“Journey into the Hyborian Age with Valeria, the hero from Robert E. Howard’s classic CONAN story “Red Nails,” on an all-new quest set before the fan-favorite tale! Before her careers as a pirate and mercenary and before she crossed paths with the Red Brotherhood and the likes of Conan of Cimmeria, Valeria was a young woman from Aquilonia, seeking justice for a crime gone unpunished. But as the formidable Valeria makes her way in this world, proving her capability against those who doubt her abilities as a young woman, she will find more than she bargained for in her thirst for revenge. Her deadly fighting skills will be put to the test and her trust will be shaken as she hunts her brother’s killer and comes into her own as a force to be reckoned with in the Hyborian Age!”
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
Nothing could be as close to garbage as the fare served up by the creative team on Age of Conan: Belit, so it was with some trepidation that I purchased the first issue of Age of Conan: Valeria, hoping that Marvel’s next outing might be worth reading.
It wasn’t.
Just like Tini Howard and Kate Niemczyk massacred the beloved She-Pirate Belit in their five-issue debacle, it looks as if the team of Meredith Finch and Aneke have sharpened the butcher knives and prepped the industrial freezer for another helping of a chopped up and bloodied Hyborian heroine.
If it sounds like I’m a little frazzled with much of Marvel’s Conan lineup, it’s because I am. It appears someone at the House of Ideas has come to the conclusion that people want to read “modern girl power” and “teen” interpretations of classic sword-and-sorcery characters. Here, we’re presented with a younger version of Valeria who could very well be the Hyborian age version of Archie Comic’s Betty (with Age of Conan: Belit serving as Marvel’s version of Veronica).
The young Valeria loves cats. She’s mad because her brother doesn’t like her. Sigh. If they’re looking to attract teenage girl readers, this fare might work. If they’re looking to appeal to a mainstream Conan audience, they’ve missed the mark so terribly they wound up shooting the neighbor down the street instead.
There’s more to the female characters in the Conan universe than attitude, something that neither Meredith Finch nor Tini Howard before her have figured out.
Valeria, as an older woman in the comic, is good at verbally sparring with flirtatious pickpockets and a level-headed bartender. But this story turns Valeria into just another pretty face with an attitude, a trope that is getting very, very tired in Marvel Comics at this point. It’s almost as if making women powerful and assertive is the only thing that matters in these tales, the rest of the story be damned. You could practically exchange Belit for Valeria in this story, with the exception of their hair color (and the fact that Valeria doesn’t kill her father, someone else does).
Tired tropes aside, Finch’s writing is much better than that of Howard in AoC: Belit, and Aneke’s artwork is touch and go. Some of the flashback scenes early in the book are excellent…and then we have the kitty-cat artwork pictured above. The story overall just isn’t engaging in the least.
Aneke’s artwork is inconsistent, with some panels being great and others merely so-so.
AoC: Valeria #1 was a big disappointment. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 3.5, and that’s only because Meredith Finch’s writing is good, even if the story is lousy. A hard pass, and I will decide next month whether or not I will continue reviewing the series. Roy Thomas, where are you when we need you?
August 21st, 2019 Conan (2019), ReviewsComments Off on REVIEW: SSoC #8 – A Crucial Hand & A Fateful Decision
“NEVER DWELL ON THE HAND YOU’RE DEALT – EVEN IF IT’S DEATH! In the second part of Conan the Gambler, Conan’s job as a bodyguard in Shadizar lands him in a deadly game of SERPENT’S BLUFF! But if the cards are in Conan’s favor, will this absolve his debt or land him in further danger? It’ll take more than luck to win the prize this time! PLUS: The next chapter in the all-new CONAN novella ‘THE SHADOW OF VENGEANCE’!”
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
The return of Conan the Barbarian to Marvel Comics has largely been a muddy mess with some scattered points of true creativity and talent mixed in the pot. Savage Sword of Conan #8 is one of these few highlights, and it’s a shame editorial at the House of Ideas didn’t kick off the barbarian’s re-launch with this particular creative team.
This issue resumes immediately where Savage Sword of Conan #7 had left us – Conan is seated at a table, preparing to engage in a game of Serpent’s Bluff (like Hyborian Black Jack) with Kero, a powerful merchant from Shadizar. The body of Conan’s employer, Maraudus Mathir, lies at his feet. If Conan wins, he lives and is free and Mathir’s debts are settled. If he loses, the barbarian bears the weight of Mathir’s unresolved obligations.
Conan performs poorly at Serpent’s Bluff, and all seems to be doom and gloom until Conan focuses on “The Godsend,” a massive emerald in the gambling hall that losers pray to when they are losing all hope.
The tide begins to change, and Conan takes all, much to the amazement of the patrons. All eyes are on the Cimmerian walking away with the mother lode, until Kero makes the ultimate offer – one more hand, and everything he owns belongs to Conan if he loses. If he wins, Conan’s future looks very bleak. What will the Cimmerian do?
CAPSULE REVIEW: Jim Zub is an excellent writer, and one of the few in Marvel’s latest outing that grasps the nuance of the Cimmerian’s character. This is the Conan long-time readers have known since the days of Roy Thomas – and it’s the Conan that will get new readers invested in the stories. There is no soft-soaping here and no touch of modern social or political niceties in the barbarian’s words or actions.
