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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 0:56:36 GMT -5
Issue #11: The Damned Horde Part 5
Recap: Thoth and Natala arrive at their destination and Thoth orders her to tell him the details he couldn't extract from her hubby be it spell or spike. Natala is outraged to receive confirmation that Thoth is indeed the killer of her husband, and Thoth mockingly says "Of Course. Who else could it be? The book of Skelos who's hiding place he found belongs in the hands of none other than Thoth-Amon, Lowest Father of Set, the First Serpent." Still, he feels there is no point in resisting now that they're here and orders her to tell him what the papyrus said of the secrets beneath the eyes of Usir. They walk towards the cave, and Natala says that it's been years so she'll paraphrase. She recites what the scroll says as they enter, eventually stopping in front of a large structure of molten rock. We also see statues of men holding swords.
Back with Almuric Conan declares that Thoth has turned them against him, and says the gold is nothing more than women's rumors. Almuric, in a rare moment of intelligence, orders Conan (who he calls Cormac) to talk or die. One of the spearmen notices his hand and Conan tries to use this to threaten them....and punches himself in the face. Abit is confused by this, but then Conan starts spitting his blood everywhere, driving the men to flee back. Conan mocks them, pressing the advantage, saying that he knows he's doomed but hey, better to feed the vultures than give the anything more than the sight of his backside. He starts to continue but is cut off by an arrow to the leg. As he kneels on four legs Almuric begins to give another speech about how the gold belongs to him to raise an army of saviors.....but Conan tells him to shut up, saying that he's just a coward who fled his homeland the minute Strabonus didn't keel over at his first attack and fled south to escape his failures, and wants the gold for the reason that he has no gold otherwise, and that if he admitted it he might trust him enough to have an ale with him but certainly not to share buried treasure. Almuric dismisses it as a dying man's rantings and says they don't need to touch Conan to kill him. Conan says "Aye. I'm sure they feel the same." Almuric and the others turn to see themselves surrounded by archers.
In the Volcano, Thoth declares that the people who wrote the scroll were weak and that a true believer would not have lost the book of Skelos in such a way. Assuming that the monolithic shape in front is the Hoard he uses his magic to blast through it, saying that it's unbecoming for him to use a spade. Suddenly, voices emerge. "Thoth. Amon. Guttersnipe. Assassin. Even your NAME is a lie." Thoth is confused and asks Natala if she spoke. Natala says "Believe me, Wizard, if I Insulted you, you'd know it." Thoth orders whoever speaks to show themselves; if they do he will show mercy. The voices laugh. "Mercy. The street urchin who backstabbed his way to the first temple of Set wants to show US mercy." Thoth is scared, stammering "No one....no one LIVING knows...of what you speak...." Natala notices movement but Thoth, scared and angry, threatens her but Natala points out that the "chest" he just tried to open is visible; there are corpses inside. The voices continue. "You ever play that game little boys and girls play, Amon? Behind the market stalls where you stole bread and fruit to live? With your fellow surviving abortions of the streets?" "I'll show you MINE if you show ME YOURS." "So. YOU are going to show us MERCY." A noise emanates and the statues surrounding them suddenly erupt, revealing clawed hands.
Almuric screams that the Stygians have found them. He starts to give orders....and is caught in the mouth with an arrow before like the rest of the men, he is blanketed in them. A Ligurean tries to kill a rising Conan, but Conan picks up a spiked shield and impales him, using him as a shield to stave of the arrows. Conan asks if there is no way out of the abattoir, when he sees Diana riding on a camel. He asks if Natala told him where the Eyes of Usir lay and asks if she fears catching the plague. She holds out her hand, and Conan says that their fates are shared. He coughs violently and says Diana should have the reigns. As Abit watches them leave he's asked what to do by the surviving bastards. He declares they are free men with nothing left to guard. His command? Every man for himself. They'll be harder to track down scattered to the four winds and if they follow their hearts. He takes a camel and rides after Diana.
In the eyes Thoth realizes that it wasn't a "hoard" but a "horde" as an army of snake men start to surround them. He yells that her husband mistranslated the papyrus. Natala reveals that no he didn't. He swore her to secrecy, saying that men's lust for treasure leads them to destruction. His motive however was knowledge, pure knowledge. That light was snuffed by Thoth and soon his light will be as will. Thoth angrily declares that she killed them both but Natala doesn't care. "I return to his arms again! And I watch YOU die as I go! I AM VICTORIOUS!!!!"
