In Review: Conan the Barbarian #16

Synopsis: After leaving Cimmeria filled with wanderlust, a young Conan heads north in search of glory.

What he finds in that cold climate will change his outlook forever, setting him on the path that will make him a legend.

The Story

In the wake of his encounter with Atali, the ice goddess from the last issue, Conan is having a recurrence of a crisis of faith that goes back to his childhood. The Vanir leader tries to offer some counsel to Conan, but it is of little help. Fear and doubt cloud his thoughts, and Conan thinks back to his childhood, to the day that he proclaimed that he did not believe in Crom, the day that his father told him that he, too, once had a crisis of faith. Conan’s thoughts get interrupted when he is attacked by a jealous Vanir member who wants Conan’s blood.

Artwork

Doug Braithwaite continues to do some great work on this book. I loved the sequence of panels where it flashes back to Conan’s childhood. Especially the sequence between him and his father in the metal workshop. I thought the detail of the water splashing about in the cauldron that young Conan is carrying was really well-defined.

Overall

A nicely done story that looks at what kind of things can make the strongest of us question our faith as well as our own minds. I enjoyed the flashback sequences and hope we get more of that kind of thing in future issues  I feel that Conan’s childhood years are something that would be interesting to explore in future issues. Especially if it is juxtaposed with a present-day dilemma. Added to all of that. I’d also love to see more of Atali and other strong female sorcerers in future issues.