King Conan: The Conqueror #5 Review

Is this a strong penultimate outing? Or should fans give up on this tale? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

From the demon-haunted darkness of a Stygian crypt, across the sea, and back to Aquilonia speeds the dethroned King Conan—revenge finally within his grasp! The stage is set for a battle against an evil wizard’s forces, and this epic Robert E. Howard adaptation races to a scorching climax!

One of the joys I get to experience when I go through my pile of review copies is that occasional release which carries an insurmountable feeling of epicness. And that is exactly what this title represents as our dethroned ruler gathers an army and he prepares to confront a mad wizard who seeks to restore the deceased city of Acheron.

Timothy Truman pens a script that would no doubt please even the most ardent Robert E. Howard purist. This is exactly the type of top tier author that this property deserves, as he elevates the source material and nails its innate feeling of adventure. Even in his later years, as a narrator, Conan remains fierce and honest as he continues to spin this yarn about a trying time in his rule. There are some hammy moments here and there where the dialogue just doesn’t flow as well as it could but the overall piece never waivers from its course ultimately cementing itself in the warm comfort of necessary authenticity.

The illustrations done by Tomás Giorello are top notch from the first panel to the final page. Every franchise that’s existed as long as this icon has usually is graced by a handful of artists that seem to be tailor made for their work and that’s the easiest way to describe the pencil strokes found here. It’s a wide display full of depth that’s made even more fruitful with the soft colors handed in by José Villarrubia.

King Conan: The Conqueror #5 is an adventure book that by Crom deserves a spot on your pull-list. If you haven’t kept up there’s no excuse as this easily earns a recommendation.