As with any other retelling of Conan the Barbarian in comics, it seems the done thing to do is try and emulate the writing style of Robert E Howard as much as possible. After all, one can surmise, his writing style was a huge part of Conan’s initial success so why fix something that ain’t broke, right? And so it is here too, with writer Jim Zub more than up to the challenge, having initially built his name in this genre with his hilarious riff on the genre he loves so much with Skull Kickers. And so we have the bombastic prosaic style that is as much a trope of sword and sorcery as any other well-trodden element, and one Zub is fluent in. I cannot think of too many other writers suited to this gig and as such his wiring makes this immediately engaging as much as the artwork of Rob De La Torre.
And, I have no doubt many will pick this new Titan Comics’ series up for the promise the art offers. A style more than reminiscent of John Buscema, the quintessential Conan artist for many. The whole affair is, in many ways, a love letter to the Marvel Age of Conan the Barbarian, and will transport many fans back in time on a nostalgia-filled high. All-in-all then, a hugely promising start to this new chapter in Conan’s life as we once more focus on his early adventures as a young, carefree warrior finding his way in a savage world filled with foreboding danger and sensual, forbidden promise.
This free issue, then, is the prefect primer for anyone thinking about picking up this new series and if you were successful in grabbing your copy this past FCBD, I would imagine any hesitation you might have has been well and truly quashed. From the evidence of this comic alone, the new Conan the Barbarian series promises to be epic on all fronts. Epic storytelling, epic art and epic adventures across a land that time forgot. As well as being evocative of Buscema, the dynamic layouts – particularly the double page montages capturing Conan’s varied adventures in far away climes – there is a sniff of Alex Raymond too. All creating an art style that is a throwback to the high art of early American comic strips like Raymond’s Flash Gordon, thereby better evoking the era Conan was originally written for.
From cover-to-cover this thrills and excites with a scintillating script and outstanding, evocative art that pays tribute to the greats of the past while forging its own bold new era of recounting stories and adventures old and new.
After reading this sampler issue, it’s clear to one and all that Conan the Barbarian is in safe and caring hands. July, and the first official issue cannot come quick enough now.
Conan The Barbarian #0 FCBD 2023 is out now from Titan Comics
As with any other retelling of Conan the Barbarian in comics, it seems the done thing to do is tryCOMICONRead More