Review: Well that was an.....intense issue. It honestly held up much better on this read through than I thought. There is a continuity problem about how and when Thoth showed up at the cave but overall it was a great issue. Almuric and the rest of the horde (barring the bastards and even they are probably fucked except for Guardsman Abit) die horribly and in Almuric's case it's satisfying to watch. Unlike Julion, this guy is just a douchebag. Conan finally tells the shithead how he really feels and by god it's glorious. The sequences in the Eye of Usir are pretty cool and the plot twist of what the "hoard" really was was well done. I'm not sure how I feel about Natala being aware though; on one hand it's awesome she turned the tables on her husband's killer. On the other it paints her as manipulative since she was leading her sister and Conan and the others there too.
Then there's the other scene that may be controversial. The bits where the voices mock Thoth. Personally I loved them. It was a creepy atmosphere, and really caused the bastard to loose his composure. On the other hand, some of the more purist fans (I'm not trying to be perjorative) might not like that it essentially makes Book of Thoth canon. The lines about how "even your name is a lie." how "he was a street rat" basically makes Book of Thoth his official backstory, at least in the DH continuity. I liked the story so I didn't mind; in fact I felt it even enhanced it somewhat. We see that Thoth's deeply ashamed of his heritage and wants to escape it, hence why he goes ballistic when it's brought up. All in all, it's a great issue and the arc builds to a conclusion.
9 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 1:59:01 GMT -5
Issue #12: The Damned Horde Part 6
Recap:: As Conan rides on the camelback against Diana he hallucinates his father working the forge; Conan asks if he can set the hammer down for a second and Conan's father's hallucination calls him a pussy. By this time Conan is sweating profusely and says that he hates weakness as much as Connacht. But the heat is intense and his head feels like he's using Conan's skull as an anvil. He's on the ground, with Diana trying to speak to Conan but failing due to her lack of tongue. Conan wakes up, asking if they're where the hoard is. He's hallucinating it this point, thinking that Diana is Natala, saying he'll get over there, slash whatever obstacle is there, bring back gold and reunite her with her sister. Throughout this Diana is supporting him. Conan thinks he doesn't have his sword but then Diana gives it to him. He tells her to wait, then laughs. He's just realized that he's with Diana and he's going to rescue Natala. He apologizes saying they look alike before heading off. He rambles that it would have been nice to sleep with at least one of them, but oh well. You can't bed them all no matter how much you want to. It's just not realistic. Diana looks at him in pity as he walks forwards. Still he marches forwards, determined to kill whatever is in the way. Som serpent men try to attack him, and Conan thinks he's hallucinating at first. Still he doesn't care; he'll split them anyway. However, the serpents notice something about him and instead run into the cave. Conan collapses on all four limbs. He denounces them. He thinks they're utilizing sorcery to make the cavern spin.
Further in Thoth is using his magic to hold the serpents at bay when Natala tackles him, determined to ensure that Thoth dies here. He blasts her away and uses his spell to incapacitate her long enough to ensure she can be tortured back in Luxur. Suddenly a serpent man stabs him from behind, though he hits the shoulder. Thoth incinerates him, but realizes his strength is failing. For these are the first worshippers of Set. Thoth is confused however; surely they would recognize him, the greatest preacher of Set in recent years as an ally or master. What has all the sacrifice, all the scheming been for. Just as he's about to give up Conan comes wandering in, having worked up his strength . The serpent men shrink against the aura of sickness that Conan gives off, for it is the aura of Nyrlanhthotep. Seeing a chance (and remembering that Set only really loves or even acknowledges power) Thoth draws the magic used to fuel the sickness from Conan and uses it to decimate a horde of serpents. It's still not enough though and it looks like Thoth will be overpowered. Conan, however, is now peak health and starts cutting through the serpent men like a charging bear through a barrier made of hay. He asks Thoth where the gold is and Thoth explains there IS no gold. There never was; just servants of heretics. Seeing Natala unconscious Conan asks if "the devils got her?" Thoth lies and says "Yes, tragically. I did all I could to save her." Uh huh. Sure. Eventually they wind up back to back and Conan says that healing him has only gotten Thoth a short reprieve while Thoth points out he'll still need to LIVE long enough to get vengeance. Seeing cracking movement as the serpent men advance Conan says that the wound still festers and as Thoth protests what he's doing Conan rams the swordd in, saying to "Rip off the SCAB! Let the Bad Blood Out And Drown These Bastards In It" Thoth calls him an idiot, but Conan doesn't care, picking up an unconscious Natala just as she regains consciousness. Conan says he told her he would not leave her. Natala asks "You did?" And Conan says "Oh. Well I should have." Conan, Thoth and Natala make a break for it as Conan holds Natala in his arms. Thoth summons his cloud saying that whether they meet again will be determined by Father set. Conan manages to grab a rock hold as he and Natala fall while Natala grabs him. Conan screams at Thoth to come back so he can kill him....when the rock hold crumbles sending Conan to his doom. Or not, as Abit grabshim at the last minute and pulls them both up. They escape the erupting volcano.
