By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Those of you who have been following along know I have been no great fan of Aaron and Asrar’s take on Conan the Barbarian. That has not changed, but “Barbarian Love”, the seventh of a twelve issue storyline called the Life and Death of Conan, has been the best in the series to date.

Trust me, though, that’s not saying much.

Without spoilers, the core of the story centers on revenge, and the master plan cooked up by the Cimmerian concerns a handful of prostitutes procured to help him fulfill it.

There are some nice nods to both Howard and Marvel continuity and worldbuilding, but the writing is a mess, with Aaron’s narrative falling flat and his characterization of Conan disingenuous and ringing false.

The artwork is still a muddy mess, too stiff (much like the writing) and lacking of any real primal quality. The women are too posed. Conan uninspired.

Nowhere does this ring more true than in Conan’s battle with a pack of wolves.

One of the first rules a storyteller learns is “show, don’t tell”, something that both Aaron and Asrar fail at in this scene, and in the series as a whole.

This is impotent ferocity, with little to no kinetic energy. Show me a “dance with steel”, not a single, lethargic image

If not for the colorist, there would be little redemption to be found in these pages, and yet, it is quite possibly the best of their run so far.

The plot is at least interesting, filled with promise. I just wish it were handled better.

As for the prose serial, I am becoming less and less enamored with Hocking’s Black Starlight, especially in light of Oden’s far superior work being serialized in Savage Sword.

Hocking is writing a fantasy story, more akin to something you’d find in prose adaptations of an rpg product as opposed to a Conan tale.

It’s well written and I’m invested in seeing where the story is going, but this reads more like fan fiction than a continuation of Howard’s Conan.

All in all, just more ‘status quo’ from the House of Ideas. They’ve delivered a readable story that’s instantly forgettable.

I’ll toss them 5 skulls of my enemies because, frankly, I can’t be bothered to dissect it any further than that. It’s average at best. It doesn’t suck… but it’s not really good either.