Wonder Woman/Conan #6 - A Review

Diana has returned home to Themyscira, but she cannot help but feel guilt for leaving the warrior Conan behind to fight the battle she helped to start. Still, Conan is armed with The Lasso of Hestia, but will even that enable him to face an army of darkness alone and save a single city? And will he truly have to fight alone?


Wonder Woman/Conan #6 proves a perfect conclusion to one of the most enjoyable mini-series in recent memory. There's little for me to say about the series beyond this without sounding like a broken record. Great art. Great story. And if The Powers That Be at Marvel Comics have a damn lick of sense, they'll recruit Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti to helm their new Conan book in 2019.

The Final Analysis: 9/10. 

Wonder Woman/Conan #5 - A Review

The good news is that Diana's sisters on Themyscira have finally located just where in time and space their princess has become lost. The bad news is that their window of opportunity to save her is limited. Now, as a band of Amazons enter the world of Hyboria, Diana and Conan must struggle to survive a while longer as they plot just how two shall save many from a duo of blood-thirsty war goddesses.

There is little I can say about this issue that will not spoil it's rather shocking and historic conclusion. I can say that if you're a fan of Wonder Woman's supporting cast and miss the many Amazons that used to be a regular part of the series... or wished we had seen more of the Amazons in the Wonder Woman and Justice League movies, you would do well to check out this issue. Simone and Lopresti are knocking it out of the park and if there's any justice in this world they'll be brought on to handle Conan's adventures when he moves to Marvel Comics in 2019.

The Final Analysis: 10/10.

Wonder Woman/Conan #4 - A Review

Free from the slave ship that would have been their watery grave, Conan and the mystery woman he calls Yanna have returned to the town which saw them made into gladiator slaves. Two blood-thirsty goddesses have sworn to destroy the city for their refusal to fight to the death and Yanna cannot abide such a thought. Conan is less concerned, but agreeable to aiding the woman... provided he gets a much needed drink first.

Hilarity ensues as the two endure hangovers, over-amorous barmaids, marriage proposals, indecent proposals and the inevitable bar-fight, as "Yanna" begins to recall something of her past and who she truly is...


There are some who object to the idea behind Wonder Woman/Conan on general principle. More may likely join that group based on this issue's revelation that "Yanna" is unable to handle strong drink as well as Conan. I say this is a hilarious comic and that Gail Simone is doing a fantastic job capturing the essence of both characters, giving us a Conan who possess the same dry wit seen in Robert Howard's original stories.The artwork is equally fantastic, making this one enjoyable book.

The Final Analysis: 8 out of 10.

Wonder Woman/Conan #3 - A Review

Free of the slave ship that was their prison but now stranded at sea without provisions, Conan and his newfound companion - who he believes to be Yanna, a lost love from his youth - face a slow and lingering death. The eyes of the gods are upon them, however, but the salvation of one will require the doom of the other or else unleash greater suffering yet on an innocent town!

Halfway done and it's still no clearer than when it started if Yanna - the girl from a tribe of all women, whom Conan remembers from his youth - is the Diana we all know and love. In the end, it matters little, but the mystery and the related flashback story is an intriguing bonus to the epic tale that Gail Simone spins of how "the two greatest warriors of this or any age" were brought together by bored gods for the sake of a wager.

Robert E. Howard purists may blanch at the idea of gods taking such an active role in the world of Hyboria, but the tale is well within the oeuvre of Roy Thomas' Conan tales and works well on those terms. Throw in the fantastic artwork of Aaron Lopresti, the well-balanced inks of Matt Ryan and a vivid color job by Wendy Broome and this is one comic worthy of both the Conan and Wonder Woman brands.

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10.

Conan The Slayer #12 - A Preview/Review

Conan has triumphed over the demon giant Khosatral Khel and slain the conniving nobleman who tried to lure Conan to his doom on the cursed isle of Xapur. With the enslaved princess Octavia in tow, Conan seeks the last of his enemies - the teacherous vizier Ghaznavi The Wise! But even with Khosatral Khel dead there are still dangers aplenty in the jungles of Xapur...








Conan The Slayer #12 proves an uneven ending to what started out as the strongest Conan series in years. Most of that is due to the artwork, with Michael Atiyeh's colors being far blander and duller than usual. The chief problem however, is Dheeraj Verma's pencils and inks, which alternate between being too deep or too thin depending on the panel. To give credit where credit is due, the design for Conan here is a good one, depicting him as a warrior of speed and strength, more like a wolf or panther than the bear he is usually depicted as.