Patch Zircher’s art is dynamic, realistic and accentuates the tale. Things that aren’t said in dialogue (and that’s not much) are revealed in the artwork. The title page struck me particularly as clever – the artwork shows Conan and Kero facing off at the card table, and Maraudus Mathir’s body is shown under the table at Conan’s feet. It’s an effective reminder of what is at stake in this no-holds-barred game of cards. This is also the kind of artwork that shows what can be done when a good creative team is in synch and on the same page.
It’s obvious that at some point Marvel or a licensed company will be selling a Serpent’s Bluff deck of cards, and that’s OK. While the game is heavily promoted in the previous issue as well as this one (and the deck is a free download at the moment), it’s not an overbearing promotion and works perfectly in the story. Kudos to the entire creative team for not turning Serpent’s Bluff into an obnoxious promotion like Marvel’s dual hologram, laser etched, limited edition, variant covers.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 8.5. Compared to the other Marvel Conan releases since January, I’d rate it even higher. Make sure this issue is on your pull list this week.
“Conan’s new position as war chief of the Bamula tribe becomes a challenge almost immediately. The witch doctors consider him an outsider, he still longs for Belit, and a ferocious tribe of vampire-men attack! Conan is left to solve the mystery – and end the savagery – of The Men Who Drink Blood, all the while battling his own inner demons.”
(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, #102.)
By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
Now serving as war chief (Conan the Barbarian #101), our Cimmerian leads the Bamulas into a brief, well-orchestrated battle against the Kungado tribe. After the Kungado leader surrenders and offers allegiance to Conan, Bamula tribesman Basotu disagrees, stating the Bamulas should kill the Kungado. Conan challenges Basotu, who then cowers and backs down after Conan questions whether he wishes to undergo a challenge by spear.
After Conan and the Bamulas return to their village, the witch doctors taunt their new war chief with songs that he is not welcome and the gods will decide his fate. Conan is reminded he is an outsider and still not accepted by the Bamulas, leading him to acknowledge how much he misses Bêlit. Conan is so lovesick he rejects advances from Felida, who refers to the barbarian as her new chieftain since he defeated her husband Yorubo.
As Conan and the Bamulas rest, a stealthy figure attacks the lone Bamula warrior standing guard over the tribe’s cattle. The dying guard’s scream awakens Conan, who alerts the Bamula warriors and they rush to his aid. The group is surprised by the sight of human figures with pointed ears and sharp teeth among the cattle – The Men Who Drink Blood!
The Bamula warriors prepare to retreat, but Conan refuses and flings a spear at one of the creatures. The spear finds its mark and is hurled with such force, it pins the man to the side of a cow. The sudden attack causes the other blood-thirsty men to escape and a female scream fills the air.
Conan rushes to the hut and discovers three of the vampire-like men attempting to haul Felida away. They stand no chance against the barbarian as he kills one and pummels the other. The third man flees the tent but is killed by a spear flung by Basotu.
Huddled around the captive man, Conan suggests they are merely mortals when an elder Bamula speaks up to recount his experiences with the men who drink blood. His grandfather told him about them when he was much younger and he’s attempted to convince the other Bamula. Fellow tribesmen continue to fear they are drelliks (vampires) because they drink cattle blood and have pointy teeth and ears.
Conan and the Bamula opt to take the offensive and go after them. The captured man requests to go with Conan and company. He reveals his name is Ashido, speaks very quietly and must wear protective covers for his eyes since they shun sunlight. Ashido agrees to assist them to the caves, and Conan explains Ashido’s assistance will allow them to get in with minimal problems.
Conan, Ashido and the Bamula warriors travel for a few days until they reach the Drelliks’ village. It is surrounded by a spiked fence which Conan easily climbs then opens the gate. They sneak into the cave to find the Drellik men lying asleep on the stones of the cave. As they journey further into the cave, they find the Drellik king asleep on his throne. Conan and company creep closer to the king when his eyes open suddenly and a gate falls trapping them into the room. Conan realizes it is a trap, grabs Ashido’s neck and quickly stabs him before he can defend himself.
After the drellik king rises to attack, Conan plunges his sword deep into the monarch’s chest to no avail. It registers to Conan the king is actually a vampire, and despite his best efforts the drellik king bests the barbarian in battle by hurling him against some stones. Basotu and the Bamula warriors surrender as the leader takes the unconscious Cimmerian deeper into the cavern.
CAPSULE REVIEW: Here’s an example of the old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover”. I’m a big Buscema fan, but the cover of this issue does not work for me. I’m unsure if it is the perspective or color scheme, but it provides a glimpse at a scene where Felida is captured by the drellik. Many other Buscema covers feature better artwork. I think a face off between Conan and the drellik king would have been a more effective front piece.
This issue continues to display Roy Thomas’ pacing and ability to maintain the reader’s interest. There’s enough background information for the casual reader to pick up the story and it’s provided smoothly, but not too heavy to result in boredom for a longtime fan. Thomas provided an initial twist where Conan “reveals” the men are not true vampires, but the reveal displaying the drellik king’s invulnerability and super-human strength is a surprise. The cliff-hanger ending is perfect.
