“THE DEADLY TRAP IS SPRUNG AS “INTO THE CRUCIBLE” CONTINUES! CONAN, equipped with only his strength and wits, must survive the deadly traps of the Great Crucible! With a cadre of contestants against him, and only a local boy named DELIAN to translate, can anyone or any THING be trusted?! Who is really playing who…? “
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
Can we just get the negative out of the way first so I can enjoy waxing over what a fun comic this is? Do you mind? I absolutely loathe the standard cover for this issue. Understand, I am a E.M. Gist fan. His paintings, from classic Universal Monsters to Kolchak, Planet of the Apes, and more, all showcase brilliant work. But his Conan? Nope. Not working for me, even a little bit. Of course, my comic shop didn’t have the Tommy Lee Edwards variant cover, but it was only marginally better anyway.
What matters, though, is what comes after the cover, and here we get nineteen pages of well-executed storytelling from everyone on board.
I mentioned Jim Zub’s roleplaying roots being on display in my review of Part 1 of “Into the Crucible”. Part 2 is no different. I have described the story as Tomb of Horrors meets the Hyborian Age and that application still applies.
As a storyteller, Zub has a great sense of pacing and throughout this story line he is proving to be adept at building tension and suspense as well.
At the heart, “Into the Crucible” is proving to be a bit of a detective story hidden within a Murder Dungeon module from early TSR. Marginally reminiscent of Howard’s The God in the Bowl in that, there too, we had a similar genre-bending, and with a young Conan to boot.
D&D’s Tomb of Horrors meets The Hyborian Age in Zub and Antonio’s latest outing.
That may be my favorite aspect of Zub’s take, in that Conan is obviously quite young and new to the world outside of his Cimmerian homeland. It takes a deft hand to pull off that kind of characterization and Zub is nailing it.
As for the art, Roge Antonio’s style is well suited for this adventure. His facial expressions are very animate and articulate. He also has a great sense for movement and the art is narrative, telling the story admirably without the need of exposition.
Israel Silva’s colors are a great compliment to Antonio’s expert line work, with the warm colors and murky tones playing off one another to add to the overall composition.
The spirit in Conan the Barbarian #14 is clearly not Acererak.
On the surface, the story is simple, but the team has done a great job of adding layers and depth, with the most obvious example being the threat of an assassin their midst. I have a sense for who it is, but I’ll not spoil it for the rest of you.
The journey’s the thing, and this has been a thrilling one thus far. It certainly took my mind of COVID-19 for a bit.
Speaking if which, I hope you’re all staying safe out there. As long as we’re social distancing, what better way to pass the time than immersing one’s self in some Conan comics? Believe me, it’s how I am spending a lot of my time, to be sure.
Conan #14, Part 2 of “Into the Crucible” is well worth the price of admission. I would gladly toss it 8.5 skulls of my enemies.
January 22nd, 2020 Conan (2019), ReviewsComments Off on REVIEW: Serpent War Conclusion, Arc Are Both Misfires
“At last – AGNES, KANE, and MOON KNIGHT join CONAN in the Hyborian Age for the final showdown between SET, the WYRM, and…KHONSHU?!
JAMES ALLISON brought them together, but will KHONSHU tear them apart?
The thrilling conclusion to the ages-spanning saga that will have ramifications on the future of the assembled cast! A review of Conan: Serpent War #4.”
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
Crom, it pains me to write this review on the 114th Anniversary of Robert E. Howard’s birth.
If I were to sum up with one word a description of Conan: Serpent War, it would be disappointment. What started out so promising with issue one has slowly and steadily devolved into an almost bigger disappointment than Aaron and Asrar’s Conan the Barbarian run. Almost.
Let’s begin with Jim Zub, who I had all but crowned as the worthy successor to Roy Thomas. Jim, I love you, but this was a convoluted mess.
I held out hope that Zub would stick the landing, but it missed the mark by the proverbial country mile. I don’t get why everyone has suddenly decided to play off Conan as an idiot? Howard’s Conan was far from it, even in his youthful years. He was impulsive and stubborn, but stupid?
I’m sorry. I want to keep this professional, but this issue, this series, a series I praised at the onset, to have fallen apart in just four issues so badly…disappointment. Yeah, there it is.