As Conan and Abit and Natala observe from afar Conan admits he thought the only reason Abit would follow would be to kill him. Bit says it wasn't Conan he was aft (Diana approaches in the background.) He admits that while the thought had it's appeal on the river bank, riding alone through the wastes left him with nothing but to think. He had no choice but to think things over. Conan did not force them to follow. What's more anyone who looks at Conan with clear eyes can see what he is. Conan is amused and asks Abit what he is. Bit says he is a force of nature. He doesn't know if Conan's course will bring ruin or riches but that he leaves no path for mortals to follow. Just a way that wrecks those polish enough to try to keep up with him. They see men approaching from the desert, and at first think it's the rest of Almuric's men. But no, Abit says they're actually the Kushite army; What little is left of Shumballah's army undoubtedly sent to greet Almuric if he crossed the border. Conan gets on a camel saying that the Kushites won't be happy to see them. He says there's nothing but dunes past the horizon this way, and that they will not be followed if they ride. Suddenly he realizes that there is no more "we." Bit tells him that Amra's bastards died when Matak did. Whoever Conan goes, Abit will go the opposite way. Conan points out he will most likely be stabbed as a traitor but Abit likes the chances. Getting on, Natala asks Diana to come, but she hugs Abit, making it clear where she stands. Natala accepts and Conan and Abit salute each other before Conan and Natala flee.
The Kushite army ride up, and the leader asks if Abit is the same Abit of El Shebbeh. Abit asks who wants to know. The leader introduces himself as Shubba of the same city (is this the same Shubba who served Thuthmes). He explains he heard rumors that the King's guard had passed through with Prince Almuric. Abit, assuming that he's to be arrested, says he's all that's left. Turns out Shubbit doesn't plan for that. When the uprising claimed the nobility, the scholars, engineers and generals were killed, causing Shumballa to fall into chaos. They need Men of Kush to return and lend talents to restore order. He begs Abit to return and help them lead. We cut ahead and the Nemedian Chronicles say that this started Abit down a long path to become King of Kush. His time with Conan gave him knowledge of and resistance of the world's evils and and in turn allowed him to become the most beloved monarch in Kush's history. Throughout all this Diana ruled by his side, and the people accepted her muteness and foreign appearance to the point that when Abit died they accepted her in his stead. She whom is called "the Quiet Queen."
We cut to Conan and Natala in the desert. Their camel has become food for the vultures. We get the scene of Conan raising his sword when Conan sees something in the distance. Natala asks if it's a city or a shadow? We see a panoramic scene of Conan and Natala observing a massive city in the distance. It doesn't fade like Conan accepts so he says "The Devil Knows." Still, it's worth a try. He picks Natala up despite her protests, saying the rocky ground would rip her candles to shreds. Besides they need to reach the city quickly. They walk towards the city and the mists.
Review: This was a decent enough conclusion. The final battle was great and it was nice to see Diana and Abit get their happy ending. All in all it tied up the loose ends nicely. Conan's survival made sense; Thoth needed to survive and because the magic plague was fueled by magic when Thoth absorbed it the spell vanished. However, there are questions. How long did it take them to reach the Eyes of Usir? How did Abit know where to go? Why did they decide Abit was one of the better candidates to lead them? It's a decent enough finale, but it's not as strong as the previous issues. 7.5 out of 10
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 2:25:23 GMT -5
Issue #13: Conan the Avenger: Xuthal of the Dusk Part 1
Recap: In the city, an asian dude lies on a cot hooked up to a black lotus like plant that is inserted via iv into his arm. He's woken up by a loud banging on the door, so he presses a jewel and as the room is flooded with light heads to open the window. Below him, Conan screams if anyone can hear him? Conan doesn't see people on the parapets so he bangs the door demanding to be let in. He continues banging and we get a recap about how ha and Natala are (as far as they no) the only survivors of Almuric's army.) Natala's time living in camp gave her strength and stamina but even so she's not far from collapsing. The door opens as Conan pushes it and Conan sees a guy lying on the floor. Natala asks if he's dead, and even though Conan doesn't see a single wound on him he notices that he's as dead Aslmuric with forty arrows feathering him. They move in, with Conan reflecting on the situation. They see a well bet getting closer, there's no bucket to draw from. Natala screams, as the guy who they left behind charges at them with a knife. Conan cuts his head off. Conan starts to wonder into "what madhouse have we strayed?" Natala is scared the people of the city will kill them if they find out, but Conan points out the guy would have killed them if he hadn't cut his head off. He doesn't see witnesses, and decides that if he can't enjoy the well no one will. He throws the corpse and head down the well and when Natala points out blood on the stones Conan says that there will be more unless he finds water soon. He decides to lead Natala through one of the doors. Surely they'll find people after a while.