Buscema and Chan support the narrative with character defining artwork and lasting images. Where else will you find a battle ending with a man pinned to a cow by a spear? Beef…it’s what’s for dinner. I’ll take a ribeye…medium rare please.
They also provide defining appearances for the characters. The vampire king is lanky with pointy features including jawline, fingers, ears and joints, providing a menacing look. The character’s emotions are easily understood from the artwork alone. Finally, let’s not forget the efforts of George Roussos to provide specific skin tones to the characters. This effort is often under recognized but a key part in the story of a wandering barbarian.
Broken record time: another solid issue and please add it to your collection. I give it 7.5 Aquilonian Luna out of 10. It deserves an 8 or 8.5, but I have to knock it a bit for the cover.
“Having left behind his departed love in the last issue, Conan finds himself alone on the Black Coast. The vulnerable Cimmerian is captured by the Bamulas, where he is set to be sacrificed to a massive spider in the name of the Kushite god Ekku! But secretly Conan has a plan…and a challenge ensues for leadership of the tribe!”
(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, #101.)
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
It’s hard to top the previous issue of Marvel’s original Conan series, and the next three or four issues – this one in particular – are a bittersweet denouement to the Queen of the Black Coast storyline. As the tale begins, Conan is alone at a campfire, mourning the loss of Belit and preparing to cook a meal.
It’s easy to imagine Roy Thomas working hard (struggling, perhaps) to come up with good Conan stories following the epic run from issues #57-100. Many readers of classic Marvel Conan consider them to be the best tales of the entire series.
Now, Conan is alone, still in foreign territory, carrying the heavy emotional burden brought on by the death of the she-pirate and his entire crew of Corsairs. The Cimmerian, effectively, is back to where he was before the Belit storyline began – alone, broke, and with no companions in sight.
I wonder as a reader if Roy Thomas and the Marvel bullpen were prepping for the changes to come, as Thomas will walk away from Conan with issue #115 and J.M. DeMatteis will assume the narrative reins. While this was a good and fitting tale to follow Conan the Barbarian #100, many of the next fifteen issues struggle to find their footing.
Review: Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #101
As Conan cooks the leg of some unfortunate wild beast over a campfire, he looks into the flames and ponders a burning ship named the Tigress being put to sea with the body of Belit laid out in a manner befitting a queen. His reflection doesn’t last long, as his contemplation is interrupted by an arrow and soon an entire Bamula war band.
During the conflict, Conan kills the Bamula war chief, but trips over a protruding tree root and is beset upon by the remaining warriors. He is carried back to their village, where it is announced he will be thrown into a pit and sacrificed to a massive spider.
Before the Cimmerian can be sacrificed, however, the Bamulas need to choose a new war chief. The two contenders are a violent, aggressive tribesman named Yorubo, and another Bamulan named Mulla. Mulla presses Yorubo over Conan, saying that the Cimmerian will not be sacrificed until a new chief is chosen. Yorubo responds by gutting the challenger with a spear.
Conan, who speaks more Kushite languages than the villagers know, takes the opportunity to challenge Yorubo for leadership of the Bamulas, in accordance with their tribal laws. The challenge is a battle to the death on a log which spans the massive spider pit!
Conan may soon become the leader of a new tribe along the Black Coast, as he challenges tribesman Yorubo to a death-duel above a massive, man-eating spider!
For a brief moment, it seems as if Yorubo has the upper hand. But Conan, who is knocked down, kicks the Bamulan, sending him flying into the pit where the hungry arachnid awaits. Horrified, Yorubo’s wife jumps into the pit brandishing a dagger to save her husband.
Ever having a soft spot for women, Conan jumps into the pit to to do battle with the spider. Several beautiful pages of combat are lavishly illustrated in the book, much to the credit of penciller John Buscema, and ultimately Conan emerges victorious.
Yorubo isn’t down for the count just yet. The fall from the log didn’t kill him, and he prepares to land a lethal blow to our barbarian as he recovers from his battle with the spider.
Yorubo’s cheap shot falls short and the Cimmerian ends the life of his challenger in short order. It appears that Conan has lost his Black Corsairs, but is the new war chief of the Bamula tribe.
CAPSULE REVIEW: This is good story to bring closure and a new direction to Conan following the events of the previous forty-three issues. Roy Thomas didn’t wait long to put Conan in charge of another tribe or group of warriors, and this new arrangement will set the stage for upcoming tales.
John Buscema and Ernie Chan”s depictions of the tribesmen are first-rate, and the battle sequences with the giant spider are commendable. For the first time, though, I do have some issues with Buscema’s depiction of the spider’s face – it’s not intimidating at all. He looks like Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch.
Oscar the Spider? Come on, Big John, you can do better than that!
Colorist George Roussos continues his work, making the Buscema/Chan team continue to shine.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue a 7. I’d give it a 7.5, but the Sesame Street spider deserves a small reduction.
“The one evil wizard to rule them all, Kulan Gath, has succeeded in summoning an ancient evil…and he’s already hard at work on his next terrible plan.
Conan swings his savage symbiotic sword against the forces of darkness…and Frank Castle has the worst day of his life. The Savage Avengers are fighting to save YOU!”
By BOB FREEMAN — PM Library Writer
Prior to Jim Zub and Patch Zircher taking on the storytelling duties on Savage Sword of Conan, Savage Avengers was as close as Marvel was getting to giving us the Cimmerian in a recognizable fashion.
