*Spoiler Alert! A Review of Savage Sword of Conan (2019) #7*

By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor

It’s taken nearly a half year of hit-and-miss issues from two Conan the Barbarian series; a Belit mini-event that would make even casual Conan fans run for DC Comics like the Flash; and two omnibus releases. But this week, the team of Jim Zub and Patch Zircher seems to finally have nailed down Howard’s vision in an issue reminiscent of comics from years long gone.

“Conan the Gambler” is the first issue in a three-part story arc, and it begins as many Conan comics do – the Cimmerian stumbles across an outnumbered victim being robbed. It doesn’t take a heady plot to create a good Conan story, and in this case, the trope is well-used but effective.

The victim Conan rescues is a man named Maraudus Mathir, a foreign merchant engaged in a trade war with another dangerous peddler named Kero, dubbed “Kero the Callous.”

With Conan serving as Maraudus’ bodyguard, the pair enter the casino/bordello/tavern known as Demon’s Den. The two merchants caustically agree to settle their differences in a game of cards.

But what will happen when the Cimmerian is left “holding the proverbial bag” and all alone?

CAPSULE REVIEW: After the first few pages of dialogue, it’s clear that writer Jim Zub “gets it.” He’s familiar with the world of Conan, and he knows how to write the barbarian effectively even using common themes. It’s a far cry from what we have been served thus far in Conan’s numerous outings this year.

The art of Patch Zircher is a welcome relief and marvelously rendered, with extremely detailed backgrounds that (dare I say) come close to those of the late great John Buscema. That’s high praise, perhaps undeserved at this point, yet I hope his attention to detail continues as the story arc progresses. Colorist Java Tartaglia’s work lends a more modern look to the tale, but it helps strike the perfect balance between presenting a true Classic Conan and a modern barbarian story that draws inspiration from the classics.

If you haven’t picked up any issues of Conan since Marvel reacquired the property in January, I’d heartily recommend starting with this issue. Heck, pick up the variant covers too. Let’s give this creative team all of the support we can, and hope that Marvel recognizes that they’ve finally tapped into the Conan many older fans know and love.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 8.5. The pacing is slow, and as most modern comics, this tale could have been merely a few pages of a Thomas/Buscema issue. However, the feel is right, and Conan is easily recognizable here to fans of Howard and the original series.

As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)