As they progress Natala wants to take her chances in the desert, thinking it's better to die of thirst then to face the terrors of the city. Conan is adamant though and says there's water in the city and he'll find it. When Natala asks if they'll come to life again and Conan says then he'll keep killing them until they stay dead. He leads her through another door. They come across a couch that's still warm from a human touching it, and the imprints of someone's hips. There's also a faint smell of perfume. Natala screams grabbing Conan, and Conan gets annoyed, threatening to skin her if she grabs his sword arm again. He's pissed but then Natala points, and we see a MASSIVE table with food and drink. Conan says that whoever the feast was prepared for will have to look elsewhere this night. Natala is worried that people might come upon them but Conan, amazed that Natala is objecting to food right in front of them, forcibly sits her down. They proceed to eat and drink. Conan does so rather boorishly, Natala does so daintily. Once they are done, Natala asks to leave; she feels the evil in the place. Conan says they haven't been harmed yet. Suddenly they hear a noise and spin towards the door. They see a man on a dais. The hiss continues and Conan covers Natala's mouth. A shadow sweeps over the man; as it recedes the man has vanished without a mark. Natala can't scream as Conan tells her to be quiet. He looks closer, seeing a tiny speck of blood. Natala is scared, and Conan says it's time to go. Their way is blocked by a guy staring at them like Lurch the zombie. He speaks a strange language, so Conan tries to speak in Stygian. Fortunately, the guy gets the lingo and asks who Conan is. Conan introduces himself and Natala, and the guy, thinking Natala is a hallucination starts praising Natala, asking where she comes from, dropping names like Andarra, Tothra, Kuth of the Star Girdle. He says he has dreamed more gorgeous beauties, but still is impressed by her white skin and the freshness of her so he grabs her and tries to drag her to the couch. Conan breaks the hold, and the man, thinking Conan's a dream, banishes him. Or tries to. Conan isn't a dram and instead threatens him and says he'll drench the hangings in blood. The man finally realizes that they are real and asks who they are and what they do in Xuthal. Conan explains his circumstances and offers recompense for the food they ate. They are just leaving because he doesn't like this city where dead men rise and sleeping men vanish into the bellies of shadows. The man catches the last part and asks him what he said. Conan says "whatever it is that takes a man from a sleeping dais and leaves only a spot of blood." The man asks "you have seen?" grabbing Conan roughly. Conan says he saw only a sleeping man on a dais, and a shadow engulfing him. The man runs away screaming, bangs his head into a wall, rights himself, then flees through the door before it's cut off.
Conan thinks they are insane and starts running with Natala. Natala thinks they are dead and that this is hell and they are spirits....when Conan hits her on the ass saying "You're no spirit when a pat makes you yell like that." He says they are alive, though maybe not for longer if they dwell in this place. He gestures her to come....when a woman appears in the doorway in front of them asking who they are. When Conan asks who she is she says she is Thalis the Stygian and she asks if they are made to come here.