Six different artists over four issues does not create continuity.
Do you know what might have helped this issue and the issues preceding it? Artistic continuity. Four issues – six artists. The only common thread being the James Allison bits by Vanesa del Rey, which I liked.
This issue we have Ig Guara who I have seen do some interesting work. Not here. It’s just… not good. It’s sloppy and brutish. It is a disappointment.
I just don’t want to be that guy. I get how tough this job can be. I get that both writer and artist sweat blood and tears for this, but I expect better than what was delivered. With a strange overarching and complicated plot, inconsistent artwork and poor characterizations of the heroes and villains is not how you deliver a product.
And that’s what we got.
I was hungrily anticipating Conan the Barbarian #13, the beginning of Jim Zub’s tenure on the flagship title. Now, I am apprehensive.
I thought I would have more to say about this issue, more about the mini-series as a whole… but what can you say? We knew from the start that Allison was being influenced by Wyrm. Was it supposed to be a twist to have Wyrm be the villain all along? That Set and Khonshu would become allies was something, but come on…
I like and respect Jim Zub, and therein lies the problem. I want him to succeed. I want to love his work. Most days, I do. This was a swing and a miss. It happens.
While I have no skulls to muster for this issue and my enemies are forced to lay upon the battlefield, their heads still attached to their wretched bodies, I will not give in to despair.
I believe in you, Jim Zub. I hope and pray to Crom (who does not listen, nor does he care) that your Conan will be everything we have longed for since Marvel regained the rights to the character. But for now, I will cleanse my palate with some Thomas and Buscema and wait for better days to come.
What did you think of Serpent War and its conclusion? Do you agree, or disagree? Share your thoughts below with one-click using your Facebook, Twitter or Gmail accounts.
“THE WRATH OF THE SERPENT GOD! WARRIORS ACROSS TIME DEFY THE ELDER GODS! JAMES ALLISON will soon die. But it’s not his first death. He’s lived many lives, in many places – lives he can recall in vivid detail. But when an Elder God called the WYRM reaches across time to James, an ages-spanning quest begins! The serpent god SET plans to usher in an eternity of darkness, and only the chosen warriors across time and space have a hope of stopping him: CONAN THE BARBARIAN, SOLOMON KANE, DARK AGNES, and the man known as MOON KNIGHT! In an unprecedented comics event, Robert E. Howard’s characters join forces along with Marvel’s Moon Knight, in an all-new saga built on REH and Marvel lore from across the ages!”
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
I have, almost unerringly, been against crossovers on principle, particularly when it comes to Conan of Cimmeria. When Marvel began to shoehorn the character into their four-color universe, I stood firmly against it. While there have been interesting moments, by and large, these stories have not worked for me on any level. Conan interacting with the Marvel Universe outside of a “What If?” simply was grating to my sensibilities. The same could be said of Robert E. Howard’s other literary creations… That is, until Jim Zub took the reins.
Conan: Serpent War #1 is a crowning achievement and my favorite comic so far in Marvel’s re-acquisition of the Howard properties.
By Crom, this is how one bloody does it. Future authors, take note.
Using Howard’s James Allison as catalyst and framing device, Zub carefully and meticulously introduces us to the protagonists in his tale. First, Allison, seemingly on his deathbed in 1936 Texas, reaching out across time & space to gather a collection of heroes — Hunter, Knight, Paladin, Fighter, and Adventurer — to combat an ancient and slithering evil called Set.
Yeah. I’m on board.
Allison is a brilliant choice as the instigator. As a 1930s era Texan who recalls his past lives as ancient heroes, the character is a perfect bridge between Niord Worm’s-Bane, Marc Spector/Moon Knight, Solomon Kane, Dark Agnes de Chastillon, and Conan of Cimmeria.
While, to be fair, Moon Knight’s inclusion seems an odd pairing with a collection of Howard creations, I never once felt myself pulled from the narrative. Zub’s words carried the weight, and by freely adapting Howard’s own prose to the page, made the transitions seamless and intoxicating.
I’ve not had this much fun reading a comic in a long time.
