By WALLY MONK – PM Library Editor

These days, you’ll get both good and bad coming out of the House of Ideas. February 2020 brings us certainly much of the former and potentially some of the latter.

Today, on the Pull List YouTube podcast it was announced that Jim Zub will be taking the reins of Conan the Barbarian after Jason Aaron’s “Life and Death of Conan” story line wraps up with issue #12.

“A NEW ARC BY JIM ZUB & ROGÊ ANTÔNIO – INTO THE CRUCIBLE AS THE MARCH TO KHITAI BEGINS! Conan has faced many foes since leaving Cimmeria, but the greatest challenge lies ahead! A perfect jumping-on point for new readers as Conan finds himself in a city in the mystical Uttara Kuru, further on the eastern border than the young barbarian has ever traveled. And with the new city comes new dangers! Unfamiliar with the language, Conan inadvertently agrees to be the latest entrant to the Great Crucible. The people of the city support their foreign champion…but what deadly traps does the Crucible hold, and what will Conan sacrifice to overcome his ordeal?

Writer JIM ZUB (SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) and artist ROGÊ ANTÔNIO (CONAN 2099, X-MEN RED) lead Conan on an all-new journey, as we begin a new era for CONAN THE BARBARIAN into undiscovered country!”

For those of us who enjoyed Zub’s three-part story arc “Conan the Gambler” this is certainly good news. Now brace yourself for the potential train wreck, but let’s keep our fingers crossed that Marvel has learned something from Age of Conan: Belit and it’s successor, Age of Conan: Valeria.

Here comes Dark Agnes #1.

“Forced into an arranged marriage, Agnes de Chastillon took matters into her own violent hands to free herself from the yoke of a life she never wanted. Now, the woman known as DARK AGNES, along with her mercenary partner ETIENNE VILLIERS, make their way through 16th century France as sell-swords on their way to join the wars in Italy, where the real money is! But when Etienne is captured by the DUKE OF ALENCON’s forces and set for execution, it’s up to Dark Agnes to save the day! But what evil designs are being enacted on Agnes, and will she doom herself by saving Etienne? An all-new story following up Robert E. Howard’s tales, the swashbuckling saga of DARK AGNES in Marvel Comics starts here!”

Dark Agnes #1 is written by Becky Cloonan with artwork by Luca Pizzari. I can’t say that the cover looks promising – rather, it looks as if this comic might be geared to younger female readers. While appealing to different audiences isn’t a bad thing, I think its safe to say that veteran Conan readers (especially those approaching middle-age) might be getting the same fare we received in both Age of Conan mini-series.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. I don’t want to judge a book by its cover, but I’ve been let down twice already.

For more information on Marvel’s February 2020 releases, you can watch the whole Pull List You Tube video here.