WRITER: JASON AARON
ARTIST: MAHMUD ASRAR
COLORIST: MATTHEW WILSON
LETTER: VC’S TRAVIS LANHAM
Conan is BACK!
Not that he ever really went anywhere, but his wandering ways? for the last 15 years took him to the far reaches of the Land of Dark Horse. Now though, his Warrior ways have brought him back to the Universe of Marvel.
He prospered well in the Land of Dark Horse, so is his return to Marvel a path best left untread?
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CONAN
PART ONE
THE WEIRD OF THE CRIMSON WITCH
Maybe so, as Jason Aaron and gang have promised us a Tale of The LIFE and DEATH of our Cimmerian Legend.
And they strive to deliver as this story literally starts with Conan’s Birth!
Conan himself is a very blunt, straight-forward, honest speaking person with a take-life-by-the-horns personality.
This first Story Arc has much in common with Conan – It’s tell you what story it is going to give you, then grabs you by the throat and drags you straight into said story. You won’t even noticed the story is choking the life out of you until the very last panel, when you may shed some tears and realize this just might actually be the tale of the Life and DEATH of Conan.
While for us, the reader, we may be witnessing the triumphant return to Marvel, Conan may wish he stayed at the land Dark Horse a little longer.
Issue #1 hits all the right notes with Conan – The Character of Conan himself is right – at each stage of his life he is shown – The Artwork has the right edginess and grittiness that a Conan story needs, and the colors emerges us into the dark world Conan inhabits.
Mahmud Asrar’s art and Matthew Wilson’s colors combined to give Conan and great look and feel – embodying the age Conan lived in. This isn’t a slick, pretty looking book, nor should it be. A Conan story should find beauty in brutality – and this art does just that.
Jason Aaron’s script is dead on: Conan just doesn’t look right – thanks to Mahmud Asrar – but he feels right, and this feel like a Conan story – warts and clichés all in.
The script is damn good, the artwork just as brutally good, making this a Marvelous return.
The best thing about this first issue is that we don’t just get Conan The Barbarian – we get CONAN THE KING as well.
We see Conan at two important stages of his life – the young Wild Barbarian and the Older Wiser King-by-his-own-hand. Aaron handles this well, it is the same Conan, but in his writing of The King, he subtly shows us the difference between the Barbarian and the King – and the similarities.
But don’t stop with The LIFE and DEATH of Conan! No. Keeping turning the pages, dear reader. After the art ends, another tale begins. The first part of BLACK STARLIGHT, by John C. Hocking, a Novella in twelve parts. Make sure to read this, it is right on par with The LIFE and DEATH of Conan. The shining part of this story it that it showcases the oft overlooked intelligence of Conan.
Final Thoughts:
MARVEL fans rejoice, Conan’s wandering has brought him back to the Universe.
Conan fans rejoice – he is in Beautifully Brutal hands.
REQUIRED READING
RATING: 9
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