Each of Robert E. Howard’s creations rang true, and that is the real test. Kane and Agnes felt lifted right off of Howard’s typewriter and dropped onto the comic page. And Conan himself? Yeah, that’ll do.
As for the nuts and bolts of the issue, the art is fairly solid. While uneven at times, Scot Eaton and Scott Hanna perform admirably, but it is the James Allison sequences by Vanesa del Rey and Jean-Francois Beaulieu that are the most eye-catching, projecting mystical surrealism that elevates the overall work.
Eaton and Hanna’s Conan is the weakest of the characters depicted, but the characterization is right and can be forgiven in the short term.
All in all, I count this as a major success that spotlights Jim Zub’s creative talents and bodes well not only for the rest of Serpent War but for Zub’s 2020 turn on Conan the Barbarian, beginning with issue #13.
As for the 1-10 skulls of my enemies…Crom, take them all. I am well satiated.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: A special thank you to Jim for answering my questions and taking the time to do so, and a special shout-out to the Marvel bullpen editorial folks who allowed this interview to move forward! Both this monk and our loyal readers are looking forward to this new chapter in the Conan the Barbarian saga!)
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
Following Jason Aaron’s 12-issue story arc “The Life and Death of Conan,” Marvel writer Jim Zub will be picking up the scripting duties on Marvel’s flagship Conan title beginning with Conan the Barbarian #13.
Like Aaron, Zub has a healthy resume already at the House of Ideas, where he’s scripted fan-favorites like The Champions, Avengers: No Road Home, and the Mystery in Madripoor mini-series featuring Wolverine. He’s also the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award, which he won in 2018, and is a two-time Harvey Award nominee.
Jim graciously agreed to an interview with Paint Monk’s Library in anticipation of his Conan the Barbarian series premiere.
***
WALLY MONK
So your first comic, Makeshift Miracle, came out in 2001. At the time you had your first comic published, what were your goals in the industry? Had comics always been something you were interested in? Can you share the beginnings of your journey in the industry, and what led you from there to your current gigs at Marvel?
JIM ZUB
“I grew up as an avid comic reader but, to be honest, I didn’t consider it a viable career path for a long time. As far as I could tell the only people who were making a go of it in comics were based in the U.S. (especially New York) or were brilliant and British. My knowledge of Canadian comic creators was limited and, even then, I just didn’t see how people made their way into the business.
My post-secondary education was in Classical Animation and that was originally where I expected to work. I wanted to be a Disney animator or work on other animated productions. It was a creative goal, but one that seemed reasonable. I could get focused training and be one of a few dozen names that scrolled by during the credits.
As soon as I got out into the business, I could feel the animation industry shifting under my feet. Computer animation was rapidly overtaking traditional production methods and I felt like I was out of date almost as soon as I began. The first couple of industry jobs I got were fine, but at an entry-level you don’t have much creative input, so I felt like a cog in the machine. Makeshift Miracle was a creative outlet I worked on in the evenings. It was a way to make my own story without interference. I slowly taught myself Photoshop and basic HTML so I could post up pages online a few times per week. That would connect me to the growing webcomic community and build my excitement for comics all over again.
When animation freelance work slowed down, I originally planned to go back to school for computer animation, but instead an opportunity popped up to join UDON, an art studio full of illustrators and animators who were working on concept designs, advertising art, and comics. Through the studio, I learned a ton about publishing, storytelling, project management, conventions, and marketing. It was the kind of energizing place where the more you put into the job the more opportunities you could take on and I really dove in with both feet. Over time I realized that at the heart of all these projects I was involved with, the stuff that really engaged me was story development. I wrote a few stories at the studio when clients needed a writer and would eventually take what I learned to help me launch Skullkickers at Image.
Skullkickers was an action-comedy built from the things I loved about sword & sorcery stories like Conan and Dungeons & Dragons. I didn’t put it out intending it to be an “audition” for more writing work, but that’s eventually what it became. As I started freelance writing for other comic companies (Dynamite, IDW, DC and eventually Marvel), the experiences I had working at UDON meant I understood the whole publishing pipeline and could anticipate what editors needed. That has served me well right through to the present day.”
