Conan The Barbarian #1, by Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, Matthew Wilson and Travis Lanham brings the savage Cimmerian back to Marvel Comics in a bold, brutal and bloody new on-going series.
Conan The Barbarian #1
“The Life & Death Of Conan” Part One
Written by: Jason Aaron
Art by: Mahmud Asrar
Colors by: Mathew Wilson
Letters by: VC’s Travis Lanham
From an age undreamed – 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 sandaled feet – Robert E. Howard’s creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only MARVEL could bring you! Conan’s travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unknown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death!
Writing
Conan The Barbarian is back at Marvel Comics, and this debut issue is fantastic. Jason Aaron immediately declares himself the perfect writer to bring this property back with his ability to nail that pulpy, kind of lurid narrative tone of classic Conan. A line like “bring me this seasoned fighter of yours, and by Crom, I’ll show you all his blood there is to see” is a perfect example. It’s over the top, sure, but this is a comic about barbarians. Aaron knows that he doesn’t have to be subtle. He swings his narrative sword around like Conan in a pit fight, delivering lethal blow after lethal blow. This first issue features scenes with King Conan, young Conan, bloody pit battles and a showdown with a witch. It’s great fun to read.
Art
Conan The Barbarian has always had a high artistic pedigree. The main artists on the original Marvel run were Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema; two of the best pencilers to ever put panels to a page. Having a great visual team for this book is crucial. Mahmud Asrar and Matthew Wilson deliver the goods and bring with them a nice modern look. There’s a lot of energy in the linework and layouts. The colors also don’t overwhelm and help set the mood perfectly. This art team is starting off on solid ground, and I can only see them getting even better.
Conclusion
Hail to the King! If you are a fan of Conan or just a casual sword and sorcery fan, either way, you will find this a good read. Grab this book; “and if you do not listen, the HELL with you.”
