Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • Keeping It Ghastly: Mantis Woman

      Danny Djeljosevic
      March 13, 2015
      Keeping It Ghastly, Keeping It Ghastly, Manga
    Recent
    • What Looks Good For the Week of December 4, 2019

      Daniel Gehen
      December 2, 2019
    • What Looks Good for the Week of November 20th 2019

      Daniel Gehen
      November 19, 2019
    • The Full Run: FINAL CRISIS – SUBMIT

      Daniel Gehen, Jason Jeffords Jr.
      November 15, 2019
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • 4.5

      Review: Superman Smashes the Klan #1

      Danny Djeljosevic
      October 17, 2019
      Big Two, Big Two Reviews, DC Comics, Reviews
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: DC Stargirl

      nguyen ly
      November 30, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: The Eternals

      nguyen ly
      November 16, 2019
    • The Full Run: FINAL CRISIS – SUBMIT

      Daniel Gehen, Jason Jeffords Jr.
      November 15, 2019
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • Interview: Jim Zub Explodes a Dark 'Glitterbomb'

      Danny Djeljosevic
      September 6, 2016
      Image, Indie, Interviews
    Recent
    • Review: Transformers Galaxies #3 and the problem with Constructicons

      Stephen Cook
      December 3, 2019
    • AHOY Comics Announces A Wave of Titles for 2020

      Daniel Gehen
      November 12, 2019
    • What Looks Good for the Week of November 13th, 2019

      Daniel Gehen
      November 11, 2019
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 3.5

      Sidekick #3

      Danny Djeljosevic
      September 7, 2006
      Reviews
    Recent
    • 2.0

      Review: Roku #1 Fails to Deliver

      Jason Jeffords Jr.
      November 11, 2019
    • 3.5

      Review: AMAZING MARY JANE #1 Starts Strong But Plays it Safe With Messaging

      Daniel Gehen
      October 29, 2019
    • 4.0

      Review: Count Crowley – Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter #1

      Mike Nickells
      October 22, 2019
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Nick Sagan & Mark Long: The Craftsmen Behind the Shrapnel Mecha

      Danny Djeljosevic
      July 6, 2009
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: V.E. Schwab on revisiting Red London in The Steel Prince

      Stephen Cook
      March 13, 2019
    • Interview: David Foster Wallace and Hellblazer, words on Wyrd with writer Curt Pires

      Stephen Cook
      February 27, 2019
    • “The Night Has Teeth” An Interview with Sarah deLaine, Artist of Image Comics’ “Little Girls”

      Jason Sacks
      February 26, 2019
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Steve Gerber's Son of Satan Pt. 10: "Will I Ever Make Sense of It?"

      Danny Djeljosevic
      June 17, 2016
      Classic Comics, Classic Comics Cavalcade
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • X-Men: 50 Years of Mutants Past [infographic]

      Danny Djeljosevic
      May 21, 2014
      Infographiic, News
    Recent
    • AHOY Comics Announces A Wave of Titles for 2020

      Daniel Gehen
      November 12, 2019
    • Valiant’s BLOODSHOT Trailer is Finally Here

      Daniel Gehen
      October 21, 2019
    • The Rafaels Team-Up for “HIDDEN SOCIETY”

      Daniel Gehen
      October 3, 2019
    • Titan to Release Phantom of the Opera GN

      Daniel Gehen
      October 1, 2019
    • GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Title Awarded to Todd McFarlane for SPAWN

      Daniel Gehen
      September 30, 2019
    • Jim Shooter Brings SLOW CITY BLUES to IMAGE

      Daniel Gehen
      September 24, 2019
  • Books
    Random
    • "THE BEST OF WITZEND" is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Danny Djeljosevic
      September 15, 2018
      Books, Classic Comics, Fantagraphics, Reviews
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      nguyen ly
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      nguyen ly
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Review: Transformers Galaxies #3 and the problem with Constructicons
  • What Looks Good For the Week of December 4, 2019
  • Collecting Profile: DC Stargirl
  • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen
  • What Looks Good for the Week of November 20th 2019
  • Collector’s corner: Old school long box diving for comics is still fun
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Reviews

ADVANCE REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian #1: A Newbie's Perspective

Danny Djeljosevic
February 1, 2012
Reviews

ADVANCE REVIEW! Conan the Barbarian #1 will go on sale Wednesday, February 8, 2012.