In 2010, your series Skullkickers ran an amazing thirty-four issues at Image, and was followed by Wayward, described by some as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer set in Japan.” You also wrote Samurai Jack for IDW. It’s clear you have a fondness for stories in Eastern settings. What inspired that fondness? It’s interesting your first adventure on the Conan title takes place in Khitai!
JIM ZUB
“Sword & Sorcery is definitely my jam, with Conan and D&D at the heart of my fandom for the genre. Skullkickers was me trying to take the strange unexpected turns that happen in D&D game sessions and attach them to a very pulpy and weird Conan-style story.
In the early-mid nineties I was still in high school when my brother came home to visit from university and brought a bunch of Japanese animation and comics he was getting into. That really opened me up to the variety of comic stories being published in Japan and keyed me into Japanese mythology as well. I found it really fascinating as I dug into the similarities and differences between Japan’s myths and the Euro or Greco-Roman myths I was used to. Years later I would travel to Japan a few times on business trips for the UDON studio and that reignited my excitement for those myths all over again.
Classic samurai stories share a lot of connective tissue with pulp fantasy tales like we see in Conan – Characters venturing into the unknown to confront threats way out of their league or heroes choosing between the bonds of duty and the chaos of freedom. It’s all pretty primal stuff.
As far as taking Conan to Khitai, it wasn’t an intentional riff on things I’ve done before, it was more about finding places where a lot of Conan stories hadn’t already been told. With hundreds of Conan comic stories already out there, I’m feeling the pressure to try and strike a balance between the familiar tropes, the stuff about the genre I absolutely love, and the unexpected. Putting Conan in different environments is a way to shake things up a bit without losing the heart of what makes him so great.”
WALLY MONK
In addition to Japanese-influenced work, you tackled four different Dungeons and Dragons comic series for IDW. Are you an RPG gamer? Were you familiar with D&D before taking on the projects at IDW? And how will your previous work in fantasy influence your take on Conan?
Dungeons & Dragons: Evil At Baldur’s Gate was one of several D&D comic series Jim wrote for IDW.
JIM ZUB
“I’m a lifelong D&D player. I started playing D&D when I was 8-years old. It became a way to bond with my older brother and carries a ton of great memories for me. I even did a TEDx Talk about how D&D has influenced my creative career (link).
“One of the challenges I’m enjoying is making sure my writing on Conan feels very different from my writing on D&D. Fantasy is not homogenized approach and two fantasy properties I really like can and should be unique.”
Jim Zub – Paint Monk’s Library Interview
Getting the chance to write D&D comic stories has been a dream come true, but I’m quite conscious that D&D is not Conan. D&D was influenced by the work of Robert E. Howard, but it also carries strains of Fritz Leiber, H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, Poul Anderson, Michael Moorcock, J.R.R. Tolkien and a slew of others. It’s a high fantasy/low fantasy mash-up built on a miniature wargaming engine that has grown and changed in many ways over the years, building its own look and feel that changes with the settings and each new edition of the rules. I love D&D, but it is its own thing.”
WALLY MONK
Unlike many comic book characters, Conan is what some might consider a legacy character. His background was established by Robert E. Howard, and people – especially hard-core REH fans – are very critical of new interpretations of the Cimmerian. Conan is not like other Marvel characters who have been killed off and brought back, or changed repeatedly with reboots or relaunches. What is your vision for Conan in light of such history and his often critical yet loyal fan base?
JIM ZUB
“You’re absolutely right that Conan is a legacy character with very specific characterization at different points in his adventuring ‘career’. Like Howard says, he has ‘gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth’. I want to try and evoke that feeling of plunging readers into a sweeping adventure against crazy odds with brutal action.
Part two of the “Conan the Gambler” storyline in Savage Sword of Conan.
For me, Conan stories have particular elements that make them special. Many of my favorite Conan stories are about morally dubious miscreants struggling to survive in a mad world they will never fully understand. They’re about good people making bad choices, warriors fighting against insane odds, and misplaced courage. The kind of misplaced courage that makes you look death in the face and laugh.
I love the feeling of mystery inherent in the Hyborian Age. Magic is not about casting spells or destined heroes with prophesized magic items, it’s forbidden secrets unleashing curses and creatures that can only be stopped by an indomitable will and a strong arm swinging cold steel.
