Blood and thunder.
Creative Staff:
Story: Fred Van Lente
Art: Brian Ching
Colors: Michael Atiyeh
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
What They Say:
A depraved witch rules Khauran in place of her twin sister, plunging the city into debauchery and committing unspeakable atrocities—including blasphemous rites to the malevolent entity Thaug! Can Conan rally an army and prove that the queen is an impostor before it’s too late?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
When I was an undergrad, I took a course dedicated to the works of Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and Thomas Kyd. I don’t remember much about the class, but one description has stayed with me through the years. When describing the works of Christopher “Kit” Marlowe, my professor said that his works were full of “blood and thunder.” I couldn’t help but think that his statement works just as well to describe Fred Van Lent’s run on Conan the Avenger.
Conan survived his crucifixion and made a name for himself with a band of Zuagir raiders, rising to the position of second in command. Since his arrival, the outlaws have become a powerful force, gathering men and making fabulous raids against powerful foes. The leader, Olgerd Vladislav, believes that the success lies in the combination of his keen strategic mind and Conan’s battle prowess. Of course, you, I, and pretty much everyone else knows that the credit should all go to Conan.
The issue starts off with one of these daring raids. Conan leads the men in an assault on a Turan outpost. They take it easily and the group steals the garrison’s payroll, but not before they ensure that none of the soldiers would ever be able to lift a sword against them again.
After the assault, another group of outlaws comes to join the ever-growing ranks of the “Desert Wolves,” and Olgerd, fat and happy with his success, takes them in. They return to their hideout and Olgerd and Conan drink and discuss their plans. Olgerd desires to be the emperor of Shem, but all Conan can think about is vengeance against Constantinus and the witch who usurped Queen Taramis’ throne. The two argue, and you can guess who comes out the better.
This issue begins with blood and thunder, but the majority of it is surprisingly talk-y. Under a different creative team, this could pose a problem, but Van Lent, Ching, and Atiyeh know how to make a conversation be just as tense and dramatic as a full-on sword fight. The story never falters, never loses pace, thanks to the sharp dialogue and Ching’s work with panel placement size, and camera angles.
Once again, Ching proves to be one of my favorite Conan artists. With Atiyeh, he manages to create a visceral, primal Conan: ugly, handsome, and powerful all at once. He does a fantastic job with facial expressions and body language and he can draw a fight with a power and fluidity that’s uniquely his own.
I’m not certain how much longer this storyline will run, but we’ve definitely reached the turning point. Conan now controls an army, and his vengeance stands just out of his grasp. If you’ve read the original Howard story that this adapts then you know what’s to come, but if you haven’t, rest assured that it’s going to be bloody and thunderous.
In Summary:
Conan The Avenger 23 is another excellent issue in this adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s “A Witch Shall Be Born.” As always, Van Lente, Ching, and Atiyeh capture what made Howard’s writing so visceral and powerful, and I’m eating it up. Dr. Josh gives this an….
Grade: A
Age Rating: N/A
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 24th, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