Sadly, in this fourth issue of the popular series, Conan is largely absent, both in character and amount of screen time. While the first two issues were exciting, the third issue began to show a delamination in its steel. Now, we are faced with the threat of a full-on catastrophic failure.
I can’t help but think this would have been a lot better had it been a Bronze Age “What If?” two-parter. You can just feel the padding as they try and stretch this thing to five issues so they can slip us a trade edition in time for Christmas.
While there’s still hope that Duggan and Deodato can stick the landing, its raison d’être is still a mystery. I get that Marvel wanted to utilize Conan as much as possible once they got the license back from Dark Horse, but I still feel that four titles was one too many.
Conan belongs in the Hyborian Age. Period. End of story.
More care should have been given to the three flagship titles: Conan the Barbarian, Savage Sword of Conan, and Age of Conan. Sadly, all three dropped the ball out of the gate.
Thankfully, Zub and Zircher’s new story arc in Savage Sword is a step in the right direction.
We can only hope the Valeria storyline in Age of Conan is a vast improvement over the sorry tale they gave us of a young Belit. It couldn’t be worse. Of that I’m certain.
And we still have four more issues of Jason Aaron’s Conan the Barbarian to slog through.
So, what does all of this have to do with Savage Avengers? Nothing other than, it shouldn’t need to exist. But right now it does. Hopefully it won’t for much longer…
Roy Thomas is coming… and he’s bringing Alan Davis with him.
Dare I give this issue a rating? 6 out 10 skulls of my enemies. My generosity knows no bounds.
“THE TWISTED SPELL OF THE WIZARD THOTH-AMON! CONAN returns home to Cimmeria! But things aren’t exactly as he remembers them…Is he that out of touch…or is he falling right into the trap of the wizard THOTH-AMON?! “The Life & Death of Conan” continues!”
By BOB FREEMAN – PM Library Writer
I am bone weary. Truly. While the first few pages of Jason Aaron’s narrative had me excited, the feeling quickly evaporated like one’s icy breath on the chill wind.
Here we find Conan returned home to the village of his youth, seeking out his grandmother and bringing gifts for his clansmen, only to find the wizard Thoth Amon has reached out to mentally enslave these familiar faces as the Stygian plots his vengeance against the Cimmerian.
It is all pretty ridiculous, to be blunt about it.
It’s not serviced by the guest artwork of Gerardo Zaffino either. His blocky, muddy inks are mere sketches doing little to bring the Hyborian Age to life.
I am so tired of being negative about this book, but they’re not giving me anything to work with.
Matthew Wilson does an admirable job with the colors. He’s really good at setting mood with his color palette. And Travis Lanham’s lettering is not distracting in the slightest.
I am left to praising the colors and letters. Crom, preserve us.
There have been two consistent praise worthy aspects of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian relaunch — the first being Esad Ribic’s covers. This one is no different — the muted blue tones, the towering Thoth Amon looking ghostly and fearsome, and Conan surrounded by his kinsmen as he draws his blade is a ‘trapped in amber’ kinetic moment that is never duplicated in the inner pages.
The second item of consistency lies in John Hocking’s Black Starlight. While Hocking continues to write ‘rpg prose’, it’s still an entertaining sword and sorcery yarn and the only thing that keeps me coming back.
Well, that and a completest mentality that I’d really love to squash.
Anyway, enough rambling. This issue gets 3 skulls of my enemies. One for the cover. One for Hocking. And one because I’m feeling generous because I actually enjoyed the first two pages of the story…
“The cover of this issue – perhaps the best in the entire early Marvel run of the series- sums up the completion of Roy Thomas’ epic adaptation of Queen of the Black Coast. Will the lost treasure Belit so desperately seeks mean the end of both her own life and that of her loyal crew? And will our barbarian be able to do anything to save his true love?”
(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, #100.)
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
“The Queen of the Black Coast” is arguably the best of Robert E. Howard’s Conan tales. What makes this one stand out? Howard certainly approached this story differently from any other Conan yarn.
While his poetic prose hearkens to his stylistic approach to “The Frost Giant’s Daughter”, there is an obvious attempt to do more than create a mythological tale here. Howard was aiming for something grand, something epic. He was building a legend.
When confronted with adapting this to comics, Thomas chose to expand the story, developing the background characters and bringing the crew of the Tigress to life. It was an ambitious move, made all the more real by John Buscema and Ernie Chan’s dynamic illustrations.
“Queen of the Black Coast” originally appeared in 1934 in the Weird Tales pulp magazine.
The Black Coast story line was a tragic love story writ large. Thomas took the weight of Howard’s words and breathed on those embers to create a beautiful homage that blazed as brightly as Bêlit’s funeral pyre.
While I personally rank “The Queen of the Black Coast” as Howard’s fourth best Conan story (behind “Beyond the Black River”, “A Witch Shall be Born” and “Red Nails”) the Marvel adaptation, from issues #57-100 is more than just ambitious – it’s a brilliant extension, complete with a double-sized ending befitting such an epic tale.