Review: The Howard tale gets off to a good start, but it's slow. It's kinda quiet and there isn't really much action. However, the atmosphere is masterfully built up, and the city really feels like a deserted ghost town. We also see Thog devourer the poor sucker on the dais which was creepy as shit. The art is a step up, as the characters feel human. However it's a slow issue. 7 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 3:18:04 GMT -5
Issue #14: Xuthal of the Dusk Part 2
Recap: We pick up where last issue ended. Conan tells Thalis everything that they have seen....then stops when Thalis doesn't run away screaming like the guy he told of the shadow. Thalis is nonchalant. She thinks it's foolish for a man to squeal when caught. When Thog wants her he will come for her. Conan asks who Thog is. She observes them, not answering, but offers them a seat on the divan, saying she will tell them after they give her their names. Conan tells her they're names and says they're refugees from an army destroyed on the borders of Kush However, he declines the offer since he doesn't want to sit down where Black shadows might sneak up on him. Thalia tells him to relax as she lies down. If thou wants you he'll take you regardless of where you are. She asks if he heard a great cry from the guy running before falling quiet. She says he must have run right into that which he sought to flee. Conan sits down asking who these people are and what this place is. Thalis explains that the city is called Xuthal; it was founded by wanderers from the east so long ago even the descendants do not remember the age. Conan says that the palaces seem empty; surely there are not many of them. Thalis says that there aren't many but more than he might think. The entire city is really just one big palace with every building connected with the others. Sometimes you might walk for hours and not meet anyone; sometimes you might walk and meet hundreds. Conan is confused, but Thalis explains that much of the people spend their time asleep and dreaming. She also says the black lotus grows in certain pits of the city. This is a different variety though; it's been cultivated for years until it induces fantastic dreams rather than killing outright. They spend most of their time in dreams and are erratic to the point they leave work half completed before going back to sleep in the lotus. The guy they encountered must have felt the urge of hunger, prepared a mean, forgot and then wandered away to dream.
Conan asks where they get the food from, since he saw no fields or vineyards. He asks if they have cattle pens and orchards in the wall, but Thalis says they manufacture their own food out of the primal elements. This is because they are wonderful scientists when not drugged out of their minds. Their ancestors were REALLY fucking smart (we even see primitive cranes) and even though the race became slaves to their passions some of the knowledge remains. She demonstrates that the lights are jewels fused with radium and shows how you rub them to make them glow and then rub the opposite way to extinguish them. However, they have forgotten A LOT. They choose to spend most of their time in sleep like death. Conan realizes that the man at the gate was slumbering. Thalis finishes for him, saying animation is suspended to the point it's impossible to detect signs of life. Natala asks about the thing that stole through the chambers and took the guy on the dais. Thalis explains that the creature is Thog, the god of Xuthal who dwells in the dome in the city center. She explains that he's always dwelt in Xuthal; whether he was there before or whether he came with them no one knows; however the people worship him. Most of the time he sleeps below the city but sometimes he gets hungry and steals through the corridors seeking prey. Then NO ONE is safe. Natala is scared, but Conan is incredulous that people would lie down KNOWING there's a demon among them, but Thalis points out that there's no difference between whether the priests give the victim to the gods or the god comes to claim the victim. Conan says that this isn't the custom of his or Natala's people. The hyborians don't sacrifice people to Mitra and by Crom he'd like to see them try to sacrifice a priest. There'd be blood spilt but it would be the priests. Thalis says he's a barbarian and that Thog is terrible. Conan says the people must be either heroes or idiots to lie in their stupid dreams knowing they might die. Thalis says that he has been one of the factors which has reduced the population to hundreds. A few more generations and they'll all be dead and Thog will either journey into the world or retire to hell (we see a poor shmuck running through the halls and getting engulfed by a shadow.) Thalis also says that everyone there are fatalists; they know they're doomed but they can't resist or escape. In fact not a single person from the present generation has been beyond the walls.
She also says that there is an Oasis a Day's march to the south; it's on the old maps that their ancestors drew, but no man has visited it in three generations, nor made any attempt to explore the fertile grasslands a day's march beyond THAT (we see an oasis and a tower by the side. This sets up the next arc); Thalis pours herself some golden wine saying they are fast fading, drowned in lotus dreams and stimulated in waking hours by golden wine which prolongs life, invigorates the most sated debauchee and even heals wounds (pouring herself some). However they cling to life and fear the deity they worship. Conan himself how one would go mad knowing Thog was wandering the palaces. She has also seen the entire city screaming and tearing it's hair out and running outside so they could draw lots to see who would be bound and thrown through the door to feed Thog. If they weren't all sleeping the news of Thog would send them running through the gates. Natala is horrified and wants to flee. Conan says they will but is curious why Thalis, a Stygian, is here. Thalis gives Conan her backstory. She's a noble woman, the child of a king. She was abducted by a rebel prince and taken with an army of Kushites into the south to try and forge a land for the Prince. The Prince and the warriors perished but one of them placed her on a camel and walked beside it till he too died. The beast wandered on and she passed into delirium the hunger and thirst were so great. She was found lying outside the city with a camel dead besides her. The people brought her in and revived her with the golden wine. Only the sight of a woman would have caused them to leave from the walls. They (especially the men) were interested in her.) She couldn't speak their language so they learned hers, their intellect allowing them to pick hers up LONG before she learned theirs. However, they were really interested in her for her body. She's the only thing a man will forgo the lotus dreams for for ANY amount of time. The women are rather jealous, because while handsome they are dreamy and uncertain and the men like her because she is real (we see the women looking angrily as the men line up to bed Thalis.) Thalis says she is not a dream, even if she dreamed the dreams of the lotus. She's a normal woman with earthly desires and emotions. The women can't compete.