Cullen Bunn's story seems strong enough, though it does fly in the face of the end of the last issue, where Conan was ready to quit Xapur. As this chapter opens, Conan has become stupidly focused upon revenge, needlessly endangering the woman he's taken under his protection - something truly out of character for the surprisingly chilvaric Conan. Also, despite his skill as a writer, even Bunn cannot find an angle to make Octavia - widely considered the weakest of Robert E. Howard's female protagonists - into a figure capable of anything but stating the obvious and screaming.

 It remains to be seen what will happen in the next Conan comic or indeed what it will be called. It is worth noting, however, that the next issue would be the 150th monthly Conan comic since Dark Horse took over the license. Hopefully they are planning something big for the occasion.

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10. It's not bad, but it should have been better.

Conan The Slayer #8 - An Preview/Review

Conan's newly forged alliance between the Kozak tribesmen and the Reavers of the Vilayet Sea has succeeded! Indeed, Conan's leadership has proven as profitable for his roguish allies as it has been aggravating for Jehunigir Agha, keeper of the coastal border of Turan. Lord Agha proves unwilling to wait for his men to deal with the barbarian, however, and sets a trap on a remote island using an enslaved noblewoman named Octavia as bait.










Conan The Slayer #8 seems a fairly straight-forward adaption of the first few chapters of Robert E. Howard's The Devil In Iron at first glance. Cullen Bunn has built on the original story, however, displaying the full action of events that were only referred to in the classic tale. These additions are well within the spirit of Howard's oeuvre and serve only to enhance what was already a ripping yarn. The artwork by Sergio Davila and Michael Atiyeh is of similar high quality, evoking the memory of Frank Frazetta as easily as Bunn resurrects Howard.

Conan The Slayer #8 releases on April 26, 2017. 

Ask for it at your local comic shop or purchase it on Comixology.com.

Conan The Slayer #5 - An Preview/Review

Hunting the treacherous kin-slayer Kyrylo, Conan stands ready to defend Taraslan - rightful ruler of the Kozaki clan that saved his life. But Kyrylo and his demonic patron are not defeated yet. Soon, the Cimmerian and his comrades in arms will find themselves facing undead monsters both physical and ghostly in their quest for justice!









Conan The Slayer is easily the best Conan comic in recent memory. Cullen Bunn's scripts perfectly capture the spirit of the weird horror integral to Robert E. Howard's original stories. The artwork by Sergio Davila proves a worthy match to Cullen's prose. And the color art by Michael Atiyeh seems to both glow and shade the finished art of the spectral monstrosities at the center of this issue's action perfectly.

Conan The Slayer #4 - An Advanced Review

Held hostage by a family of trolls, Conan has escaped a gruesome fate as either the trolls' dinner or the troll mother's lover. Of all those in the Kozaki scouting party who rode with Conan, only the warrior woman Oksana and the hetman's inexperienced son Taraslan have survived along with the Cimmerian. Yet their homecoming may be a tense thing, as the hetman lies dead and his other son - the treacherous Kyrylo - has declared himself the new leader! And when word of Kyrylo's betrayal is not enough to sway the hearts of the Kozaki, Conan will find himself defending the rightful prince with steel and strength!


Conan The Slayer continues to amaze with every passing issue. The artwork by Sergio Fernandez Davila and Michael Atiyeh is some of the best to come out of Dark Horse Comics since they won the Conan license. The story by Cullen Bunn is worthy of Robert E. Howard himself. Even those who don't usually enjoy the sword-and-sorcery genre may find themselves searing by Mitra after reading this issue.

Conan The Slayer #4 releases on October 26, 2016. 

Ask for it at your local comic shop or purchase it on Comixology.com.

Conan The Slayer #3 - An Advanced Review/Preview

Ambushed by Turan soldiers, Conan and his new Kozak allies found themselves betrayed by their own Prince! Yet that concern pales to their current plight, as both groups were assaulted and captured by a band of monsters whose magic beguiles the senses and masks their true form. Now, as Conan's allies consider their traitorous brethren and an unlikely alliance with the Turan soldiers who wish them dead, Conan must contend with an amorous troll witch who has mating on her mind.









This latest Conan series from Dark Horse Comics continues to impress me. Cullen Bunn's stories are worthy of Robert E. Howard himself. Sergio Fernandez Davila's artwork perfectly captures the weird horror and vivid detail necessary to visually portray Hyboria. The color art by Michael Atiyeh proves perfect throughout the book. By Mitra, Conan hasn't been this good in years!

Conan The Slayer #3 releases on September 28, 2016. 

Ask for it at your local comic shop or purchase it on Comixology.com.

