REVIEW: The Thing in the Crypt and a Young Cimmerian

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June 27th, 2019

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REVIEW: The Thing in the Crypt and a Young Cimmerian

(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, #92.)

By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Roll back the Hyborian clock as we visit a never before seen tale (at least in comics) of a young Conan. Based loosely on the works of L. Sprague deCamp and Lin Carter, the story is inspired by their tale “The Thing in the Crypt”. Those of you who have seen the Conan the Barbarian movie from 1982 might recognize a few things.

Conan recently left Brutheim, and wolves have been chasing him for two days. The pack is exceptionally hungry and would have given up were it not for the long, dark winter.

As a wolf attacks, Conan swings a chain, significantly injuring the animal. The other starving wolves catch up and feast on their fallen friend. Conan reflects how he started out fighting alongside raiders from Aesgaard, was captured by the Hyperboreans and subsequently escaped.

The wolves continue their pursuit and a desperate Conan rushes across a frozen pond as another wolf catches up with him. During the skirmish, they both fall through the ice. The Cimmerian frantically swims to an opening in the ice and finds himself at the base of a small mountain. Our freezing barbarian climbs to the top where he finds a cave in which he takes shelter.

Conan hides just inside the entrance of the cave and sees the wolves at the opening – strangely, they will not enter. He decides to venture deeper into the cave, and the floor is uneven, requiring him to slowly move along the walls. Along the wall, Conan discovers some hieroglyphics and a shorter entrance to another area. The larger chamber features handmade items, which he discovers by accident when he falls over a rotting chair. Conan finds a dilapidated chariot then quickly gathers up other small pieces of wood, some stones, and metal from the chariot, preparing to make a fire.

The flames reveals the enormity of the room, and Conan soon recognizes the stench of death in the air. He has the eerie feeling he is not alone and turns around to find the rotted remains of a being sitting on a stone chair.

Conan’s surprise is short lived as he notices a stunning sword lying in the corpse’s lap. Conan swings the blade, imagining both the origin of its creation and his future use of it in battle. But the barbarian’s excitement quickly fades when he hears the creaking noise of the corpse rising from the chair.

The giant body lumbers toward Conan, and the Cimmerian evades it, attempting to fight back with his new-found sword. Our hero hacks off the creature’s right arm and then strikes the mid-section, causing the zombie to hit the floor.

To Conan’s surprise, the corpse lurches at him yet again. The Cimmerian wildly swings the sword, missing the corpse and allowing the living dead to claw his right shoulder. Conan chops at the head and torso of the zombie to no avail: how can one kill what is already dead?

In a desperate move, Conan slashes at the creature’s left leg then with a massive swing of the sword shatters its lower jaw. Conan stumbles back as a severed hand grabs his left ankle. The corpse seizes the opportunity, grabbing Conan’s neck. The barbarian leans back, and flips the zombie over him and into the fire. Due to its dried out clothing and skin, the beast quickly goes up in flames but still lumbers out in an attempt to get the Cimmerian. It quickly falls to the ground, nearly burned to ash.

Conan finds his way out of the caves and heads southward.

CAPSULE REVIEW: The cover and interiors of this issue are drawn by Sal Buscema, younger brother of John Buscema, and there’s no drop in quality. They both have very similar styles and I think it is more apparent with Ernie Chan’s inks. The cover reveals the unsettling, enormous corpse who attacks Conan. The interior pages show a younger Conan in a snowy forest on the run from wolves. The detail of his journey through the forest, into the cold waters then the dank caves leaves the reader empathetic to Conan’s plight and endurance in the tough climate.

Conan’s appearance indicates the story takes place in an earlier time – according to a note on the first page of the comic, the events in this story take place between Conan the Barbarian #2 and #3. The Cimmerian is dressed like the Barry Windsor-Smith version of Conan from those classic issues – sandals, necklace and the infamous yak helmet. The biggest annoyance I have with this issue is Conan’s helmet staying in place throughout the chase scenes in the forest. Even worse is the helmet staying on as he swims through the icy water. Perhaps the helmet has “magical properties” after all…

The best part of the comic is the battle between the dead warrior and Conan. The images are creepy, as Buscema and the colorist do a great job depicting rotting skin and clothes. Conan’s struggle against the creature is demonstrated through his actions and facial features. The unrelenting attack of the zombie creates an intense scene and the artistic pacing helps set the tone.

Roy Thomas effectively rewinds the timeline to present a hidden tale of Conan’s past. This issue is unique because Conan does not interact with anyone else. There are very few spoken moments, and the story is mostly told by an unseen narrator. I really enjoyed the stand alone, action packed story, and more’s the mystery as we never learn “why” the corpse came back to life.

This issue is unique based on the timeframe, delivery of the story and detailed artwork, I give it 8 Aquilonian Luna out of 10.

