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Tags: Review: Conan the Barbarian #48 – “The Rats Dance At Ravengard!”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Countdown to Conan, a series ringing in the return of Robert E. Howard’s popular Cimmerian to Marvel Comics. We’ll be reviewing issues of Marvel’s original Conan the Barbarian series weekly until Marvel releases their first new Conan comic books in 2019. This review is written by Wally Monk.)
Like Conan the Barbarian #47, this issue continues Roy Thomas’ adaptation of “Kothar and the Conjuror’s Curse” by Gardner Fox. And like Conan the Barbarian #47, this issue contains very few pages of Conan content. The rest of the comic is a back-up Red Sonja story. Perhaps these are the “missing pages” that would have been included in the previous issue?
Of all the Conan story lines so far, this one is perhaps the poorest one that I’ve read. It seems like each issue is a stand-alone plot line that somehow the author is weaving together into a far away climax, and this is a trend that continues through Conan the Barbarian #51.
One of our readers commented on a previous review that “Kothar and the Conjuror’s Curse” had a critical review on Goodreads. There, reviewer “Derek” states that the original novel “retreats from every interesting idea it proposes.” The reviewer continues, adding “There is something comical about Kothar and damsel-in-distress Stefanya hiking along with a comatose wizard in tow, sort of a low-rent Weekend At Bernies…”
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| The late Gardner Fox, a prolific comic writer and novelist. |
I don’t necessarily agree that this story line “retreats” from anything – I think too much happens too quickly and too often. Gardner Fox – and Roy Thomas, in his adaptation – try to do too much. It’s almost as if Frodo has dropped the ring into Mount Doom, and yet the plot continues with an even graver threat, and then another, and another. It’s like a never-ending story which should have ended numerous times. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself, but you’ll see more of what I’m suggesting after the review of Conan the Barbarian #51, the conclusion to Thomas’ adaptation.
I don’t blame Roy Thomas – he’s simply adapting the work of someone else. It’s the source material I believe is strongly lacking in substance – or perhaps, there’s just too much material and substance for a single story line.
Review: Conan the Barbarian #48
Conan is headed to Phalkar with Stefanya and the comatose wizard Zoqquanor in tow. As they ride, Stefanya asks about Conan’s youth. In a rare show of emotion (and verbosity), Conan spends much of the issue recounting a tale from his younger days.
Our Cimmerian is a mere fifteen years old, and he’s sent off into the icy wilderness in a coming-of-age ritual. An over-achiever even in his childhood days, he slays three wolves just to get his hands on the baby deer they’re having for supper. Even though Conan only has to survive a single night, he’s bound and determined the next morning to continue exploring the mountains that border his homeland.
As Conan makes his way into the mountains, he spies two large polar bears that appear to be interested in him. Knowing how savage these beasts are, he preps for battle – only to be surprised as a woman, clad in fur and standing between the bears, congratulates him on his bravery and invites him back to her home.
Conan follows her and learns that she is Ursla, a priestess of the wild, and is told there are others like her. As Ursla helps the young Conan on his quest, giving him food, a comfortable knight’s sleep and more (can’t say I approve, as Conan is only fifteen, but apparently that’s how things go in the Hyborian Age…) the young Cimmerian returns to his village the next day, where none of the older warriors believe his tale of the strange woman in the snows. But they do admire the barbarian’s vigor and his ability to survive in the wilderness.
Stefanya then shares her story with Conan – she can’t remember much of her youth before her time with the wizard Zoqquanor. The two continue their journey, and are soon waylaid by bandits – something that we’ve come to expect in Conan stories.
The bandits are led by Baron Torkal Moh, and since Conan is ill-equipped, the baron and his men demand Conan’s horse, Stefanya, and the barbarian’s blade. That’s enough for Conan, who immediately springs to the attack, only to be knocked unconscious again from a blow to the head (because, of course, he is not wearing his yak helmet!)
When the Cimmerian awakens, he is tied spread-eagle to four stakes – intended to be food for the ravenous rats of Ravengard. Apparently Torkal Moh turns his enemies into rodent chow.
Will the noble barbarian be food for vermin? Can a barbarian who has defeated gargoyles, wizards, a Living Tarim and monstrous dragons be defeated by animals as low on the food chain as cockroaches?
CAPSULE REVIEW: As with the last issue, there isn’t much to see here, although this issue becomes critical for a plot twist later in the “Kothar and the Conjuror’s Curse” storyline. The tale of Ursla will be important to the resolution of this overall plot line. Once again, we see a story which could have been self-contained (like the Shokkoth story from previous issue) but instead leads to a bigger climax in the future.
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| This issue features a nice back-up story featuring Red Sonja! |
John Buscema’s artwork is good, and I’m guessing (as said in the beginning of this review) these eleven pages of Conan were the “missing” pages that would have completed the previous issue.
The remaining pages in this book make up a nice Red Sonja tale called “Episode,” which is also written by Thomas, with pencils by John Buscema and Dick Giordano. It’s a good yet short tale that involves Sonja being caught in a giant spider’s web and nearly sacrificed by a deranged wizard. I won’t cover that story in any depth in this review, but to be frank, it’s better than the Conan story.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue a 6.5. Not much here, but you’ll need to read it to keep up with the “Kothar and the Conjuror’s Curse” story line, as the plot elements will be important later. On eBay, this issue was readily available for less than $10.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
Sadly it seemed when Roy moved away from REH's stories or ideas the stories certainly lacked something.
Totally agree. The nuances of Conan aren't easily adapted into other character's stories. Even in some of the better "adaptations" Conan seems strangely out of character.
Somebody had to be Conan's first sexual experience, and it looks like you're saying Ursla was her?
The comic book implies that nocturnal activities were afoot.
LOL!