(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to The Classic Conan Countdown, a series of reviews focusing on the original 275 issues of Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian, which were published from 1970 to 1993. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1, #90.)

By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Is there a more important relationship in comics than the dynamic between penciller and inker? Kirby and Sinnott, Adams and Giordano, Colan and Palmer, Byrne and Austin… Conan was such a brilliant success, artistically, because of the beautiful marriage between John Buscema’s pencils and Ernie Chan’s inks.

It’s well documented that Buscema would have rather inked himself, but it’s hard to imagine anyone better than Chan to accentuate Big John’s breakdowns. These men were both unbelievable workhorses, with each churning out nearly 300 pages between them monthly. 300 pages. Let that sink in for a moment.

Are there any two artists doing the same in comics today, especially at that quality? Yeah, I didn’t think so…

REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #90

Conan and Belit, on a stolen ship, make their way up the River Styx, hellbent on returning to the Tigress and their waiting crew. Meanwhile, the sorcerer Thoth-Amon plots with Ctesphon III, newly crowned king of Stygia in anticipation of the Cimmerian and Sea-Wolf’s plot to retake the throne of Asgalun.

Conan, Belit, Zula, and their porters put to shore and march on foot toward the coast. The handlers become nervous as they enter what they call a cursed area. A sudden earthquake tumbles one of the men into an opened fissure. As he was carrying much needed food and water, they all descend by rope to recover it.

Once below, they discover an ancient chest covered in alien script and the body of a fifteen foot tall giant. Opening the cask reveals the Diadem of the Giant Kings. As Conan and Belit search on, the porters attack Zula and steal the diadem, which somehow brings the giant back to life, flesh crawling back over the skeletal frame.

With but one eye and one leg, the creature is still an enormous threat. Conan convinces the giant that Zula, being black, is poisoned flesh, so he eats one of the Stygians instead. He places the crown on his head, but still hungers.

Conan and his crew attempt to escape as the Cimmerian fends off the monstosity. They use bats to distract it, allowing more to escape, then Conan, the last to climb out, is grabbed by the creature. Conan hurls his sword into the thing’s remaining eye and makes good his escape.

Conan, Belit, Zula, and the surviving Stygians continue toward the coast and the Sea-Wolf’s destiny.

CAPSULE REVIEW:  This comic was nothing to write home about. Not that it was a bad story. It’s perfectly serviceable, with some brilliant art from Chan and Buscema, but it feels like its purpose was to pace the story out, so that the climax will arrive in issue 100, ten monthlies away.

There are a couple of nitpicky things that caught my eye. For one, Belit is sometimes depicted as wearing her sword backwords, which is odd. The other, more grievous error, comes during the peak of the tale.

As Belit climbs to safety, a Stygian begs for help. Conan tells him to stop whining and he’ll carry the man up. However, on the next page, Conan is shown climbing alone. Here were are introduced to another issue, but let’s continue looking for the Stygian.

In panels six and seven of the final page, we see the Stygian. In panel five, he’s kneeling on the ground, and later walking after the three companions.

The problem here probably lies in the much lauded “Marvel Method”. John drew from Thomas’ plot. No script. The words/dialogue were added after the art was finished. It’s easy to see how a mistake like this could happen.

None of these errors are as loathsome as the blinding of the giant on the last page – for it to virtually happen off-panel is a crime. Was this a matter of attempting to avoid the Comics Code? Perhaps, or simply another bit of creative scripting after the fact.

Regardless, a sub par Thomas/Buscema/Chan is still a thing of beauty.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 6.5. On eBay, this issue generally is available for less than $10, and often as low as $6.

Alba Gu Brath – Bob Freeeman (aka The Occult Detective)