Living life my own way – Andy from Aquilonia

June 24th, 2019

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REVIEW: Rats, Sneaking into Asgalun & Forced to Fight

By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor

Our Cimmerian is well-tested in battle – on this point, anyone remotely familiar with Conan the Barbarian would not argue.

You can understand, then, why as a youth I was puzzled over the cover to this particular issue, where Conan and Belit seem literally terrified, battling with all their gusto against six overgrown relatives of Mickey Mouse.

Thankfully, there is much more to this particular issue than some larger-than-life varmints. Roy Thomas continues to set the stage here for Belit’s forthcoming showdown with her uncle Nim-Karrak in the city of Asgalun and ultimately the conclusion of the Queen of the Black Coast story line in just nine more issues.

In this comic, Roy Thomas spends considerable time fleshing out Conan’s relationship with the Black Corsairs, Belit, and his new companion Zula. It’s sad to think that in just two years of “comic time” – or 24 more issues – Roy Thomas will make his exit from the book. His loss will mark a significant turning point (and not for the better) in this long-running Marvel series.

Review: Conan the Barbarian #91

Conan and his Shemite hellcat make it back to the Tigress with their new companion Zula. The Zamballan makes friends quickly with his fellow corsairs, delighting them with his magical tricks by hypnotizing another crew mate. A great celebration ensues that evening on deck for Belit’s return.

In a few pages of character exposition, Belit performs a seductive dance for Conan during the revel, and is romantically carried below decks by the silent Cimmerian. Her childhood tutor remarks to Zula that despite the Shemite’s adulthood, he still “thinks of her as the royal child she was back in Asgalun.”

This is Roy Thomas at his absolute best. In a series so devoted to savagery, intense battles and a primitive world, the writer takes a few moments like this on rare occasion to show a softer side of Conan and the extent of his personal interactions. For a moment, the barbarian looks like a new groom carrying his beloved bride over the threshold. It’s depth like this that readers will miss when Thomas parts ways with the title in Conan the Barbarian #115.

Morning is far less relaxing than the former night’s party – the crew is shaken awake by the shouts of Belit’s right-hand man, M’Gora, who had gone ahead to scout Asgalun. He races to the ship fearfully, with giant swamp rats close behind him!

The crew of corsairs and Conan immediately rush to his aid, chasing off enough of the giant rats that they can successfully re-board the Tigress and escape.

M’Gora tells Belit and Conan what he discovered while scouting. King Nim-Karrak is virtually a prisoner in his own city, and a troop of Hyrkanians had recently arrived as perhaps a foil to the Stygian presence there. He also mentions a nobleman named Uriaz, who is more pleasure-seeker than law maker, and the arrival of a Stygian noble named Akhirom, who is marching toward the area with an army.

Despite M’Gora’s warnings, Belit is unwilling to wait or organize a planned attack. She heads off with Conan, Zula and M’Gora to Asgalun to deal with Nim-Karrak immediately.

The group enters the city by posing as mercenaries serving under a general named Imbalayo, and M’Gora takes them to a hidden garden which will lead them to a lesser-known entrance to the castle. Surprisingly, Stygians are waiting in the garden and take the four into custody. It appears M’Gora has betrayed his friends!

Ptor-Nubis, Nim Karrak’s advisor, has actually hypnotized M’Gora, and the betrayal was not the corsair’s fault. But the Stygian sorcerer has even more clandestine plans, as he uses his magical powers of suggestion and hypnosis to make Conan and his companions fight each other – to the death!

CAPSULE REVIEW: This issue, while not lean on action, relies heavily on character development, which is always a plus. As I mentioned earlier in the review, the scenes with Conan and Belit tell of a love that goes beyond anything our barbarian has experienced. This issue works to make the ending of the Queen of the Black Coast story line more powerful, and you can only imagine the impact this Shemite pirate has on our Cimmerian hero.

Roy Thomas knocked it out of the park with this issue, and that’s ironic because of the entire series, Conan the Barbarian #91 sports my least favorite cover. Art-wise, the interiors are still indicative of the Buscema/Chan/Roussos team’s top-notch work.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 8.0. If we had just another page of character development, I’d give it a 9.

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

June 22nd, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: Conan, Belit & Zula in the Cavern of Giant Kings!

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)

June 19th, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: The Fate of Belit’s Father Atrahasis Revealed

(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 was published from 1970 to 1999. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1, #88. You may notice that our review of #89 was already posted – we skipped this one in error!)

By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor

At long last, Conan is reunited with his Shemite pirate queen and he’s brought his new companion, Zula, along for the ride. Conan the Barbarian #88 continues the Stygian story line we’ve been following for some time now, and makes good use of the characters we’ve been reading about since the Hawk Riders of Harakht first made off with our heroes in Conan the Barbarian #75.

