Conan The Barbarian #19 - Marvel Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN No. 19, May 2021

Providing its audience with the first instalment to Jim Zub’s “Land Of The Lotus” storyline, this twenty page periodical quite possibly lived up to its publisher’s boast of it being the “perfect jumping-on point for new or lapsed readers!” when it first hit the spinner-racks in early 2021. Indeed, for those fans patient enough to navigate this comic’s opening summary, the premise of the escapade starting with the titular character already being in grave jeopardy proves strongly reminiscent of many of Robert E. Howard’s original prose tales.

Enjoyably however, the Canadian writer doesn’t simply pad this comic out with the regurgitated ideas taken from the back catalogue of “Weird Tales” or “Thrilling Adventures”. But rather adds some innovative twists to the fictional sword and sorcery hero’s tried and tested formula, courtesy of some seriously terrifying Silver Apes attempting to slaughter the barbarian’s brutal captors when the prisoner-laden caravan foolishly travels a little too deep into the monsters' bamboo-infested domain.

Of course, the Web Cartoonists’ Choice Award-winner does admittedly somewhat quickly pair Conan up with the “one bright spot the Cimmerian sees in the pouring rain” in the guise of the beautifully naïve scholar Meiwei of Paikang. Yet, even this helpless academic, who unsurprisingly proves utterly inept when faced with a charging gorilla, is arguably of far stronger character than many of the damsels in distress who have gone before her. In fact, rather than being particularly motivated by a desire to be bedded by the barbarian, the woman seems far more interested in simply doing what is morally right; “Your conduct is disgusting! These prisoners should be treated with respect until they are properly judged for their crimes.”

Adding plenty of gratuitous gore to this comic’s prodigiously-penned proceedings are Cory Smith’s pencils, which genuinely imbue many a scene, such as Conan stabbing a Silver Ape straight through the brain with a spear-point, with buckets of blood. The artist also appears extremely adept at depicting the stinking squalor the Cimmerian must endure housed alongside his fellow inmates within the confines of a tiny cell on wheels, as well as the vile contempt shown on the faces of the Khitai warriors whenever they are goading the condemned.

Writer: Jim Zub, Artist: Luca Pizzari, and Colorist: Israel Silva