Conan the Gambler, the 3-part Savage Sword story I did this summer, is as good a preview as I could give of what I enjoy and what I’m hoping to keep rolling as I take over the flagship series – Conan in over his head, using wits and a wicked blade to take on everything he comes up against.”
WALLY MONK
In light of my last question – and I’m not asking you to bite the hand that feeds you here (winking at Marvel) – but how do you respond as a newer Conan writer to critical fans who are not happy with Conan showing up in the mainstream Marvel universe?
And how do you think you can make a “believer” out of fans who are not embracing a new take on Conan’s adventures? Is there a way to “bridge the gap” between older fans not willing to budge on classical interpretations of Conan and newer fans hoping for something new and untried?
JIM ZUB
“I wrote Conan meeting the Avengers in No Road Home because we were asked by Marvel editorial if we could do it and I figured I could make it feel like the classic Conan comics I grew up with. Selfishly, I also wanted to write the character again (I’d previously co-wrote him with Gail Simone in Conan Red Sonja back in 2015) and felt I could do him justice even in the weird situation of him getting mixed up with superheroes.
That first issue where he shows up (Avengers: No Road Home #6) is a straight-up sword & sorcery tale as Conan travels across Stygia with the Scarlet Witch. I did my damnedest to bring them into his world instead of “fish out of water” stuff in modern Marvel Earth. That’s also why we ended that story by depositing Conan in the Savage Land. It felt like the most pulp-appropriate place to set up future adventures.
Conan travels Stygia with the Scarlet Witch in Avengers: No Road Home #6.
Gerry Duggan’s been writing Conan’s adventures in Marvel Earth over in Savage Avengers and obviously I’ve been keeping up on it. Gerry’s done a nice job at keeping the character intact and consistent even in some really strange circumstances, so my hat’s off to him for that. I might have hesitated in spots where he’s gone for the team-up gusto.
Personally, I prefer Conan in the Hyborian Age so that’s where my focus is. In the upcoming Conan: Serpent War mini-series, he stays in the Hyborian Age and the other characters come to him to complete their quest. In Conan the Barbarian, he won’t be teaming up with forces outside of classic sword & sorcery. Barbarian is the pure Hyborian Age series, just like it always has been. In other series or places, I think it’s fine to experiment, but keeping that spot carved out for pure Hyborian adventure is important to me, and I know it’s important to the fans too. I hope REH fans give my run a try and support that vision of the character.”
Conan: Serpent War #1 hits stands on December 4th, 2019.
WALLY MONK
Roy Thomas is considered by many to be the consummate Conan writer in comics. Others that have taken up the torch, like Tim Truman, have done a commendable job with the character. In light of this, was being selected to take on Conan intimidating? How do you view your work on Conan when considering the previous scribes who have taken on the title?
JIM ZUB
“It’s absolutely intimidating! The whole thing is surreal at times. They’re called “dream projects” because you don’t actually ever think the dream will become reality, but here we are. I feel a lot of pressure to try and measure up to the kinds of stories that have influenced me so much. In October, I had the chance to meet Roy Thomas at Paris Comic Con and in private conversation I let him know I was taking over the series. He was incredibly kind and it made my whole trip extra-special.
I wish I could say I have the perfect characterization that will please old fans and new, but all I can do is write Conan the way I feel works and hopefully, it hits the mark for the majority of readers.
Conan isn’t a character who needs radical reinvention, but it’s also important to try and steer clear of clichés that have become too well worn. Putting him in new locales, brainstorming unexpected threats, it’s all a way for me to try and honor the character’s legacy but also not endlessly recycle what has been done before. Will I succeed? Only one way to find out…”
WALLY MONK
Your three-issue arc “Conan the Gambler” was well received and hopefully was a preview of what you’ll be doing in the new series. Can you give us at “Paint Monk’s Library” an exclusive hint of something we can look forward to in your time with Conan the Barbarian?
JIM ZUB
“The Gambler distilled a lot of the elements I love about Conan stories and the response from readers has been really heartfelt. It’s even more special now since it went over just as well with the Conan license holders and started me on the path to taking over the flagship series.
