Review: Conan the Barbarian #2

STORY

I have to say right away I love the fact that this comic starts with the old blurb that gives you a little insight into the world of Conan , describing “an age undreamed of”“. Right away I can hear the score from the epic Schwarzenegger film of the 80s and I’m already in the proper fram of mind to enjoy a rousing tale of sword and sorcery. This is followed by a map of the known world and a recap of the story thus far. I have everything I need to dive right into this book now, without even ever having heard the name Conan the Barbarian before.

Jason Arron crafts a story worthy of Conan author Robert E. Howard himself but perhaps even more impressively that of frequent fantasy comic author Roy Thomas. Howard’s tales of Conan were often shots put into volumes as anthologies and later fleshed out by other writers. Aaron does a fine job of mining the themes of many of those Conan tales to give us a deep look into not just Conan but one of his frequent enemies, the Picts. Conan is off seeking vengeance on the Picts for the massacre of Aquilonian settlers. A man of some chivalry and honor, Conan is incensed by the brutal killings of even the women and children in their beds by the savages. With rage burning in his heart Conan tries to extinguish this flame in Pict blood. Conan cuts a bloody swath through the jungle until falling in battle against several giant snakes. He awakes to find his wounds tended by a Pict shaman. Conan is needed to slay the scourge of these snakes and agrees to do so to pay off the life debt he now owes the Shaman.

In all my years of reading Conan in novel or comic format I have never read a story that gave the point of view of the Picts and Aaron does this brilliantly. Though bound in the fight against a common foe Conan and the tribe hate each other with good reason but time spent in blood and battle together draws these enemies together slowly and a mutual respect is soon discovered. Even more Conan is reminded of his own wildling nature by both the Shaman challenging him intellectually and the simple life of the tribesmen. In time both sides come to accept the other as true comrades, and yet when the serpents are finally defeated Conan is determined to return to live amongst the civilized men. The Shaman offers Conan a place with the tribe, with people closer to his own nature warning him that he will never find happiness amidst the Aquilonians but Conan is determined to forge his own destiny come what may.

Howard would often give insights into Conan’s struggles as a barbarian dealing with the civilized corners of the wider world and Aaron takes me right back to those old stories with this one. He expertly recaptures that Conan and translates him into the comic book medium while expanding on these ideas in a most satisfying way. His Conan is everything Conan is meant to be: savage, brooding, honorable, stoic and even joyous. He is everything I’ve ever remembered or liked about Conan and more.

ART

The art is really great, going for a realistic fantasy style. Conan is gigantic and powerful, glaring, fierce and sullen at times. The Picts designs are a nice blend of Native American and South American tribes in aesthetic. The weapons and armor used are appropriate, no Final Fantasy buster swords here. It adds a certain realistic believability to a setting where giant snakes slither about. More importantly it adds to the stakes of the story as there are no magic swords to save anyone. The colors compliment the art perfectly adding clarity or helping to establish the setting or creating the mood of the moment.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Without a doubt this is comic worthy of the old Conan Marvel comics by creators like Thomas and Buscema. 5 out of 5!

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Conan the Barbarian: The Life and Death of Conan Part Two
Writer: Jason Aaron
Art: Mahmud Asrar
Colors: Mathew Wilson
Letterer: Travis Lanham

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