 

Full discosure: I know very little about Conan the Barbarian. I read/edit Zack Davisson's reviews of the various Dark Horse releases on this very website and I've seen the (pretty dope) John Milius/Oliver Stone adaptation starring Ah-Nuld (I keep forgetting there's a sequel). Otherwise, the depth of my knowledge goes about as far as knowing that he's a naked guy with a cape and a sword who kills a lot of bros and Frank Frazetta draws him really fucking well.

Conan the Barbarian #1 promises an accessible jumping-on point for curious readers who only know What is best in life. Our guides for this excursion are Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan, both of whom surely have better things to do than work on licensed characters, but the fact that they are working with licensed characters is what makes it all the more intriguing. As someone who follows creators more than characters, I'm totally willing to follow Wood and Cloonan down this unfamiliar road.

This opening issue, adapting the Robert E. Howard story "Queen of the Black Coast" follows Conan as he hitches a ride on an unwilling (at first) merchant ship, learns of a witchy pirate queen known as Bêlit terrorizing the seas and promptly decides that he needs to fuck/murder said pirate queen. Brian Wood's script plays it straight and irony free while feeling comfortably modern, a treatment that a hardcore fan would pseudo-haughtily refer to as "respectful." You still kind of have to be willing to play along with the fantasy tropes — this is still a world where men offer their swords and their lives to people they've just befriended — but nothing about the story as Wood's played it feels distant or obscured to a newbie like me. By contrast, I also read through the first issue of The Phoenix on the Sword and, while a perfectly enjoyable read, it was clear Tim Truman was writing a thing he'd been writing for years for people who have been playing along at home.

The general perception of barbarian fantasy characters is that of the violent dimwit (chalk it up to pop cultural runoff), but Wood and Cloonan immediately cast Conan as a character a reader would want to follow. As our hero delivers — seemingly to the reader — a wry grin as he escapes the authorities, we immediately know he's charismatic enough to threaten the single-handed slaughter of an entire ship's crew only to win them over later with drunken stories. Which he totally does. A huge part of that appeal comes from Cloonan, who renders the Cimmerian as a realistically muscled human being with an identifiable range of expressions rather than a blood-flecked mesomorph with a permanent scowl. Which isn't to say that Conan necessarily needs to be drawn in earthly terms; more that Cloonan's typical renditions of the human body put Conan in terms I can appreciate.

Becky Cloonan is one of my favorite artists — not only is her art amazingly consistent and expressive and energetic and irresistible to look at, but it exudes a passion for the medium that rivals any high-profile "superstar" working today. In Conan #1, there's an overwhelming sense that she's putting her all into her renditions, not just drawing awesome shit but interesting looking awesome shit that doesn't skimp out on subtle but vital details. When Conan threatens the ship captain with a sword, it's not just a sword — it's a dented, banged up thing, indicating a blade that's been a long-term partner. It's possible Robert E. Howard included that detail in his original story and Brian Wood wrote that into the script, but it's Becky Cloonan who's tasked with making it work on the page — a sword to match its well-traveled, stubbly companion. 

Cloonan's greatest achievement in this issue is with the aforementioned pirate queen, Bêlit, illustrated as alluringly exotic and obligatorily scantily clad, of course, but the creepiness is what makes her so exciting to watch. Typically you see a beautiful, nearly naked woman in a comic and know that whatever bro drew her wanted to make something he could fap to, but with Bêlit you can see intent in the confluence of lines that created her. By which I mean that Cloonan isn't drawing to titillate, but for affect. She's supposed to be attractive, yes, but once you get to close you realize that she's fucking frightening, and Cloonan nails the creepy, otherworldly mood of that pages as a contrast to the sun-kissed warmth of the other scenes. That mood, of course, is bolstered by Dave Stewart on colors, knocking the book out of the park with work that can only be described as Dave Stewart-levels of great.