Into The Crucible is the first of a series of connected stories of Conan in his younger days. He’s the more headstrong Conan we see in The Tower of the Elephant or The Frost Giant’s Daughter. He’s venturing further than he’s ever gone before and the exotic locales he treks through are steeped in opulence, opportunity, and otherworldly danger.
The cover to Conan the Barbarian #13 with art by E.M. Gist.
Variant cover artwork for Conan the Barbarian #13 by Toni Infante.
In a city in Uttara Kuru, Conan joins a wild celebration underway but doesn’t know the local language or customs, so that revelry takes a dark turn and puts him in a life or death contest called The Crucible Tournament. He needs to figure out who he can trust and a way out before everyone gets sacrificed to the warped whims of a dark god.
I love putting Conan out of his comfort zone and far from the places he knows. The Demon’s Den in the Gambler story was a place where Conan didn’t have control and didn’t know what might happen next. Now it’s whole countries filled with the strange and the sublime – Beautiful women, vast treasures, and bloody vengeance are all coming up.”
WALLY MONK
Thanks, Jim, for taking the time to share your thoughts with me and library readers. I have one last question – and it’s a personal one. Savage Avengers began in the Savage Land, and personally, I’m hopeful Conan might return there at some point. Since Conan is headed in many different directions in different Marvel titles, is there any chance he’ll cross paths with Ka-Zar, Shanna or Zabu? That would make this monk smile.
JIM ZUB
“I wish I could definitively answer that for you, but I really don’t know. That’s a question for Gerry Duggan or Saladin Ahmed since they’re now handling Conan stories where he’s interacting with Marvel Earth. Right now, my sights are firmly set on the Hyborian Age.
One last thing – I’m not trying to give people the hard sell, but I do want to stress that starting a new run with issue #13 is tougher than a new #1, so it’s extra important that readers let their local comic retailers know that they want to get on board. Please read Conan the Barbarian #13-17 and let us know if we deliver the goods. I would love to build out a long and healthy run on a book that has meant so much to me, but I can only do that with reader and retailer support.”
***
FEBRUARY 2020 – INTO THE CRUCIBLE AS THE MARCH TO KHITAI BEGINS!
“Conan has faced many foes since leaving Cimmeria, but the greatest challenge lies ahead! A perfect jumping-on point for new readers as Conan finds himself in a city in the mystical Uttara Kuru, further on the eastern border than the young barbarian has ever traveled. And with the new city comes new dangers! Unfamiliar with the language, Conan inadvertently agrees to be the latest entrant to the Great Crucible. The people of the city support their foreign champion…but what deadly traps does the Crucible hold, and what will Conan sacrifice to overcome his ordeal?”
Writer JIM ZUB (SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) and artist ROGÊ ANTONIO (CONAN 2099, X-MEN RED) lead Conan on an all-new journey, as we begin a new era for CONAN THE BARBARIAN into undiscovered country!
November 12th, 2019 By Wally Monk, NewsComments Off on NEWS: Jim Zub Tackles Conan – Dark Agnes Debuts 2/20
These days, you’ll get both good and bad coming out of the House of Ideas. February 2020 brings us certainly much of the former and potentially some of the latter.
Today, on the Pull List YouTube podcast it was announced that Jim Zub will be taking the reins of Conan the Barbarian after Jason Aaron’s “Life and Death of Conan” story line wraps up with issue #12.
Cover for Conan the Barbarian #13 (by E.M. Gist)
“A NEW ARC BY JIM ZUB & ROGÊ ANTÔNIO – INTO THE CRUCIBLE AS THE MARCH TO KHITAI BEGINS! Conan has faced many foes since leaving Cimmeria, but the greatest challenge lies ahead! A perfect jumping-on point for new readers as Conan finds himself in a city in the mystical Uttara Kuru, further on the eastern border than the young barbarian has ever traveled. And with the new city comes new dangers! Unfamiliar with the language, Conan inadvertently agrees to be the latest entrant to the Great Crucible. The people of the city support their foreign champion…but what deadly traps does the Crucible hold, and what will Conan sacrifice to overcome his ordeal?