The fate of Belit’s father, Atrahasis, is revealed in this issue. At the risk of beating a dead horse – or rather the ugly stain of the horse at this point – I’d encourage those of you who are currently being visually victimized by the Age of Conan: Belit mini-series to read this issue of Conan and perhaps the next few that follow. Once you’ve got them in hand and begin to read, you’ll have a much better idea of Belit’s origin and her motivations as the pirate queen of the Black Coast.

The history-making artistic team of John Buscema and Ernie Chan continue their masterful pencils and inks in this issue. Their drawing of Conan – and depiction of Stygians, in particular – set the standard for how the characters and people would be drawn for the remainder of this long-running series.

Review: Conan the Barbarian #88

Conan is reunited with a suspicious Belit. The she-pirate meets Zula and regards him doubtfully, but adds that if Conan vouches for him, he’s welcome to come along. The trio is headed back into Luxur despite Belit’s recent escape, and here she plans to discover the whereabouts of her missing father.

Nim-Karrak, Belit’s uncle, now sits on the throne of her father’s city, and rumor abounds that dear old dad is bound in chains in the dungeons of Luxur. Much has happened, and for the first twelve pages of the comic, Belit recounts her adventure – and her rescue by Conan and Zula – in flashbacks told to the pair.

Belit explains that she and Neftha were transformed into serpents to make their way through the caverns underneath the palace. Neftha shared with Belit how the king, Ctesphon II, lived in fear of a wizard named Thoth-Amon to the point he spends sleepless nights in terror, reading over mystical scrolls and texts. As Neftha led Belit to his chamber, the king was indeed in a state of paranoia, reading the magical texts Neftha described.

Belit took the opportunity to attack Ctesphon, only to discover that he was actually the king’s advisor, Hath-Horeb, in disguise. The advisor informed the Shemite pirate-queen that Neftha was actually Ctesphon’s sister, and Belit was merely a cog in her plans to take over the throne.

Hath-Horeb knocked Belit unconscious, and she was rescued from the sarcophagus in which the advisor imprisoned her by Conan and Zula.

Re-entering the caverns below Luxur with Conan and the Zamballan, Belit leads the group to a passage Neftha had told her about, and they discover Neftha ready to be executed. Immediately, the group takes action – Belit makes her way to Ctesphon, demanding he tell her what has become of her father. Cowering, the king admits Atrahasis was executed years ago.

In anger, Belit pushes Ctesphon off a ledge to his death and in a shocking twist, Hath-Horeb crowns Neftha (who was almost executed moments before) as King Ctesphon III.

The newly crowned “king” orders the death of Belit and the capture of Conan and Zula. Belit throws a spear, slaying Hath-Horeb as the trio flees. Neftha orders her men to pursue.

CAPSULE REVIEW: Whew! I needed to catch my breath after such an action packed issue. Roy Thomas’ style of storytelling is something that is sorely missing from Marvel’s newest incarnation of Conan. As I read the many plot twists and turns in this single issue, I imagined how writers today would stretch it into a six-issue story arc, milking each plot twist for another $3.99 of each readers valuable income.

Conan the Barbarian #88 is a great example of classic storytelling, where the words and pictures work together – or sometimes alone – to tell a long and compelling tale. Narrative boxes fill in gaps in the artwork, and often the artwork does a better job making dramatic points than Thomas’ words.

George Roussos coloring is in full-swing here, continuing to accentuate the pencils and inks of John Buscema and Ernie Chan. Note the differences in the dark-skinned characters in the book – Roussos makes it clear that Stygians are subtly different in appearance than the Kushites, and it’s things like this that make Roussos one of my all-time favorites in Marvel’s pool of colorists.

Great storytelling, more quality art from the Buscema/Chan team, and the continued fleshing out of Belit’s background earn a 7.5 out of 10 for this issue.

On eBay, copies of this issue were available for less than $5.

May 30th, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: Thoth-Amon, Serpent Men & Escape

By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Our tale begins as Conan, Bêlit, and Zula battle Stygian warriors in the catacombs of Luxor. As the fight progresses, the trio finds a secret passage that allows them to descend further into the depths beneath the city.

Zula shows some empathy toward the Stygian soldier’s fate – Conan and company are killing them simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bêlit declares she will kill any Stygian, because they were the people who helped her Uncle overthrow and kill her Father. Conan reveals that as a Cimmerian, he holds a life-long grudge against the Hyperboreans and Picts and is indiscriminate about killing others if they stand in his way. Zula makes it clear he does not feel the need to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary.

As they travel further into Luxur, Conan, Bêlit, and Zula come to a split in the hallway with no knowledge where any direction may lead. An ominous, mysterious figure with a serpent ring stops the Stygian soldier’s pursuit of the group.

Thinking they have successfully evaded the Stygian soldiers, Conan and company stop briefly. They discuss what they will do when they finall escape the city. Bêlit and Zula’s plans with Conan differ – Bêlit thinks Conan is coming with her to avenge her Father’s death. Zula expects Conan to accompany him to Kheshatta. Bêlit vehemently objects – she wants the Cimmerian’s assistance to defeat her uncle and his wizard, Ptor-Nubis. Zula recognizes Ptor-Nubis’ name as the person who sold him into slavery and agrees to assist with Bêlit’s plan.