Granted, I was pretty inclined to enjoy Conan the Barbarian from the get-go based on talent alone. I thought it was cool the first time around, but repeat readings have made me incredibly excited — not just to see what happens next in this fun, charming, thrilling adventure, but also to venture outside the comfort zone created by Wood and Cloonan. Even though I know it won't be quite the same.

 

Want to see what a hardcore Conan fan thought of Conan the Barbarian #1? Check out Zack Davisson's review!

 


 

Danny Djeljosevic is a comic book creator, award-winning filmmaker (assuming you have absolutely no follow-up questions), film/music critic for Spectrum Culture and Co-Managing Editor of Comics Bulletin. Follow him on Twitter at @djeljosevic or find him somewhere in San Diego, often wearing a hat. Read his comic, "Sgt. Death and his Metachromatic Men," over at Champion City Comics and check out his other comics at his Tumblr, Sequential Fuckery. His webcomic The Ghost Engine (drawn by Eric Zawadzski) will debut in Spring 2012.

, Dave StewartBecky CloonanBrendan WrightBrian WoodConan the BarbarianDanny DjeljosevicDark HorseDave MarshallRichard Starkings

Share On:
Tweet
ADVANCE REVIEW: Conan the Barbarian #1: A Hardcore Fan's Perspective
Judge Anderson: The Psychic Crime Files

About The Author

Danny Djeljosevic

Danny Djeljosevic is a comic book creator, award-winning filmmaker (assuming you have absolutely no follow-up questions), film/music critic for Spectrum Culture and Co-Managing Editor of Comics Bulletin. Follow him on Twitter at @djeljosevic or find him somewhere in San Diego, often wearing a hat. Read his comic with Mike Prezzato, "Sgt. Death and his Metachromatic Men," over at Champion City Comics and check out his other comics at his Tumblr, Sequential Fuckery. His webcomic The Ghost Engine, with artist Eric Zawadzki, updates twice a week.

Related Posts

  • 4.0

    Review: Count Crowley – Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter #1

    Mike Nickells
    October 22, 2019
  • 4.5

    Review: BATMAN UNIVERSE #3 Puts The Universe In Batman Universe

    Jason Jeffords Jr.
    September 12, 2019

Latest Reviews

  • 2.0

    Review: Roku #1 Fails to Deliver

    Jason Jeffords Jr.
    November 11, 2019
  • 3.5

    Review: AMAZING MARY JANE #1 Starts Strong But Plays it Safe With Messaging

    Daniel Gehen
    October 29, 2019
  • 4.0

    Review: Count Crowley – Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter #1

    Mike Nickells
    October 22, 2019
  • 4.5

    Review: Superman Smashes the Klan #1

    Daniel Gehen
    October 17, 2019
  • 4.5

    Review: X-MEN #1 – The Good Times are Here

    Jason Jeffords Jr.
    October 17, 2019
  • 4.5

    Comictober 2019: Hillbilly Volume 1 TPB

    Mike Nickells
    October 14, 2019
  • 3.0

    Review: Ruby Falls #1 Combines Mystery With Tragic Mental Illness

    Daniel Gehen
    October 8, 2019
  • 4.5

    Review: COFFIN BOUND #3 Takes a Dark Trip Through Memory Lane

    Jason Jeffords Jr.
    October 8, 2019
  • Singles Going Steady – Welcome Aboard Edition!

    Daniel Gehen, Mike Nickells
    October 1, 2019
  • 4.0

    Review: HARLEEN #1 Sets Up a Tragic Descent into Madness

    Daniel Gehen
    September 26, 2019
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders