Review by Ian Keogh
This second 21st century anthology of Conan’s adventures in black and white opens with an introduction from Jim Zub about Conan creator Robert E. Howard’s concept of the Black Stone. Zub’s been using it in the ongoing Conan colour series, and his introduction makes it seem as if the opening story will unite Howard’s assorted protagonists from across the centuries. Instead we’re supplied with a nine page prologue to the colour graphic novel Battle of the Black Stone. It seems deceitful, but this collection’s opening third introduces the characters who’ll unite with Conan there.
The standout is the Solomon Kane story from Patrick Zircher, sadly the only one this time. Kane’s comics appearances have generally promised so much more than they delivered, but Zircher’s thoughtful plots and spectacular art have bucked that trend. ‘Blood From a Stone’ again confronts Kane with something beyond his understanding in one respect, yet as he views the world in terms of what’s godly and ungodly his path is clear.
Only Mike Perkins’ magnificent art introducing El Borak otherwise makes a mark among the new introductions, brief and atmospheric, but a standard fantasy outing from Ron Marz.
‘The Ensorcelled’ is the volume’s epic, and exemplifies a problem with formatting. Why is a story running beyond ninety pages over two parts presented as it was in the serialised magazines rather than being combined? What’s the logic of that?
It opens with Conan capturing a witch, although it’s a close thing, and is set during Conan’s time as a king, signified by Geof Isherwood (sample art) drawing him as still powerful, but bearded and looking older. Isherwood once assisted Barry Windsor Smith, for some still Conan’s defining artist, so occasional hints of that style emerge and Isherwood’s design for more unusual people is notable. Jason Aaron’s plot mixes political diplomacy with prejudice and witchcraft as an unusually tolerant Conan travels abroad. There’s some clumsily inserted backstory, although to be fair to Aaron it’s true to Howard’s writing style, but Aaron’s primary cast are all interesting, and he places Conan in credibly dangerous and unusual situations. He also drops a clever idea toward the end accounting for Conan having seen off so many sorcerers in the past.
Unlike the opening volume, not all the art captivates. Andy Belanger’s choice of a wide-eyed manga look, albeit not on a Conan strip, doesn’t suit, and the figures and perspective of Dan Parsons are mightily suspect. On the other hand, with Isherwood, Piotr Kowalski, Perkins and Zircher the artistic balance is very much toward quality and Aaron and Zircher’s strips accounting for over half the pages mark this as a collection not to be missed by Conan fans, if not quite as strong as Vol. 1.