Conan The Slayer #2 - An Advanced Review/Preview

Rescued from certain death in the desert by whims of a Kozaki chieftain, Conan now finds himself serving as mentor and bodyguard to the chieftain's chosen heir. This displeases the chieftan's son, who seeks his father's position and is willing to bargain with dark powers and his tribe's enemies to claim it. Can Conan keep his new allies alive when they are blind to the treachery plotted by their own blood?






The second issue of Conan The Slayer continues the fine work lain out in the first issue.  Cullen Bunn's action-packed story is worthy of Robert E. Howard himself. And the artwork by Red Sonja artist Sergio Davila is some of the finest this series has seen in years. It is a must read for all fans of quality comics and the sword-and-sorcery genre.

Conan The Slayer #2 will be available for purachse on August 24th, 2016.    

King Conan: Wolves Beyond the Border #4 - An Advance Review

With the fate of his kingdom - and perhaps all the Western civilized lands - at risk, King Conan has formed an unlikely alliance with the Pictish Wolf Clan. They share a common enemy in the mad witch Kwarada, whose alliance of the Pictish tribes under the Iron Crown of Brule would spell destruction for Pict and Aquilonian alike. Yet events have become stranger still, with the heir to the Wolf Clan's leadership abducted and readied as a sacrifice to awaken the dreaded Children Of The Night!

Once again, Tim Truman has told a tale worthy of Robert. E. Howard himself. This story was well-researched in regard to the history of Hyboria and - as before with his shout-out to Kull in the first issue - Truman pays homage to another of Howard's heroes. Tomas Giorello and Jose Villarrubia match Truman's script in quality, delivering more of the epic artwork we've come to associate with the various King Conan mini-series. Highly recommended.

King Conan: Wolves Beyond The Border #4 is due out on 03/30/16!

King Conan: Wolves Beyond the Border #3 - An Advance Review

Conan's quest to return a magic crown to the lands from which it came have taken a dark turn. His soldiers dead, Conan just barely escaped sacrifice at the hands of a witch who has united the various Pictish tribes under one banner. Now, to save his kingdom, Conan has forged an unlikely alliance with members of the renegade Wolf Tribe. But can Conan trust their word, even when they follow the word of his old ally, the druid Nai?
With this issue, Tim Truman has journeyed well beyond the role of an adapter. Despite this, Wolves Beyond The Border feels like a long-lost Robert E. Howard script. Part of this is due to how well-placed this story is within the Howard aesthetic and continuity - indeed, this story makes mention of the events of Howard's Beyond the Black River. The greater part of this, however, is due to Truman's skill as a storyteller and his ability to spin a ripping yarn in a manner to do Howard credit.

Truman is matched in skill and suitability by this series' art team. For my money, Tomas Giorello is the finest artist to work on the Conan comics in the past five years. And the colors by Jose Villarrubia are as wild and vibrant as the land of Hyboria.

 King Conan: Wolves Beyond The Border #3 is due out on 02/24/16!

King Conan: Wolves Beyond the Border #2 - A Review

Charged with a sacred quest by a desperate man, Conan and two of his most loyal knights have ridden west into the Pictish Wilderness. Their mission? To find some means of destroying the dark magics within an accursed crown. Alas, the Picts know of their approach!

Though Tim Truman's writing is wholly original, it beats with the heart of Robert E. Howard. The action of this issue perfectly captures the weird spirit of the original Conan tales and the whole affair reads like a lost work of classic pulp fiction.
This spirit is well portrayed Tomas Giorello. To my mind, Giorello is the finest Conan artist in the past decade. There is a visceral, untamed feeling to his character designs and a darkness to his inks that hints to the mystery of the ancient time beyond time of Hyboria. Colorist Jose Villarrubia completes this aura with a well-chosen palette of grim greys and greens that hint at the decay of civilization and the primal wild beyond.

Red Sonja/Conan #4 - A Review

Before I review Red Sonja/Conan #4, I do need to take a moment to discuss an artist who I haven't mentioned in my previous reviews of this mini-series - Ed Benes.

For those who aren't familiar with Ed Benes and his oeuvre, Mr. Benes is an artist who specializes is a style that has earned him a certain amount of derision. It is not that Mr. Benes is incapable of drawing male characters or action scenes. It's just that he's rather more famous (and infamous) for his covers and posters featuring female characters in a pin-up style.

To give you some idea, here are two of Mr. Benes' previous works involving Red Sonja.


She looks... cheeky.

Ed Benes did the main covers for every issue of Red Sonja/Conan and, if I may be charitable, they have not been his best work. Even ignoring the cheesecake angles in the above artwork and the unlikeliness of Sonja posing thus while in the middle of combat, at least it looks like she is holding her weapons properly with her feet firmly planted, Not so in this cover, where it appears that Sonja is lying on her left side while still being upright, her sword arm twisted at a weird angle. Conan's stance with his dagger twisted around the wrong way in his right hand is little better, looking equally off-balance and forced.