The story turns to Neftha with her councilor and guards. They are in a secure chamber to keep Conan and company from getting near them. As they are discussing how secure they are in the room, the door begins to buckle under pressure then suddenly explodes from the power of Thoth-Amon. The Stygian wizard reveals he had a vision she would be queen and assisted her by providing incantations to assist the process. Neftha asks what he expects in return and Thoth-Amon requests a place in her court as an advisor and has already taken steps against the barbarian and his cohorts.

Conan, Bêlit, and Zula are exhausted after the recent events and decide to rest. Conan offers to keep watch. Without warning, Thoth-Amon’s enchantments take effect, as evil forces control Bêlit, causing her to silently wander off deeper into the caves. She comes face to face with a monstrous serpent with a medusa-like head. Feeling the same mind control effects, Zula wanders to the same area but he is able to shake the spell faster and battles the giant serpent. As the fiend begins to crush Zula, Conan rushes to his aid and his barbarian scream distracts the serpent long enough for Zula to deliver a fatal blow.

The trio travel further but suddenly stop when Conan senses they are being watched. Shadows attack, throwing boulders from above. Conan narrowly escapes the falling rock by jumping down an incline. The impact leaves him unconscious for a moment, and he awakens with a minor but painful injury to his right leg. Bêlit and Zula approach the fallen Cimmerian and surprisingly, Bêlit attacks Conan! The barbarian instinctively stabs Bêlit deep into her chest and the fallen corpse reveals it to be a shape-shifting serpent-man. As Conan stares in disbelief, Zula attacks. The struggle lasts a little longer but Conan breaks the back of who he believes to be Zula. Again, the corpse’s appearance quickly changes to reveal a serpent-man.

Bêlit and Zula catch up to Conan who is distrustful they are his real friends. The Cimmerian demands they both recite the phrase “Ka Nama Kaa Lajerama” and the confused pair go along with his request. Conan explains he learned from Red Sonja the phrase gave power to regular men over the serpent-men (this was passed on from King Kull’s battles against the serpent-men in the days of Atlantis). The three move to an area of sunlight where they see Bêlit’s Black Corsairs waiting at the opening of the cave.

A cautious Conan recites the phrase “Ka Nama Kaa Lajerama” causing the M’Gora led Corsairs to reveal their true form – serpent men! As Conan, Bêlit, and Zula escape, they find the actual Corsairs waiting for them at the opening of the Western Sea.

CAPSULE REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian #89 sports another awesome cover by the Buscema / Chan team with a battle axe wielding Conan, the Medusa-headed serpent monster and arch nemesis Thoth-Amon. This cover is a favorite in my collection. It accomplishes what a publisher wants from a cover – catching the reader’s eye and providing a glimpse into the action inside.

Roy Thomas’ character development of Conan, Bêlit, Zula, Neftha, and Thoth-Amon is brief but provides insight into their narrative without the use of thought balloons. Conan, Bêlit, and Zula’s thoughts on killing are based both on their individual experiences and culture. Again, Thomas’ description is brief but shows the clear distinction between the character’s motivations. Neftha and Thoth-Amon’s budding working relationship is based on their mutual hatred for Conan and company. The issue ends with a cliffhanger as Conan, Bêlit, and Zula escape but the looming danger of Thoth-Amon threatens to resurface.

Thomas also brings in Conan’s previous experience with the serpent-men and Red Sonja, including the phrase “Ka Nama Kaa Lajerama” which Red Sonja had learned previously.

Buscema and Chan knocked it out of the park with this issue. The cover, Thoth-Amon’s dramatic entrance into Neftha’s throne room and the intense battle between Zula and the giant serpent are lasting images from the issue. Another unique touch the team provided was Bêlit’s look while she was under Thoth-Amon and the serpent’s spell. I’m sure it is difficult to show emotion or mental status changes in characters, but there is a clear distinction in Bêlit’s face in this scene.

Based on the writing and artwork, this is another solid issue from start to finish. I say this frequently, but this issue should be included in every fan’s collection. I give it 8 Aquilonian Luna out of 10.

Living life my own way – Andy from Aquilonia

May 21st, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: Khozgari, Masked Guards & A Sorcerer

“In this reprint from Savage Sword of Conan #3, Roy Thomas adapts Björn Nyberg’s The People of the Summit alongside the pencils of Tony Dezuniga. A fill-in story continuity-wise, Conan comes face to face with hairless apes, a strange group of masked sorcerers, and meets the beautiful Khozgari chieftain’s daughter, Shanya.”