Review: Conan the Barbarian #100
The Tigress heads into Kush up the Zarkheba River, where years before Bêlit’s crew had discovered an abandoned ship where one lone sailor, gone mad, had described a rich city upriver. Emboldened to now seek it out, Bêlit looks to Conan now for approval. The Cimmerian nods silently in agreement and the Tigress advances into the Kushite jungle.
That night, while Conan and Bêlit talk about the gods, a giant serpent attacks their ship. Despite Conan’s valiant efforts, the monstrosity pulls Laboto overboard and into the poisonous waters.
N’Yaga warns of an unknown and powerful evil on the journey ahead, but Bêlit is keen to press on. She offers to release any man of her crew from service if they wish to turn back, but all agree to follow their queen on her quest. Conan takes sentry duty overnight and come morning, spots black-fanged spires rising up above a ruined city in the vine-choked jungle. As they debate, a winged ape-like statue sitting atop one of the spires moves and takes flight, causing fear to spread among the crew.
Bêlit and Conan lead a shore party into the city where they discover a blood-stained altar. The she-pirate commands the altar stone to be moved, suspecting treasure underneath. She lures Conan away from the task, secretly suspecting a trap. The men are all crushed beneath a column that collapses down upon them and Conan is startled to find her dispassionate about members of her crew dying in such a horrible fashion, and that she anticipated the trap. She orders the broken masonry removed and Conan and others work to reveal a hoard of gold and jewels.
One of the crewmen spots the winged ape flying away from the Tigress. Much to Bêlit’s chagrin, Conan rushes back to find their water supply destroyed. Conan takes M’Gora and a group of crewmen out to search for fresh water while Bêlit and the rest gather the loot and transport it to the ship.
While searching for water, Conan falls victim to the black lotus. He is beset by strange alien dreams of winged beings who built the city in centuries past, but their great machines polluted the land and water. They evolved, becoming the fearsome winged apes, hunting primitive men from ancient times until the current age. Conan’s vision even reveals the winged ape’s attack on the Tigress crew.
Conan wakes and races off to where he had left his men, but finds only their discarded arms and armor. Then, from the jungle comes M’Gora, wild-eyed and raving. He attacks Conan and the Cimmerian is forced to slay him. Saddened, Conan finds the rest of his men dead, lying at the bottom of a deep ravine, their bodies broken on the jagged rocks below.
He rushes through the jungle, racing back to the Tigress, only to find the rest of the crew slain, and Bêlit hanging from the galley’s yardarm, dead, a necklace of blood-red gems wrapped around her porcelain neck.
Conan takes her down and lays her out on the ship, surrounded by jewels, then with bow in hand, takes the high ground and waits.
From the jungle comes a pack of hyena, and the Cimmerian cuts them down until he runs out of arrows. Then, taking up his sword, he wades into the pack, cutting\ a path through them and bellowing out for their master to come. He watches as the winged ape approaches, circling overhead. Fate, however, is not done with the barbarian.
The earth begins to shake and the columns around Conan crumble. He dives for safety but becomes pinned beneath the crushing weight of a shattered spire, his broadsword just out of reach as the winged ape lands and advances on the trapped Cimmerian.
Suddenly, an apparition of Bêlit appears, standing between the creature and her fallen lover. She attacks, wounding the beast, giving Conan time to free himself. He grabs his sword, and kills the winged ape with a savage blow. The oldest race in the world is now extinct.
With tearful eyes, Conan sets the Tigress ablaze and watches as it sinks into the sea, taking his beloved and her vast treasure hoard with it.
CAPSULE REVIEW: What an amazing conclusion to a brilliant adaptation of Howard’s epic tale. The artwork and writing are astounding throughout, with the only misstep, in my estimation, that of Bêlit’s apparition.
Described as “a glimmer of white” and “a tense pale shape”, Bêlit is colored as if she were a vibrant and living being, not a spectre returned from the dead to rescue her beloved Cimmerian.
Still, the final pages are stirring to the soul and Thomas leans heavily Howard’s own words.
“No hand was at the sweep of the Tigress, no oars drove her through the green water. But a clean tanging wind bellied her silken sail, and as a wild swan cleaves the sky to her nest, she sped seaward, flames mounting higher and higher from her deck to lick at the mast and envelop the figure that lay lapped in scarlet on the shining pyre.
So passed the Queen of the Black Coast, and leaning on his red-stained sword, Conan stood silently until the red glow had faded far out in the blue hazes and dawn splashed its rose and gold over the ocean.”
Roy Thomas – Conan the Barbarian #100
A poignant end to both the story itself, and for Marvel’s adaptation of the mighty sinewed Cimmerian’s time at sea. Roy Thomas was so good at using Howard’s elegant words and pacing the script to deliver a memorable experience, and Buscema, especially in this issue, was masterful at bringing those scenes to life.
There are so many great panels littered throughout this double-sized issue. The small moments are touching, like Conan and Bêlit’s hearfelt discussion of the gods while they sat huddled on the deck of the Tigress, to the second panel on page 15, where Bêlit’s expression is one of pain, longing and realization that she is cursed with greed.
Of course, this being Conan, the fearsome battles really stand apart, particularly Conan’s conflict with the hyenas which is so dynamic and kinetic, but if I were asked to choose my favorite panel from the book, it is found on page 27, where the Queen of the Black Coast lies in state, surrounded by the treasure she so desperately desired in life, but would have to comfort her in death.
