Conan The Barbarian #15 - Titan Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN No. 15, October 2024

Whilst many a fan of Robert E. Howard’s sword and sorcery hero may well acknowledge Jim Zub’s bravery in attempting to pen another comic book adaption of “The Frost Giant’s Daughter”, especially when the publication’s own afterword dutifully doffs its cap to Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith’s ‘beautiful’ reconstruction for “Savage Tales” in 1971, a fair few readers were probably also rather disconcerted by the Canadian author’s decision to radically alter Atali’s motivation for goading a battle-weary Conan into following her lithe form across a wintry wasteland. Indeed, much of this twenty-two page periodical’s plot suggests that the “unearthly beauty” wanted the Cimmerian’s heart for herself, as opposed to the original short story in which she knowingly leads the fast-fatiguing fighter into an ambush.

Such an alteration (or arguably aberration) is perhaps understandable given the writer’s evident desire to add his own twist to the tale, or at the very least make “Gods Of The North” a little different to what many in its audience were expecting. Yet in doing so, it’s debatably difficult to shake off the notion that the Eisner Award-nominee is tinkering with a narrative best left well alone, unless he wants to suggest he knows how to improve upon an already much beloved storyline penned by “the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre.”

What does seemingly work within this script though, at least to begin with, is Zub’s predisposition to tell the tale from the reddish-blonde haired woman’s perspective. This insight into her motivations, desires and machinations certainly holds the attention up until an angered Ymir suddenly intercedes in the chase by causing a non-canonical firestorm, and the 'acclaimed creator' perturbingly steers his literary ship away from the established novella and into waters both new and unconvincing; “F-Father? N-No! I found him! I brought him! He… He’s mine by right!”

Adding plenty of gore to this comic’s gruesome opening, and then titillation throughout the scantily-clad female’s flight, is Doug Braithwaite. The London-born illustrator appears intent on pencilling every voluptuous curve he can cram into a panel, rather than rely upon any bibliophile’s imagination as to Atali’s physical form. But it is the artist’s fearsome-looking giants which probably most capture the eye, with an astonishing attention to detail in their clothing, accoutrements and weaponry.

The regular cover art of "CONAN THE BARBARIAN" #15 by Mahmud Asrar