By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Once upon a time, deadlines were met in the comic book industry, or if not, well, editors were creative. They either published trunk stories or, as was often the case with Conan the Barbarian, they reprinted a story from Savage Sword and quickly slapped some color on it (and, on occasion added or subtracted splash pages). Whatever it took to get the issue out on time. Why? Because they were professionals and had a job to do

Such is the case with the issue I am reviewing for you now. Originally appearing in Savage Sword of Conan #3, “Demons at the Summit”, Roy Thomas’ adaptation of Björn Nyberg’s The People of the Summit, is a passable story, but, when I was 12 years old, I was upset that a) I’d already read it; and b) I had to wait another month to find out what was going on with Conan, Belit, and Zula.

So, would it have been better to have no Conan that month rather than a reprint? The answer is no. Marvel was able to not only deliver a color version of “Demons”, but we also got a back-up reimagining of Howard’s Hyborian Age essay, and a Buscema/Chan cover that was a lot of fun.

The Hyborian Age essay alone erased my disappointment then, and rereading it now for the first time since 1978, it does so again.

REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian #87

Conan and his companion, Jamal, are being pursued by Khozgari after narrowly escaping their camp when their fellow soldiers, acting as bodyguards for a king’s emissary, were cut down and beheaded.

Noticing they were being watched, the Cimmerian grabbed the spy only to discover it was Shanya, daughter of the Khozgari Chieftain. He and Jamal take the girl hostage in hopes of guaranteeing safe passage back to Samara. Traveling through the Misty Mountains, their captive warns that no one has ever entered those lands and returned, but of course, Conan does not heed her pleas.

Soon after, the party is attacked. A boulder kills Jamal as Shanya is ensnared and hoisted upwards to the overhanging cliff. Their attackers attempt to do the same with Conan, but he climbs the rope and butchers the savage, hairless apes.

Following their scent to a mountain citadel beyond a graveyard of ancient Turanian chiefs, the Cimmerian discovers Shanya the captive of a strange sorcerer and his entourage of bodyguards, all wearing a peculiar see-through mask.

Conan cuts a path through them, taking one of their masks from a corpse. Then, the sorcerer releases a strange mist, blinding the barbarian. He sees these guards donning the masks and senses they can see him despite the thick vapor. Conan dons the mask he’d taken and sees their quick approach and makes short work of them, killing all of their number.

The sorcerer, bemoaning the end of his race, unleashes an ancient creature, akin to a giant beetle. Rescuing the girl, Conan shatters his sword against the insectoid’s shell. Desperate for a weapon, he hefts up a rune covered stone and smashes the aberration with it before bringing down an avalanche, allowing he and the girl to escape.

Thankful for the rescue, Shanya agrees to be the Cimmerian’s companion rather than hostage and promises he’ll pass through without question.

CAPSULE REVIEW: This issue is rather rough, to be honest. Illustrated by Tony Dezuniga, I was able to compare these reprint pages with the originals and several panels were altered, and not always for the better. Of the two, I much prefer the Savage Sword issue. Dezuniga’s line is looser, but more compelling, but you could see how that would have been a challenge to color from the grayscale wisps of the original.

The weak-spot here, however, lies in the writing. This is one instance where I wish Thomas would have been less faithful to the original tale. There were too many coincidences for my taste, from the clear masks to the runic spellstone Conan just happened to toss at the beetle thing, which I might add, was clearly drawn as a spider on the cover by Buscema and Chan.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 6. On eBay, this issue generally is available for less than $10, as low as $6 in may cases. recommended only to completists. You’d be better served to read the story in Savage Sword.

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

May 17th, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: A Stygian Temple & The Devourer of the Dead!

“Outside the great city of Luxor, Conan and Zula search for a way into the city. Once inside, they sneak into an ancient temple. There, they come face to face with a galley full of dead slavers and a mysterious sarcophagus – as well as the fierce monstrosity that is the Devourer of the Dead! Will their journey end before they can rescue Bêlit?”

By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Our tale begins with Conan and Zula overlooking Luxur, the capital of Stygia. They are searching for Bêlit and are trying to determine how best to sneak into the city. They notice a walled off area containing both the city and a series of pyramids on the shore of the river Styx. They observe that one of the pyramids is missing its top, and speculate on the rationale for the difference in each structure. The pair also debate to what extent Bêlit would go to save Conan’s hide if their roles were reversed.

The Cimmerian and Zula make the journey down the mountainside to the wall of Luxur. At the base of the wall, attempts to throw a grappling hook on a rope to the top of the wall. Doubting it will work, Zula thinks they should find another route inside. Conan’s second attempt is successful and as he beings his ascent up the wall, the barbarian tells Zula to remind him to tell him the story of the Tower of the Elephant in the future.

Conan reaches the top of the wall and is approached by a Stygian guard. The guard’s cautious approach gets him in trouble as Conan’s swift attack takes him to the ground, then the Cimmerian aggressively breaks the guard’s back. Zula reaches the top of the wall to catch the end of the skirmish as Conan dons the guards head dress to disguise himself.

