Review by Ian Keogh
When Titan Comics acquired the rights to Conan the Barbarian in 2023, they dived in with their boots on. Not only did they supply new Omnibus editions of out of print 1970s masterpieces, they also continued with new collections from where the previous editions left off. That’s in addition to a regular colour Conan title and reviving Conan’s black and white magazine, unseen since the cancellation of the original run in 1995. It’s serious commitment.
If there’s any doubt that quality might not match good intentions, it’s surely dispelled by Max von Fafner’s opening page of art (sample left) showing Conan’s army on the march accompanied by elephants and lions. It gets even better as John Arcudi’s story pits Conan against a dinosaur, and delivers a twisting story of greed and deceit. This is the stuff. This is what we want.
Jim Zub and Richard Pace’s contribution begins with Conan clawing himself from his grave, and as it continues features greater sorcery than sword as Conan recovers from injury over a period of months knowing he’s surrounded by creatures of darkness. Pace’s art is effective, taking its lead from John Buscema during peaceful moments, but more expressionistic when the threats manifest. It’s a very slow burn.
Cary Nord has previously drawn Conan, but adopts a different style with greater definition and delicate tones, while Frank Tieri’s plot drops a massive surprise within the first few pages. It presents Conan with a seemingly inescapable trap, and that’s saying something considering he was earlier buried alive. It’s an engaging story, but the trap is all too easily resolved.
On other fantasy projects Alan Quah’s work has been something of wonder, yet on a wordless short he both writes and draws it’s good, but not astonishing, with an angular sculpted Conan lured into a trap and discovering a monster. It’s the sort of bread and butter fantasy the feature thrives on, but not greatly memorable.
Three lengthy Conan stories and one short are accompanied by three chapters featuring Solomon Kane, a Puritan wandering the British Isles around the 17th century. Patrick Zircher’s tale might better have been presented continuously instead of the chapters separating the longer Conan stories, but that’s being picky. Zircher’s art may be overlooked in the stellar company, but it’s rich and detailed with excellent composition presenting a work ethic Kane himself would applaud in showing an unholy beast on the loose in Wales. This is a story very much raised to compelling by the methods of telling.
More than half this collection is excellent, and beyond Conan’s first few years in comics, how often can that honestly be said?