Writer JIM ZUB (SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) and artist ROGÊ ANTÔNIO (CONAN 2099, X-MEN RED) lead Conan on an all-new journey, as we begin a new era for CONAN THE BARBARIAN into undiscovered country!”
For those of us who enjoyed Zub’s three-part story arc “Conan the Gambler” this is certainly good news. Now brace yourself for the potential train wreck, but let’s keep our fingers crossed that Marvel has learned something from Age of Conan: Belit and it’s successor, Age of Conan: Valeria.
Here comes Dark Agnes #1.
Cover of Dark Agnes #1 by Stephanie Hans
“Forced into an arranged marriage, Agnes de Chastillon took matters into her own violent hands to free herself from the yoke of a life she never wanted. Now, the woman known as DARK AGNES, along with her mercenary partner ETIENNE VILLIERS, make their way through 16th century France as sell-swords on their way to join the wars in Italy, where the real money is! But when Etienne is captured by the DUKE OF ALENCON’s forces and set for execution, it’s up to Dark Agnes to save the day! But what evil designs are being enacted on Agnes, and will she doom herself by saving Etienne? An all-new story following up Robert E. Howard’s tales, the swashbuckling saga of DARK AGNES in Marvel Comics starts here!”
Dark Agnes #1 is written by Becky Cloonan with artwork by Luca Pizzari. I can’t say that the cover looks promising – rather, it looks as if this comic might be geared to younger female readers. While appealing to different audiences isn’t a bad thing, I think its safe to say that veteran Conan readers (especially those approaching middle-age) might be getting the same fare we received in both Age of Conan mini-series.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. I don’t want to judge a book by its cover, but I’ve been let down twice already.
For more information on Marvel’s February 2020 releases, you can watch the whole Pull List You Tube video here.
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.
July 10th, 2019 Conan (2019), ReviewsComments Off on REVIEW: Zub, Zircher Present Classic Conan in SSoC #7
*Spoiler Alert! A Review of Savage Sword of Conan (2019) #7*
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
It’s taken nearly a half year of hit-and-miss issues from two Conan the Barbarian series; a Belit mini-event that would make even casual Conan fans run for DC Comics like the Flash; and two omnibus releases. But this week, the team of Jim Zub and Patch Zircher seems to finally have nailed down Howard’s vision in an issue reminiscent of comics from years long gone.
“Conan the Gambler” is the first issue in a three-part story arc, and it begins as many Conan comics do – the Cimmerian stumbles across an outnumbered victim being robbed. It doesn’t take a heady plot to create a good Conan story, and in this case, the trope is well-used but effective.
The victim Conan rescues is a man named Maraudus Mathir, a foreign merchant engaged in a trade war with another dangerous peddler named Kero, dubbed “Kero the Callous.”
With Conan serving as Maraudus’ bodyguard, the pair enter the casino/bordello/tavern known as Demon’s Den. The two merchants caustically agree to settle their differences in a game of cards.
But what will happen when the Cimmerian is left “holding the proverbial bag” and all alone?
CAPSULE REVIEW: After the first few pages of dialogue, it’s clear that writer Jim Zub “gets it.” He’s familiar with the world of Conan, and he knows how to write the barbarian effectively even using common themes. It’s a far cry from what we have been served thus far in Conan’s numerous outings this year.
The art of Patch Zircher is a welcome relief and marvelously rendered, with extremely detailed backgrounds that (dare I say) come close to those of the late great John Buscema. That’s high praise, perhaps undeserved at this point, yet I hope his attention to detail continues as the story arc progresses. Colorist Java Tartaglia’s work lends a more modern look to the tale, but it helps strike the perfect balance between presenting a true Classic Conan and a modern barbarian story that draws inspiration from the classics.
If you haven’t picked up any issues of Conan since Marvel reacquired the property in January, I’d heartily recommend starting with this issue. Heck, pick up the variant covers too. Let’s give this creative team all of the support we can, and hope that Marvel recognizes that they’ve finally tapped into the Conan many older fans know and love.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate this issue an 8.5. The pacing is slow, and as most modern comics, this tale could have been merely a few pages of a Thomas/Buscema issue. However, the feel is right, and Conan is easily recognizable here to fans of Howard and the original series.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
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