The Conquering Crown - Conan the Barbarian #26, #27 & #28 - A Review

 

"There is nothing wrong with your [screen device].  Do not attempt to adjust your picture..."

I repurposed the old Outer Limits intro because, believe it or not, we're actually going to discuss a comic on Comics And... today!  Three comics in particular, one of which came out less than two weeks ago!  A stellar installment in Titan Comics' excellent Conan the Barbarian series, going on just over two years now.  The fact that I'm still getting it speaks to how much I enjoy it, and these issues...Well, you could say they're a crowning achievement.  Sorry, I just had to go there.  

Speaking of crowns, as you see on the cover of #28, it's no spoiler that Conan gets the Crown of Aquilonia, but this is a tale about how it could have happened.  I say "could have" because this is a fill-in tale crafted from pieces of various Robert E. Howard stories.  One that has been told at least a couple of times before, as the well-written/researched text piece in #28 relays.

Now, if we're going to discuss Conan, we have to start with his intro (opening theme song, if you will):

"Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars... Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandled feet."

 -- The Nemedian Chronicles

Amazingly and succinctly told in only three issues at $4.99 each, the outstanding creators (see list below) have knocked it out of the park, in the vein of the best of Marvel's classic Conan series and, dare I say it, a touch of Prince Valiant this time around.

Writer:    Jim Zub
Artist:    Fernando Dagnino

Color Artist:    Diego Rodriguez

Lettering:    Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Tyler Smith

Editor:    Chris Butera

Kudos to all of the fine creators. Their talents together have created something really special.

First, a brief synopsis of each part for context:

#26: Part I - "The Implausible General"

Conan goes from mercenary to general, assisting Count Trocero and Prospero against invading Zingarian forces in the "Great Battle of Poitain".  His help was needed because mad-King Numedides refused to send troops from the capital city, Tarantia, to help the province.  The king likes to keep his underlings (nobles) at arms length and against each other to keep them from unifying against him.  He's also being influenced by the "Woeful Eye", a supernatural sigil that's been the subject of past issues.

#27: Part II - "The Ill-Suited Guest"

Conan, now the "Hero of the Realm", has been invited by the King to be wined, dined, and exploited. (He's also getting to know the nobility who are all seeking to get him to support them for the throne.)  But when Numedides rashly proclaims a new war with Zingara, Conan publicly and authoritatively speaks about what a foolish idea it is, earning him a "Go Directly to Jail" card.  He manages to escape on his own, with a little after-help from Prospero.  Meanwhile, Conan's unfair imprisonment has started a revolution in the country.

#28: Part III - "The Unlikely Sovereign"

Various nobles rally behind Conan, hoping he wins the crown for them as the revolution in fierce fighting reaches Numedides' castle and the throne room itself.  But Conan has a destiny to fulfill... (Boy, was Count Trocero crestfallen.)

I hardly know where to begin about all the goodness contained in these issues.  I doubt it was done the "Marvel-style", but even if some of the images were script-driven, the execution in page layout, figure rendering/positioning, facial expressions, and pacing is phenomenal.  And this isn't even Fernando's first foray into Conan's adventures, but for some reason, this arc stands out to me more than the previous one he did.  I think the brevity of the story enhances the art, requiring more inventive page designs to get as much story on the page as possible.  

Some of the panels evoked Prince Valiant to me, being only annotated with floating "naked" captions, rather than being "boxed-in".  Although PV rarely showed the actual action in progress, and definitely not this intense!

Well, sheesh, rather than try to write about it, why not show you some page examples:

I could have easily picked a half-dozen more, but my intent is to share my appreciation and potentially whet your appetite for more on your own.  It's so recent that you could just walk into your local comic shop and probably get these issues off the stands for a memorable read that should satisfy most comic fans, especially those of us who love the Barbarian King!  And those of us who like (and can afford) original art might find some pieces worth purchasing.

The story is terrific.  I love it when we get to see a pivotal chapter in a character's backstory.  And this one should serve as the definitive version for years to come.

And for the curious, I did not purchase the Conan figure I talked about back in late September. I should be flush with cash, since my comic book pull list is pretty light these days, but I'm supporting two ongoing backer projects that will be funded in about 20 days:

Steve Conley's Wildest Shape 5E (D&D) module for my son-in-law for all his hard work and heavy lifting my HC collection to storage.  I'm getting him all 7 Zines and the minis.

And Mike Grell's latest Jon Sable: Freelance volume.

Postscript

Titan usually offers at least four cover variants, most of which can be pre-ordered.  However, sometimes they don't come in at the same time, or the condition is worse for the smaller inventory ones.  It can be frustrating.  Personally, I'd rather they just have one cover, and it be the best one.