As Conan and Zula infiltrate the city, they stop in a tavern where Conan meets and speaks with Ayeeda. Ayeeda immediately recognizes he is not Stygian due to his bronze skin and our barbarian acknowledges he’s a mercenary. As their discussion continues, they see a funeral procession through the streets.

Ayeeda reveals if the person is important enough to have a funeral, they are escorted by slaves and priests to the stone mound outside of the city walls then turned over to the Devourer of the Dead. Ayeeda offers to meet Conan in the back room, but he leaves to get Zula and takes the opportunity to follow the funeral procession into the temple. He finds three acolytes confronting Zula, which turns into Zula quickly taking out all three of them. Conan and Zula don the garb from two of the Acolytes and quickly catch up to the funeral procession.

Dressed as acolytes, Conan and Zula join the group on a boat and head into the stone mound. Conan recalls a conversation with Neftha about the possible interior of the temple. Neftha told him there was a grotto and well in the temple where the priests study the reflection of the stars. While on the boat, one of the other acolytes recognizes Zula’s lack of engagement in the ceremony and his skin color. The Acolyte calls Zula out, and their cover is blown. A battle and chaos ensues. As the battle continues, Conan and Zula run deeper into the temple where they discover the grotto with one way in…and the well in the middle of the floor. Knowing they are trapped, Conan and Zula decide to plunge into the well.

Unsure of their fate and swimming for safety, Conan sees light ahead and after alerting Zula, they swim to the surface only to discover they are in another area of the temple with walls and a ceiling.

Conan and Zula notice the boat they were in earlier, but now it is filled with the sarcophagus and dead slavers who came along on the journey. As Conan and Zula ride in the boat through the temple, they discover the hideous Devourer of the Dead; a giant, fluid creature with tentacles and multiple mouths. The Devourer grabs one of the corpses and Zula at the same time. Zula and Conan hack away at the creature with little success. Conan realizes the best chance will be to attack with fire and sets the barge ablaze. They start to steer the flaming barge into the monster, but Conan notices the sarcophagus has an air hole, so they quickly remove it from the barge.

Zula and the Cimmerian steer the burning barge into the Devourer, causing it to flail madly with pain. Meanwhile, Conan and his companion open the coffin to find Bêlit. The three of them manage to dodge the thrashing limbs of the creature, which inadvertently tears down the walls of the temple burying itself alive.

As they escape, Bêlit tells the pair she was captured by King Ctesphon II and placed into the sarcophagus. Ctesphon captured Bêlit because she was speaking with Neftha – who she discovered is Ctesphon’s sister.

CAPSULE REVIEW: The Buscema cover nicely captures the battle between Conan, Zula and the Devourer of the Dead.

Roy Thomas demonstrates his ability once more to provide tons of detail yet refrain from boring the reader – all of which without using thought balloons for the characters. He describes the environment, battles, and character’s actions to the extent the reader feels included in the situations. This is the second issue I’ve reviewed (back to back I might add) where Conan is underwater and struggling to get to the surface. Thomas even refers to the previous event in the story.

Buscema and Chan demonstrate why they are one of the best teams for Conan. The second splash page featuring Conan and Zula overlooking Luxur, along with the other art, makes me wonder how they maintained a schedule to keep the issues on time. Check out the panels where Conan and Zula are underwater. The flow of their clothing, hair and motions feel realistic. The final battle features great action scenes and a creative way to defeat the devourer.

This is a very good issue from start to finish and should be included in every fan’s collection. I give it 8 Aquilonian Luna out of 10.

Living life my own way – Andy from Aquilonia

May 13th, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: The Origin of Zula, Darfarian Warrior-Wizard

“Not often are origin issues very exciting. Many times they serve to advance a plot mechanism or provide background. Such is the case in Conan the Barbarian #85, where readers learn the origins of Conan’s Darfarian companion. Created by Roy Thomas, the character has made its way into mainstream Conan movies and animated cartoons.”

(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. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #85.)

By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor

Often, famed Conan scribe Roy Thomas drew on Robert E. Howard’s source material to create comics involving the beloved Cimmerian. Many of the characters with whom our barbarian interacts were also drawn (sometimes loosely) from the Cross Plains, Texas author’s literary works. The Classic Conan Countdown has already examined one such character, Red Sonja, who was created ultimately by Thomas from the inspiration of somewhat similar Howard characters.

In the case of Zula, the dark-skinned warrior-wizard and last surviving member of the Darkharian tribe, the character is solely the creation of Roy Thomas. He will remain with Conan until his final appearance in Conan the Barbarian #94.

**Zula is a Roy Thomas created Conan protagonist who appears in both Conan the Adventurer (animated series) and in the 1984 film Conan the Destroyer.**

Not limited to merely Roy Thomas’ comics, Zula also appeared as a character in Hollywood’s Conan the Destroyer film in 1984 (as a female version, portrayed by Grace Jones). The Darfarian warrior-mage also appears as a recurring character on the Conan the Adventurer animated series.

