COMIC REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian #25
I love me some good old-fashioned sword and sorcery (and its many subgenre offshoots, as Forgotten Lives readers will almost certainly have realized). So it's been great digging through the new run of Conan the Barbarian comics from Titan Comics — and the latest issue, landmark issue #25, is a special treat.
This 48-page edition features a story that's extra special both narratively and artistically. Fans of the Cimmerian will love this new narrative about Conan the King, as he faces down a mysterious Nomad who sets him a daunting task. Look forward to callbacks to numerous legendary stories from the Conan canon. And Jim Zub's story is admirably complemented by Alex Horley's mind-blowing art... all oil-painted, mind you.
In addition to The Nomad, there's an excellent essay by Jeffrey Shanks on Robert E. Howard's original stories: specifically, the fact that he tended to hop around across Conan's timeline, following his own anecdotes and building out the legend piecemeal from there. As much as I love the comics themselves, these thoughtful analyses of the stories that inspire these new adventures are always enlightening. For people like me who want to study the stories they love in addition to exploring them, these are must-have inclusions.
Naturally, there's plenty of extra material: process images, alternate covers, and an interview with Alex Horley about his work on The Nomad.
25 is a landmark number for this series, and Titan isn't doing anything by halves. This story is a worthy anniversary installment, paying tribute to Conan's history with every new panel. If you're new to the saga, it's an eye-popping way to start; if you're a long-time fan, you'll be delighted at just how deep the references go.
About the Author
0 comments