Synopsis: In the days following Bêlit’s tragic demise, Conan travels through jungles of the southern kingdoms but there’s no time for grief – a deadly hunter stalks the Cimmerian, bent on bloody vengeance. Who is this strange foe and what do they know about the ancient power rising in Stygia?
The Story
Picking up where the last issue left off, Conan comes face to face with Zula—a shape-shifting warrior sworn to protect the jungle from the corrupting influence of Stygian snake magic. Believing Conan to be tainted by this dark power, Zula attacks. But as the battle unfolds, Conan manages to convince him that he is no willing servant of Set or follower of the Stygian faith. Realising Conan speaks the truth, Zula instructs him to walk toward the ancient monument visible in the distance. It is there that Zula will perform a ritual to purge any lingering Stygian corruption from Conan’s body.
The Artwork
do a fantastic job illustrating the battle between Zula and Conan in the southern jungles. But the real highlight for me, in terms of the artwork, is the sequence of panels where Zula performs the ritual to purge the serpent magic from Conan’s body. This magic entered his system when he was wounded during the events of Issues #16 and #17, when he and Bêlit encountered an ancient Stygian relic.
Overall, the art in this book is outstanding, with some brilliant colour work from Diego Rodriguez.
Overall
Jim Zub continues to captivate me with his stories of Conan the Barbarian and his many adventures. The comic stays true to the novels I remember reading in the 1980s, when I was diving into reprints of the classic Robert E. Howard tales. I really enjoyed the shape-shifting warrior and the battle with Conan, but what stood out to me most was how the ritual played out. We’re left with a fantastic cliffhanger, where Sura attempts to sell the ancient Stygian Dagger to a trader—something that’s bound to end in trouble.
I’m looking forward to reading more.
- Covers9.3
- Story9.8
- Artwork10
- Lettering9.4
- Colours10