Wally had asked me to choose my favorite Conan cover some time back. This was the issue I chose. It was laid out by Marie Severin, with pencils by Big John, inks by Ernie Chan and colors by George Roussos. The lettering by the legendary Danny Crespi was a nice, extra touch as well.
If you could only read one Conan comic, this just might be the one.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue a 9.5. On eBay, it can be acquired for around $10.
Alba Gu Brath – Bob Freeman (AKA The Occult Detective)
“At sea far too long, the crew of the Tigress spies an opportunity to seize some potential treasure from the black cliffs dotting the coast. Once inside the caves, they find imprisoned men who are at the mercy of walking devil-crabs who might be even more intelligent than our Cimmerian and his entire crew! Will our hero and his Shemite she-pirate survive?
(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, #99. )
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
“The People of the Black Coast” was adapted by Roy Thomas as the “Devil-Crabs of the Dark Cliffs”, the penultimate chapter in his telling of the “Queen of the Black Coast”. Curiously, the story was called “Man-Crabs of the Dark Cliffs” on the cover, something I suspect was a result of Thomas not quite deciding on the final title until the last minute and signals getting crossed. Regardless, it’s a solid adaptation.
Roy Thomas was very adept at re-purposing Howard’s non-Conan prose and making it fit the Hyborian Age. His principle goal in doing so, rather than simply creating works from his own imagination, was his desire to maintain the integrity and majesty of Howard’s words.
As a fan of the
man’s writing style, by mining non-Conan tales Thomas was able to create a
consistency in the title, by keeping the flavor and vocabulary congruous.
Having Buscema
and Chan along for the majority of the ride didn’t hurt either. By having such
stalwart illustrators on hand for the vast majority of the run, there was a
common thread throughout. Conan always looked like Conan. The landscapes,
architecture, and fashion carried over from issue to issue.
It was easy for Thomas to adapt a story from a modern or historical setting into the Hyborian Age because Buscema and Chan were going to provide an artistic continuity, thus allowing Thomas to make subtle changes to the story to make the whole thing come together into something that stayed true to Howard’s imagination and creative sensibilities.
Review: Conan the Barbarian #99
The crew of the Tigress
is growing restless. They are undermanned and have been at sea overlong. Belit is
stubborn and dark of mood. She insists on staying at sea against the advice of
Conan and N’Yaga.
A ship is spied, moored beneath the legendary Dark Cliffs that gave the Black Coast its name. The crew boards the vessel and finds it abandoned, though there are remnants of a treasure having been carried in its hold.
Belit believes the treasure must have been taken into the cliffs and hidden there and so organizes a search party, delving into a nearby cavern. Once inside the cliffs, following Conan’s lead, they discover a colony of crab-men hauling the treasure chests into their cavernous lair.
The Cimmerian
espies several sailors imprisoned in crude cells. Conan sneaks forward and speaks
with their captain, an Argosean named Florannus, through a barred window. Florannus explained how the man-crabs drew
them to the cliffs by reaching into his mind and planting the suggestion there.
Once captured, his crew had been experimented on by the man-crabs, who are very
intelligent, maybe even more-so than humans.
Conan uses brains and brawn to free the sailors by cobbling together a make-shift rope of their clothing, tying it from the bars of the cell to a huge boulder that the Cimmerian then sent toppling over the cliff edge, bringing the prison wall down with it.
Belit, of course,
will not leave without the treasure. As they make their escape, they are
besieged by the man-crabs. Conan takes the battle to them and starts a rock-slide
to slow the creatures. Both crews come together, dislodging a giant boulder
that breaks through the cavern floor to the boiling hot steam tunnels beneath
the cliffs. The man-crabs are roasted alive.
Crab legs, Hyborian style.
Belit agrees to
let the Argosean crew sail away, even splitting the treasure with them. Conan
thought this seemed out of character, but she explained that their bounty would
encourage more ships to sail their way, and they would be ripe to be plundered.
Conan nearly
faints, suspecting the weakness was caused by one of his injuries, though
N’Yaga is concerned. The Cimmerian shrugs it off then Belit, seeing the
Argosean ship sail over the horizon, calls on them to return to the man-crab
lair to recover the remaining treasure.
Roy Thomas’ epic adaptation of Queen of the Black Coast concludes next issue.
CAPSULE REVIEW: As one expects, this is a
finely told tale in keeping with the general consistency of product from the
team of Thomas, Buscema, and Chan. As a kid, I was turned off by the
devil-crabs, finding their design somewhat off-putting, but now, decades later,
I find them adequately
alien and fearsome.
The artwork is fluid, the
action well thought out, keeping the flow of the narrative clipping at a
fevered pace. There’s little room to catch a breath as the story propels the
reader forward and on edge.
One of my chief complaints with “modern-era” comics is the hollowness of the account. This issue is meaty. Even as you’re led forward, the story has weight. While the pace is break-neck, at the end, you feel like you got a complete story, something that is rarely the case in more recent offerings.
As the centennial issue looms, this was a
perfect breather, albeit a frantic one, before the double-sized majesty of the
Queen of the Black Coast’s tragic conclusion.
On a scale of 1-10,
I’d rate this issue an 8. On eBay,
this issue generally is available for less than $10, and as low as $5.
