduction to newcomers to Conan the Barbarian.

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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 9, 2024.

Dark Dreams of Nilztiria

By D.M. Ritzlin – DMR Books – March 31, 2023

Review by Robin Marx

The follow-up to 2020’s Necromancy in Nilztiria, Dark Dreams of Nilztiria collects nine more sword & sorcery stories set in D.M. Ritzlin’s setting, Nilztiria. While several characters from the previous volume reappear—including Xaarxool the Necromancer, barbarian hero Avok Kur Storn, and Vran the Chaos-Warped (also featured in the 2023 novel, Vran the Chaos-Warped), the stories here are self-contained, and no prior experience with the characters or setting is needed to enjoy this volume.

Dark Dreams of Nilztiria starts off strong with the cover story, “More Blood.” A warrior awakens in a phantasmagorical arena, with no memory of the circumstances leading up to his imprisonment. With no time to pause for reflection, he faces a series of increasingly strange opponents: twin martial artists, a jester armed only with his index finger, even a walrus. All the while, the colosseum echoes with a repeated cry for “Blood! More blood!” The nameless warrior battles his way to the arena’s bloodthirsty spectator but is unprepared for what he finds. “More Blood” boasts an intriguing atmosphere and a killer finishing line.

“The Necromancer and the Forgotten Hero” centers on a cat and mouse game between the necromancer Xaarxool and Acclain Dorso, the new magistrate in charge of the Bureau of Sorcerous Affairs in the city of Desazu. The pair’s rivalry has taken a nasty turn, with Dorso dispatching an assassin and a series of summoned monsters after Xaarxool. As he attempts to flee Desazu, Xaarxool brings some protection, however, in the form of legendary warrior Hyallbor. Revived 500 years after his death, Hyallbor finds himself ambivalent about his new lease on life. While resurrection is common in fantasy fiction, the exploration of necromancy from one of its subjects felt refreshing.

Like the story before it, “The Head in the Globe” stars another of Ritzlin’s recurring heroes: Avok Kur Storn. Wandering through the forest, the barbarian hero is approached by an alluring young woman who begs him to retrieve her father’s severed head from the top of a massive tree. Avok learns that the head remains quite alive, imprisoned in a glass sphere through the magic of Syrakoss, a warlock hoping to extort magical knowledge from the head. Avok discovers that reclaiming the head is the easy part of his task, as he soon finds himself caught in a struggle between two sorcerous heavyweights, dealing with treachery and a host of bizarre creatures. Fast-paced and subtly humorous, “The Head in the Globe” covers a great deal of ground in a scant 18 pages.

“Crowned in Madness” presents a dungeon delve from hell. After choosing the wrong victim to waylay, failed bandit Rythe finds himself press-ganged into the service of the arrogant wizard Altogg Keldoum. Keldoum’s band of mercenaries are on an expedition to loot a magical crown from a dead king’s tomb, but careless tavern chatter catches the ear of Verohssa, High Priestess of the BDSM-flavored cult of Tuntilla, the Sadistic Maiden. Disaster strikes deep within the tomb and Rythe is caught between a rock and a hard place, trying to preserve his own life while Keldoum and Verohssa struggle to possess the crown. Hapless Rythe’s constantly shifting allegiances add a welcome touch of wry humor to what is otherwise a very gory and grim tale.

The shortest episode in the collection, “Diabolical Symphonies” follows the ruthless sorceress Ytra as she prepares a powerful magical incantation to get revenge on her long list of enemies and rivals (including Xaarxool and Avok Kur Storn). Epic spellcraft demands rare components, and Ytra must go to great lengths to enact her mystical vengeance. Magic is fickle at best, however, and the stakes are high for Ytra as she grapples with ancient sorcery. This story is sure to be appreciated by readers left cold by the safely reliable, almost scientific depiction of magic common in much modern fantasy fiction.

Another story starring Xaarxool, “The City the Gods Abandoned” finds the necromancer stranded in the otherworldly city of Vantophai after a magical mishap. A local ruler immediately approaches Xaarxool, attempting to coerce him into assisting his takeover of Vantophai. Sorcerers are even more resistant to compulsion than cats, however, and Xarxool decides to extract himself from the situation in spectacular fashion. “The City the Gods Abandoned” feels a little on the long side, but Xaarxool’s magical MacGuyver-like solution to his plight makes up for the slower scenes.

The longest story in Dark Dreams of Nilztiria at 40 pages, “Inside a Dead God’s Skull” has a suitably epic premise. Maniacal sorcerer Rothalzeng embarks on a mission of conquest, using a religious cult and the giant corpse of a dead god to further his aims. It’s up to Avok Kur Storn, Xaarxool’s ally Lodianux, and others to stand against Rothalzeng. While “Inside a Dead God’s Skull” includes some of the most impressive imagery in the book, it suffers from an overabundance of named characters and some pacing issues. Exciting but overstuffed, “Inside a Dead God’s Skull” might have worked better as a full-length novel.

Where “Crowned in Madness” prominently featured a cult devoted to the goddess of pain, “The Curse of Ambition” focuses on a competing religion dedicated to Veshakul’a, the goddess of death. Dantorol, a young adherent of the cult, finds himself disillusioned with the apparent complacency of his church’s superiors. When an opportunity to seize power presents itself, he takes it. While Dantorol succeeds in growing the cult, he must deal with other, unintended results. While slightly on the cryptic side, this story is another example of the recurring theme of a Ritzlin character getting what they want, “good and hard” (to paraphrase H.L. Mencken).

“The Demon’s Oak” is another story dealing with religion. An oak tree outside of Desazu becomes animated, declaring itself to be Arnvar, the god of earth and nature. A cult soon springs up around the tree, but some suspect the self-declared god has an ulterior motive. Famed mercenary Vran is hired to remove his client’s daughter Ulrika from the influence of the cult, but his task is complicated by the hidden powers of the being inhabiting the tree and the unpredictable effects that result when magic is cast in his presence. “The Demon’s Oak” packs a lot of adventure into 36 pages, without the inconsistent pacing of “The City the Gods Abandoned” and “Inside a Dead God’s Skull.”

The stories collected in Dark Dreams of Nilztiria are grim and gory, but occasionally glimmers of wry humor shine through. Many of the shorts have ironic endings, where the protagonist gets exactly what they sought, but with disastrous results. And while many sword & sorcery authors demonstrate a strong preference for either sorcery or sword (e.g., emphasizing plucky swordsmen while casting wizards as the perennial villains), Ritzlin gives equal “screen time” to both brawny and brainy protagonists. It’s also entertaining how his cast of characters seem to wander through each other’s adventures, either appearing directly through cameos or via off-hand references.

While the sorceress Ytra is a fun character who gets to star in her own story and pain cultist Verohssa makes for an entertaining antagonist, overall women tend to occupy a peripheral role in the stories contained here. Apart from Ytra and Verohssa, women tend to be either in need of assistance (e.g., Ulrika in “The Demon’s Oak”) or absent entirely. Readers hoping to read about, say, a quick-witted rogue who happens to be a woman are destined to be disappointed. Ritzlin has an engaging cast of recurring male heroes, perhaps adding another woman to the mix could address this imbalance.

Delivering swordplay and spellcasting in equal measure, Dark Dreams of Nilztiria has much to offer fans of dark fantasy. While—as presented in this book—Nilztiria seems somewhat amorphous and undefined as a fantasy setting, Ritzlin’s characters are both distinct and appealing.

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