Synopsis: Conan and Valeria are pirates of the Red Brotherhood, living a life of lawless adventure on the Western Sea, but occult forces from the Cimmerian’s past have him in their sights once more and they will not rest until the barbarian’s body and soul are torn asunder!
The Story
Having run ashore on a mysterious island in the last issue, Conan, Valeria and the crew explore their surroundings to get their bearings. They find a docile reptilian species but pretty soon encounter the carnivorous variety, who are hungry and looking for a Happy Meal. Working together, the crew manage to defeat the beasts and enjoy the spoils for their evening meal while the captain regales them with stories of his past adventures.
Bored by the captain’s tales, Morley—the swashbuckling pirate who has been trying to put the moves on Valeria—entertains the group with stories of a red-eyed demon that sounds all too familiar to Conan, who later questions Morley about it. While the others sleep, Morley and Valeria draw the short straw and take guard duty, which is when Morley reveals his sinister true self.
Artwork
Fernando Dagnino does a great job with the artwork in this story. A particular highlight is the attack by the carnivorous reptiles seeking to make a meal of our heroes. Also effective is the visual build-up to the reveal that Morley is not who he claims to be.
Overall
This was a solid second issue that builds nicely on the story established in last month’s opener. The Valeria featured in this book is the same character who appeared in the Conan the Barbarian movie, which made it particularly enjoyable for me, as I had only previously encountered her in one other Conan story.
- Covers9.3
- Story9.6
- Artwork9.8
- Lettering9.4
- Colours9.8