Alba Gu Brath – Bob Freeeman
(aka The Occult Detective)
“It’s not land the Black Corsair spies from the crow’s nest of the Tigress, but a young woman, as beautiful as the light of dawn, standing in the middle of the ocean atop a giant lily pad. But is she a damsel in distress, or a siren with plans to lure Conan, Belit and their entire crew to a watery grave?”
(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) #98.)
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
While Robert E. Howard is best known for his literary creations like Conan the Barbarian, King Kull of Atlantis and Solomon Kane, the Cross Plains, Texas native was also a prolific poet. Hundreds of different rimes are attributed directly to him, and many of them were published posthumously.
The poem on which this issue is based, “Sea Woman”, was written by Howard but didn’t appear in print until 1970 in the anthology Singers in the Shadows by Donald M. Grant Publishing in 1970. It would be printed again in Glenn Lord’s 1976 novel The Last Celt.
It’s a haunting lyric, and it’s one of my favorites, second only to Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee”.
The appeal of this simple yet well-written issue lies both in Roy Thomas’ prose and in the art team of Buscema/Chan/Roussos. The siren trope is an old one, yet the art and panel layouts make this story come alive in vivid reality – it’s almost as if you are caught in the siren’s web yourself.
This is one of my favorite issues of Marvel’s original Conan series, and a welcome and very different one-off story allowing fans to catch their breath before the ending of Thomas’ adaptation of “Queen the Black Coast” in two issues.
Review: Conan the Barbarian #98
One of Belit’s corsairs raises the alarm from the crow’s nest. Conan, expecting a ship to loot, is surprised at the cause for alert. Scribe Roy Thomas describes the scene in the water with a description unlike any you’ll find in modern comics. It’s not a vessel to be looted on the horizon, it’s a person in the water off the prow of the ship.
“A woman, azure of flesh, and with free-flowing hair the color of some radiant type of seaweed…a woman, young and fair of face and form, who must by all rights have been lost off some tempest-tossed and pirate-sunk ship…yet who stands silent and nearly un-moving as a statue atop what seems a huge, bobbing lily pad…a thing which seems like a poor lifeboat indeed!”
– Roy Thomas, Conan the Barbarian #98
As the crew of the Tigress stares in awe and shock at the woman, Conan prepares to offer an apology to the man in the crow’s nest, acknowledging that he understands how ones eyes might “play tricks on them” at sea. The barbarian suggests leaving the woman in the water, thinking her to be a witch – but N’Yaga believes that she should be brought aboard and that he senses no evil in her.
A crew of corsairs is dispatched to bring the sea-woman aboard the Tigress. She is mute, although she often opens her mouth as if to speak.
One of the corsairs tries to give their new passenger a piece of jewelry, as he is awe-struck by her beauty; she shrugs it off, immediately offering it to Conan instead. Belit is not amused.
The voyage of the Tigress continues, and the raid of a Stygian vessel the next morning doesn’t allow the crew time to think about their new crew mate until Conan wanders alone – or seemingly alone – above deck as night falls. The sea-woman approaches Conan seductively, but mustering all of his strength, he brushes the beauty off, making his way to his true love Belit to clear his head.
As the Cimmerian walks away, the mysterious woman turns her attention to a lone corsair named B’Tumi who has come above deck. B’tumi approaches the pale blue-skinned lass and she once more opens her mouth yet no words can he heard.
The next morning M’Gora announces that their crewmate B’Tumi is missing, and as the crew searches for him, the sea-woman continues staring contentedly out to sea.
The sea-siren tries the same thing with a different corsair named Asambi the following night, only this time, Conan is on hand to observe the seduction.
To the barbarian’s horror, the blue-skinned woman begins her silent song and dives into the sea. Asambi follows, only to be caught in the siren’s kiss, drifting lifeless to the bottom of the sea.
Now, the sea-woman turns her attention to Conan and he can hear the words of her silent song – the lyrics to Howard’s poem! Taking his knife with him, Conan jumps into the sea, following the siren’s call.
Will our Cimmerian succumb to the siren’s melody, and who is the mysterious woman who lures men to their death with a song that only her intended victim can hear?
CAPSULE REVIEW: Wow. Just…wow. The entire creative team hits a home run with this issue. That’s an odd thing to say, as one-off stories are normally frustrating and an unwelcome distraction from a good ongoing story line.
The Buscema/Chan team certainly knows how to draw beautiful women. In panels where Belit and the sea-woman are side by side, it’s clear that the newcomer is much more attractive than the she-pirate, and she’s drawn beautifully herself.
George Roussos is a master colorist. I have mentioned in previous reviews how he nicely creates variations in skin color for the different tribes along the Black Coast, and there is no deviation here. The blue shades of the sea-woman are subtle and haunting, creating an ethereal look that adds a mysterious element to the writing and the other illustrations in the book.
Interestingly, an equal amount of the comic’s strength comes from what can be read between the lines and the panels. Conan has made it clear in many different issues that Belit is his true love – yet he is tempted also by the sea-woman. His resistance and ultimate decision to dive in the ocean after her lends a certain credence to the strength and power of her seductive spell.