Conan the Barbarian #85 is a comic that really goes nowhere story-wise other than to catch readers up on the Harakht storyline (ongoing since Conan the Barbarian #75) and to tell the origin of this new character.

Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #85

In Conan the Barbarian #84, our Cimmerian promised Zula that he would accompany him to Kheshatta in exchange for his freedom. In this issue, the two decide to become more familiar with each other’s roots since they are intended to be traveling companions.

Riding atop two giant hawks, Zula inquires about Conan’s history and current mission. The Cimmerian duly informs the Darfarian of all the events leading up to their current flight, beginning with the stories in Conan the Barbarian #75. This re-cap takes up nearly half of the comic.

Satisfied that he now knows something about Conan, Zula offers his tale. I will only offer a brief, toned down version here since this issue is actually very good and well worth reading.

Born of noble blood to a Darfarian chieftan, Zula is about to undergo a coming of age ritual when his tribesmen are brutally attacked by Kushite warriors.

Hiding in the tent reserved for those coming of age, Zula is enslaved rather than killed and eventually sold to a wizard named Shu-Onoru in Kheshatta, the City of Magicians. As the wizard’s slave, Zula learns some magical skills by observing the sorcerer at work. Shu-Onoru remarks that he does not need to “hide” his ritual rites because Zula is too stupid to know what he is doing. In the words of the wizard, “at least his kind are witless enough I won’t have to guard my spells from him!” Not cool, Shu-Onoru, you should learn to be a little more culturally sensitive and far more PC. But then again, this is the Hyborian Age…

Eventually, Zula is entered into a gladiator battle where he is forced to slay some members of a different tribe in order to stay alive. It’s at this point Shu-Onoru realizes Zula is too dangerous to keep docile and sells him again to a Khemi slave merchant named Sheb-At.

Zula’s plan, now freed, is to wreak vengeance on Shu-Onoru for his captivity, but Conan has a different idea – first, the barbarian says, Belit must be rescued. Incensed that Conan has broken his promise, the pair gets ready to do battle. Zula tells Conan that in order to head to find Belit, it will be over his dead body.

Closely matched in combat, the Darfarian eventually concedes to Conan, agreeing that Belit will be found first, at which time Conan will accompany him to Kheshatta.

CAPSULE REVIEW: This is a really good origin issue, and its well worth the price of admission. John Buscema’s combat illustrations are first rate, and this issue and the battle between Conan and Zula is no exception. While I normally write issues like this off as “one-offs” to advance a story, I would highly recommend adding it to your Conan collection.

At the risk of beating a proverbial dead horse, the whole concept of slavery in the Hyborian world is a difficult one to swallow, especially in today’s sensitive and far more enlightened society. But it’s important to remember that these are tales from another time – a time when different social mores, racism, cultural isolation and supremacy were common place.

Interestingly, this issue also tells the origin of Belit as part of Conan’s narrative, and I’ll take this opportunity to toss another cheap swipe at Marvel’s current Age of Conan: Belit mini series. Belit’s savagery comes from being raised by N’Yaga and growing up among the tribes along the Black Coast – it has nothing to do with any of the gobbledygook currently being spewed forth by Tini Howard and Kate Niemczyk in Marvel’s latest mental flatulence since the New Universe and the Spider-Clone debacle.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue a 7.5. On eBay, copies were available in large quantities for $10 or less. Both the art and the story are very good and this will make a worthy addition to any Conan comic collection.

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

May 12th, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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It’s Time to Catch Up on the Classic Conan Countdown

Since Paint Monk’s Library moved to WordPress in early April, I’ve been working diligently to “fix” posts that didn’t port well from Blogger to our new platform.

Paragraph formatting errors, bold face where there shouldn’t be any, and different sized fonts have made many of the old blog posts difficult to read here on our new site.

At this point, I’ve “re-formatted” all 15 original posts of the Classic Conan Countdown, so if you’ve missed any reviews or are just coming on board, you’ll have plenty to read. Links to all of the newly-formatted reviews are below (or you can also find them on the Classic Conan Countdown page).

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section of our reviews!

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

May 7th, 2019

Classic Conan Countdown, Reviews

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REVIEW: A Return to Harakht & A Cimmerian In Chains!

“The artwork of John Buscema returns in this issue! Conan returns to Harakht only to find his beloved Belit was imprisoned but had escaped! Deep in the dungeons with Zula, Conan shares an uneasy incarceration, but will soon come to value his cellmate as a valuable companion on dangerous journeys down the road!”

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. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #84.)

By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

John Buscema, for many, is the quintessential Conan artist, and understandably so. He was a consummate draughtsman, a true artist, whose ambitions always laid beyond cartooning. The man simply wasn’t a fan of super-hero comics, and yet he drew some amazing issues that stand the test of time. For all his bluster, he enjoyed his tenure on Conan and was a fan of the source material.