Seriously. Put Sonja on her side and picture her saying "Draw me like one of your Aquilonian girls".

I mention all of this to lend you perspective when I reveal a frightening fact.

This - all of this which you've seen before this sentence?

It is better than any artwork in this book's interior.


Has anyone reported this to Eschergirls yet?

Yet even this is not the worst aspect of this comic!  The grim irony of Red Sonja/Conan #4 is that Sonja is nothing but a supporting player in this book, despite getting top billing this time around. The action of the script by Victor Gischler remains firmly focused on Conan. And with the exception of the final blow against Toth Amon (a sneak attack while Conan attacks from the front), Sonja is mere eye-candy who serves no purpose for most of the issue other than to praise Conan.


At least, Sonja would be eye-candy if the artwork made her look at all attractive.

Artist Roberto Castro has no business working in professional comics. I have seen a better grasp of anatomy in the margin doodles of junior high-school students. And that is not hyperbole - remember this critic works with junior high-school students in his day job!

Castro's figures manage to look sketchy while still seeming over-inked. His take on Sonja is as cartoonishly elongated and emaciated as Aeon Flux. And I find it hard to believe that any professional editor would accept artwork where Red Sonja's left arm is growing out of her left breast! Yet here we are...


Chuck Norris has a third fist under his beard. Red Sonja has a third sword-arm under her bra.

At this point, I can safely say that Red Sonja/Conan #4 is the worst thing to feature the character of Red Sonja in 2015. And to give you some idea of how damning a statement that is, consider that the final chapter of the utterly horrible Red Sonja: The Black Tower just barely came out in 2015. For all the troubles that mini-series had (and there were many!), at least the artwork was good.

Here, the artwork and story are terrible. This mini-series is a disgrace to both Conan and Red Sonja. If you want a good Conan and Red Sonja team-up book, track down the excellent Conan/Red Sonja series by Gail Simone and Jim Zub. Accept no substitutes!

Red Sonja/Conan #3 - A Review

Red Sonja/Conan #3 is a truly awful comic book.  And yet, it is the strongest chapter of this mini-series to date. It would be unfair to say that this follow-up to the excellent Conan/Red Sonja series by Jim Zub and Gail Simone has gone off the rails. This book was never put on the rails in the first place!

The artwork by Roberto Castro somehow manages to look sketchy and unfinished while somehow being over-inked. His characters are misshapen hunks of random muscles, save for Red Sonja herself, who looks more like a bikini model than a warrior woman. The one nice thing I can say is that, unlike the previous issues, Castro remembered to draw bra the straps of Sonja's costume this month.

The script by Victor Gischler reads like the sort of story Roy Thomas might have written back in the 1970s when he was racing to meet a deadline... and hungover. The humor and romance of the earlier mini-series is completely absent. It's the worst kind of generic sword-and-sorcery with the focus firmly on Conan and Sonja reduced to the role of a sidekick.

Ignoring this, Sonja seems horribly out of character. She is seemingly surprised at Conan's sense of honor when he refuses to kill a man who surrendered. Later, she suggests that she and Conan could just not get involved as they prepare to storm the evil wizard's lair but then says she expected nothing less when Conan refuses to abandon their quest. Sonja is not one to waste words thus when there is evil that needs smiting. Indeed, she has a better track record of being more hero than mercenary than Conan.

Red Sonja/Conan #2 - A Review

Compared to the excellent Conan/Red Sonja series it was meant to follow-up, Red Sonja/Conan #1 was something of a disappointment. With its second issue, this mini-series has ceased to be a disappointment and developed into a full-fledged travesty. Not only does this comic not deserve to be mentioned in the same paragraph as Gail Simone and Jim Zub's earlier saga - it doesn't deserve to be on the same planet!


The artwork by Roberto Castro continues to be half-finished throughout. Yet the artwork seems even worse than last month's issue because of the misshapen and Cronenbergian appearance of most of the characters. The only character whom Castro appears to put any effort into depicting is Red Sonja and then only to ensure she has just enough circles covering her naughty bits to be considered decent.


The story by Victor Gischler proves equally lackluster. The humor of the previous issue has vanished completely. Worse yet, not only does this chapter break the classic storytelling rule of telling, not showing us the action - it has an enemy warrior describing events to Red Sonja that she already lived through and doesn't need to be told about!  The story gains nothing from this "As you well know..." perspective and readers will gain nothing from reading this book.