This is an issue of Conan – and one of the rare one-off stories – that should be in any Conan comic book collection. While not heavily promoted by collectors or particularly sought after, it’s a tribute to the quality of comic book writing and art from days long past. Do not miss it.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d give this issue a solid 9.5.
“In an incredible role-reversal of the “damsel in distress” tale, Belit races against time to rescue her beloved barbarian from the clutches of the deadly Ajaga. Conan could breathe his last at the hands of this new and deadly foe if Belit is not in time, as even the beasts of the jungle obey the command of the Beast King of Abombi!”
(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, #97.)
By ANDY MAGLOTHIN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
We’re closing in on the 100th issue of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian and nearing the end of Roy Thomas’ memorable adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast” story. This issue concludes the “Beast King of Abombi” quartet (#94-97), and only two stand-alone yarns remain before the double-sized Conan extravaganza published originally in July 1979.
This issue is not just a good story by itself – in these pages, Roy Thomas subtly foreshadows the events to come as readers see the extent to which Belit will go to save her beloved. It’s something we will see again very soon, but the second occasion will be far more poignant.
Review: Conan the Barbarian #97
Conan the Barbarian #97
The opening scene shows Conan chained to a sacrificial rock in Abombi, as Ajaga stands ready to kill our Cimmerian, a leopard and serpent standing by to finish the job! Ajaga’s call beckons animals of all species to journey to the site of the barbarian’s sacrifice.
Waiting on the offering, Krato, Beeya and Ajaga’s other followers remain safely behind the symbol of Jhebbal Sag (which, as we learned in Conan the Barbarian #95, is used to control the animals).
Bêlit and Sholo, the black lion, travel through the catacombs of Abombi searching for Conan. Bêlit is concerned Sholo will attack her at any point, but her desire to find Conan outweighs her fears. She believes the lion is drawn to Ajaga’s call and following him will lead her to Ajaga and her beloved. As Bêlit and Sholo journey onward, she hears Ajaga’s chants echoing through the tunnel.
Bêlit and Sholo quietly sneak above Ajaga and leap into action to attack! Bêlit’s assault knocks Ajaga to the ground and he strikes his head against a rock as he falls. Sholo’s attack is rapidly halted by the sign of Jhebbal Sag.
Bêlit rushes over to release Conan as the Kushite warriors hurl spears at them with the (in)accuracy of Stormtroopers from the Galactic Empire, but then suddenly stop their assault. Conan and Bêlit discover they are surrounded by Kushites and the groggy Ajaga is surrounded by the animals he summoned.
Conan uses a potion to wash away part of the sign of Jhebbal Sag, which breaks the spell holding the animals at bay. The animals savagely attack Ajaga, and since the spell keeping them under control is gone, they savagely attack each other.
The melee confuses the Kushite warriors, allowing Bêlit to seize the opportunity to attack once more. Beeya and Krato attempt to retaliate, but Conan takes the offensive, knocking Beeya to the ground. Krato lunges at Conan but the lightning fast Sholo pounces on Krato. Krato shoves his spear deep into the lion’s chest but with his dying breath, Sholo clamps down on on Krato’s head.
Beeya urges the Kushite army to continue their attack against Conan, Bêlit and the Corsairs but to no avail. As the battle begins, Beeya understands the Kushites are outmatched and he escapes through the caves. A grieving Conan and Bêlit build a cairn of stones over Sholo’s body as they recall his loyalty to both Amra and Conan. Conan, Bêlit, and the Corsairs sail away on the Tigress leaving Abombi to the scattered Kushites.
CAPSULE REVIEW: An eye-catching cover features Ajaga, poised to slaughter a bound Conan as Bêlit springs into action to save her lover. The textures of the rock, flames, steel and animal skins make this scene come to life. John Buscema once again outdoes himself with background and detail.
This issue is an action packed, fast paced end to Ajaga’s torment of Conan and company. Roy Thomas pushes the reader into the tense action and soon to be final confrontation between Conan, Bêlit, and Ajaga. The author’s description of Ajaga’s call to the wild along with the animals’ focused journey paints the picture of the Beast-King’s power and influence over his environment. Thomas’ skill to switch scenes and characters quickly while still keeping a reader engaged once again confirms that he is a top-tier writer.
One of the most touching moments in this issue was Conan’s response to Sholo’s death. Conan states he does not understand why Sholo was so devoted to him and declares he will launch an arrow into the air anytime their ships pass by the cliffs of Abombi. A very powerful scene to those of us who have pets and love animals.
The Buscema / Chan team maintains the high level of artwork readers have come to expect. Their ability to provide shadow, texture, proportion, and depth are featured here. The fight scenes provide intensity and as much brutality as possible while still complying with the comic code. The scene where the animals turn on Ajaga has an Alfred Hitchcock air, and Buscema draws facial features well, relaying a character’s emotions in support of Thomas’ text.
This is a very good issue providing closure to the arc and a must have for any Conan fan. My minor gripes are the brevity of the fight scenes and inaccuracy of the Kushite warrior illustrations. I give it 8 Aquilonian Luna out of 10.
Do you enjoy Robert E. Howard's classic Cimmerian in comic book form? Join Paint Monk's Library bloggers, as we review all 275 issues of Marvel's original Conan the Barbarian series. New installments added regularly!
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August 23rd, 2019 
