“This time, the bear is no illusion. King Aosoka puts Conan in the pit, where he goes face-to-face with the Heaven Bear! This issue is the third part in Roy Thomas’ adaptation of the Norvell W. Page novel ‘Sons of the Bear God’.”

(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) #110.)

By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer

Picking up after the events in the previous issue, Conan is face to face with a giant bear but he quickly realizes the bear is an illusion – it is not displacing any of the surrounding grass. The bear quickly changes to a mist enveloping the Cimmerian, rendering our hero unconscious.

Conan slowly rouses to discover a group of Aesgaardians is carrying him upside down like a boar to the slaughter. He also notices they are carrying Erfu on a litter like royalty. Conan begins to argue with the group and a warrior wearing a panther tail on his helmet strikes Conan. The barbarian silently vows to seek revenge…we have learned along the way he does not take kindly to a beating while he is bound. A bit of foreshadowing here?

The Aesgaardians carry Conan to a city featuring low-rise walls and buildings filled with families of dwarves. The procession moves through the city to the outskirts where they arrive at a large white pyramid with a lone dwarf in the courtyard. He is wearing what appears to be over-exaggerated bear ears covering his own and standing next to an eternal fire. The procession enters the pyramid and stops at the foot of the Throne of the Heaven-Bear where King Aosoka resides.

As the procession kneels to the dwarf on the throne, he calls for Conan’s release. Muttering every ounce of strength and using the pole for leverage, Conan overcomes the incredible pain from the torturous journey to stand and confront the dwarf. The music from a distant flute rings out along with the female voice in a language Conan does not understand. Almost immediately a trio of dwarves charges through the gold tapestry behind the throne. We recognize one from the earlier approach to the pyramid, one is dressed as a bear and the third as a serpent. A guard nudges Erfu who chants in a foreign tongue then explains to Conan he won for the barbarian a chance at life – after fighting hand to hand with the true Heaven-Bear.

Weakened from the agonizing journey and with little option, Conan agrees to fight the bear but requests Erfu’s presence in the pit. Erfu explains Aosoka already set that expectation. With no delay, they are escorted into a pit surrounded at the top by a large group of dwarves excited for the battle.

Conan asks Erfu to draw spells in the dust before the battle begins and Erfu explains he is already on the task. As they talk, Erfu is curious as to Conan’s plan to battle the beast. Conan says he is as unsure as Erfu, but notices a chain lying in the sand. The dwarves release the massive bear and understanding he must be aggressive to defeat the beast, a chain wielding Conan rapidly charges the upright bear.

Conan buries his head and upper chest into the bear’s lower chest and flings the chain around the beast’s back; catching the end with his right hand. Tapping into every ounce of his great strength, Conan squeezes the chain so tight it begins to choke the air from the bear. The bear claws Conan’s back and ignoring the extreme pain, Conan continues to apply massive amounts of pressure to the bear’s back; ultimately breaking it’s spine and crushing the life from its lungs.

The massive bear flops to the ground with an exhausted Conan landing on the beast’s chest. Aosoka congratulates Erfu for his slave’s victory against the bear and appoints Erfu as Executioner of the Throne. Erfu accepts and slowly nurses Conan back to health.

After the great battle with the bear, Conan is unconscious for an undisclosed amount of time, but awakens to the sounds of Erfu arguing with a female we discover is Tossa; an Aesir woman who lives in Buryat and has been looking for a husband and her eyes are on Conan. He refuses her offer and turns her away. Conan discovers Aosoka thinks Conan is Erfu’s slave and immediately regrets turning Tossa away. As Tossa crosses through the courtyard below, a black panther approaches her.

Tossa screams out for help and Conan leaps to her rescue. He slashes at the great cat but is shocked when his sword meets steel and the panther changes form to the Aesir warrior who struck him earlier. As they battle, Conan backs into a potted plant, falling to the ground. The Aseir lunges, but Conan promptly issues a fatal blow. This heroic action prompts Tossa to proclaim Conan as her husband yet he refuses and she leaves for his chambers. Conan protests he will “be NO wench’s husband” but decides to explain that to her….after he catches up with her in his chambers.

CAPSULE REVIEW: Impressed with the action-packed cover, I proudly say that I purchased this from the newsstand in 1980. The team of Buscema and Milgrom capture the epic battle between man and beast. It provides the intensity of the scene and overwhelming might of the bear versus Conan’s strength and determination to win in battle.

Inspired by the book “Sons of the Bear God,” Thomas applies the concept of the book to our beloved Cimmerian. The story flows from the miserable journey to the pyramid, through the battle with the bear and Conan getting the golden-haired woman at the end. Thomas’ narrative provides the reader with the misery Conan endured as he was held captive, the struggle with pain after his release and during the battle with the bear. I want to also point out again the foreshadowing early in the issue between the Aseir and Conan. I also appreciate Thomas’ ability to weave sorcery into the mix without attempting to explain how it works. The mirage of a bear at the beginning…Erfu’s ability to have a golden aura about him…did the spell he cast assist Conan in the battle against the bear…Erfu’s ability to assist Conan with his wounds…the Aseir’s shapeshifting…all of these things happen without Thomas explaining the ‘how.’ The ongoing bits of mystery set the tone for other situations in the future.

In a very Return of the Jedi / Three’s Company inspired scene, the Buryat are confused about Erfu and Conan’s relationship. In prior issues, we learn Erfu was devoted to Conan yet the Buryat see him as the ruler and Conan the slave. I expected to see another procession with the Ewoks hauling the Rebels and C-3PO through the woods of Endor. Wait a minute..that was 1983….*looks slyly at Lucas*

Buscema, Chan, and Sharen provide visual content which captures the reader’s eye and augments Thomas’ prose. Between the description and the visuals of Conan’s journey to the Buryat pyramid promotes both a passage of time and misery. The battle between Conan and the bear is very tense and although limited by the comics code, the creative team does their best to show the damage inflicted by the bear. As pointed out in other reviews, the different races of people are easily discernible with distinct features.

Another enjoyable read from this awesome creative team. This is my favorite era of the Cimmerian and I rarely find a clunker in the group.

On a scale of 1-10, I give it 7 Aquilonian Luna.

Living life my own way – Andy from Aquilonia