In an interview with Roy Thomas, John said “…Conan was something that hadn’t been done before and I loved the Howard books. I fell in love with them as soon as I read them and I was chomping at the bit and I wanted to do them so badly.”

Buscema didn’t enjoy drawing anything mechanical and thus Conan was a perfect fit for him.

“I can create anything that comes into my imagination,” he said. “That’s why Conan appealed to me. I had a lot of freedom in those books. I could do anything with the buildings and create costumes.”

As an artist, he was very picky, and seldom liked anyone else inking his work.

Speaking to Roy Thomas, he mused, “The only thing I’ve saved is a couple of Conan books we worked on, and that’s it. I got rid of everything. One of the reasons, which upset me over the years, is that other people were inking my stuff, and that is not my work. I can’t look at it. The ones I inked, yes, I keep. Anything with super-heroes, I’m not interested. Only the Conans.”

John’s love for Conan was evident on every page, and though he would have preferred to ink the work himself, it all still came out beautifully. The following review covers John’s return to Conan after a long hiatus. While I enjoyed the Chaykin run, seeing Big John back meant the world to me as a twelve year old kid, picking this issue up off the rack.

REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #84

Conan returns to Harakht and his beloved Belit, but learns that the she-wolf, who had been condemned to imprisonment due to the high priest’s prophetic dream, had escaped, holding Mer-Ath’s wife Neftha as a hostage.

Mer-Ath has Conan taken captive, hoping to draw Belit back into court. Chained in the dungeons alongside the slave, Zula, who had been instrumental in the Cimmerian’s capture, the two share an uneasy incarceration.

Meanwhile, Belit and Neftha enter the city of Luxur and make for a temple of Set. It is here that Belit hopes to learn of her father’s whereabouts. Neftha prays to the image of Set and the women succumb to a magical sleep. Belit has a vision of two pythons slipping through a grate in the floor and she wonders if it is a dream or something more.

Back in the dungeon beneath Harakht, Conan and Zula make their peace, and Conan agrees to help travel with Zula to Kheshatta, City of Wizards. and assist him with some unfinished business in exchange for the slave freeing him.

Zula produces a vial of acid to burn through their chains, then feigns being attacked by the Cimmerian, drawing the guards to their cell. Conan and Zula swiftly overpower their captors.

Making their way to the pen of the giant falcons, Zula uses a flute to command the beast and he and Conan take flight, headed for Kheshatta.

CAPSULE REVIEW: This issue was packed. Usually we’re treated to a couple of splash pages, but there was no room for any of that here, as Roy quickly got the story rolling and covered a lot of ground, trying to get back to the story he had started several issues before.

He does an admirable job getting the reader back up to speed, not only covering what had gone before, but propelling the story forward, and introducing a fantastic new character to boot.

I’m sure this was a task for Buscema and Chan, to pack so much art into so many panels, but they really are able to keep the flow of the story, and make the panels, especially the action, readable and vibrant.

Colors and letters are terrific as usual. Zula’s ebony skin had to be particularly tricky, and Phil Rache used blue as a black shorthand to great effect, contrasted with the gray skin tones of the Harakht peoples.

All in all, a fine return to form and another superb issue.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 8.75. On eBay, this issue generally is available for around $7.

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

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Archive for the ‘Classic Conan Countdown’ Category

REVIEW: The Thing in the Crypt and a Young Cimmerian

REVIEW: Rats, Sneaking into Asgalun & Forced to Fight

Review: Conan the Barbarian #91

REVIEW: Conan, Belit & Zula in the Cavern of Giant Kings!

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

REVIEW: The Fate of Belit’s Father Atrahasis Revealed

Review: Conan the Barbarian #88

REVIEW: Thoth-Amon, Serpent Men & Escape

REVIEW: Khozgari, Masked Guards & A Sorcerer

REVIEW: A Stygian Temple & The Devourer of the Dead!

REVIEW: The Origin of Zula, Darfarian Warrior-Wizard

Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #85

It’s Time to Catch Up on the Classic Conan Countdown

REVIEW: A Return to Harakht & A Cimmerian In Chains!

REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #84

Conan: The Podcast (Episode 2)

Conan: The Podcast (Episode I)

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Welcome to the Library!

Language

INTO THE KNIGHT PODCAST

Weirded Wonder

COMIC BOOK GRADING

Golden Age Podcast

Robert E. Howard News

WRITER JIM ZUB’S BLOG

ARTIST TIM TRUMAN’S SITE

Atlas Comics Archives

“Groovy” Comics Blog!

THE DEFENDERS FAN SITE

MARVEL UNLIMITED

COMIXOLOGY

Archive for the ‘Classic Conan Countdown’ Category

Review: Conan the Barbarian #91

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

Review: Conan the Barbarian #88

Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #85

REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #84

Conan: The Podcast (Episode 2)

Conan: The Podcast (Episode I)

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