King Conan: The Hour of the Dragon #5 Review


Are we really entering an age of glory for barbarian inspired comics, or is this mini-series starting to lose its overall quality?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

Torn from his throne and on the run, Conan sneaks into his own occupied capital city and the ominous Iron Tower to rescue an innocent child from execution! Some very unlikely loyalists come to his aid against an army of traitorous guards, but Conan’s fight to regain his crown is far from over!

How do you approach something like this and make it feel right?  That’s a question I’m sure comes up when any creative team attempts to tackle something that’s been around as long as this particular Cimmerian. Truth be told not everyone succeeds in their quest, but this dynamic group does so and in a brutally engrossing fashion.

By Crom, Timothy Truman knows how to write a proper entry into this aged cannon.  It might not seem like a difficult task to tell an adventure yarn but you’d be surprised how many I’ve read that simply have no idea how to convey what they’re trying to say.  This scribe however stands miles above these lesser attempts as he brilliantly plays up the strengths found within the franchise and builds something worthwhile.  There are some corny moments here and there, to be sure, but they’re executed in such a way that they’re instantly forgivable.

The art by Tomás Giorello is beautiful.  There’s no other way to put it, because I choose to be honest about what I see.  And his light pencil strokes evoke the right form and emotion to bring authenticity to a world plagued by dark forces.  I was specifically pleased with the constant level of detail that transcended instance as the skilled hands moved from panel to panel.  Beyond that however the colors by José Villarrubia added more depth and realism to this already grime covered world.

King Conan: The Hour of the Dragon #5 is a rip-roaring success story that’s sure to get you pumped for the rest of this mini-series.  Highly recommended

4.5/5

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