Thalis says THIS is why Conan should cut Natala's throat; if the men wake up and catch her they will put her through paces she never imagined. She's too soft to endure what Thalis has thrived on. The only reason she endured was because she'd been through the mysteries of Derketo before she was 15, and even then the first few years were rough because of how much carnal knowledge the people have. Their lives have ecstasies beyond ordinary men's capabilities. Conan isn't impressed thinking the people are degenerates but Thalis says "It is all in the point of view." Conan thinks they are wasting time and says they'll be gone before Thog shows up and the people wake up. He thinks the desert would be kinder. He asks her to show them the nearest way out and Thalis seems to agree, telling them to follow. However, she asks NAtala if she wants to wash her face in the fountain, since it's stained with dust (Which is in her hair.) Natala agrees, prompting Conan to say "By Crom! A woman will stop to consider her beauty, if the devil himself were on her heels. Conan is exasperated (since she'll be dirty before they're out of sight of the city) and asks Thalis to give them food and water. Thalis hits on Conan, asking him why he's leaving. Stay here, she'll teach him the ways of Xuthal. She throws her arms around Conan saying that she will love him; she's sick of these men who sigh, dream, wake up and dream again. She wants the clean passion of a man from the earth. The touch of his arm maddens her and the blaze in his eyes enthralls her. She retreats her entreaties to stay; she will make him KING OF XUTHAL and show him mysteries......when Conan pushes her away, cutting her off. Thalis and Natala exchange an ugly look and the text says that while Conan is no more monogamous than other soldiers of fortune, there's an innate sense of decency about him that realizes he's Natala'a best chance of survival.
Thalis walks to a door, and Conan assumes she heard something. Natala approaches, and Thalis says to watch the doorway. She grabs Natala and drags her behind the curtain, leading to a secret passageway. Natala gets a sound out but Conan is thwarted when the entrance is replaced with a wall. He rips the curtain away, roaring...and finds himself surrounded by four men. Even though they are armed Conan wins. They aren't used to fighting so even though they outnumber Conan they do terribly. One guy accidentally stabs his fellow in the chest. They press on though, not lacking courage. More show up from passageways, forcing Conan to fight his way through. He effortlessly kills the shit out of everyone in his way, even the well dressed guy in a gold headdress and green skirt. Conan moves up the stairs, realizing that by the screams he's killed someone important. Probably the king. He runs on randomly though the city, desperately trying to find Natala. He can only hope to run on and at one point runs into a chamber filled with men. Fortunately they are unarmed. He runs away to another room. In the center is a woman sitting on a throne; Conan says he won't hurt her, but before he can finish, she pulls a cord, triggering a trap door. Conan plummets into the dark.
Review: This is another good issue; it really captures the overall madcap nature of Howard's tale; the seemingly seductive yet degenerate city, the eldritch horror. Thalis herself makes her intro and this version is interesting. Her backstory takes up a large part of the issue and honestly I feel bad for her. She's been here since she was a teen and has known nothing but these sots. I can see her being attracted. Still, doesn't excuse abducting Natala. The madcap chase through the city was also cool, and we get a great cliffhanger. 7.5 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 3:55:19 GMT -5
Issue #15: Xuthal of the Dusk Part 3
Recap: We cut to Natala and Thalis. Thalis is behind the passage door (maybe they've moved on it's hard to tell). Natala tries to tell Conan where they are, but Thalis threatens her into being silent. She drags Natala along, explaining she will leave her for someone who will come sooner or later. Natala asks Thalis why she's doing this; Thalis explains that she wants Conan and Natala stands in the way; based on the look in his eyes Conan might be tempted to stay with her were it not for Natala. Eventually they arrive at the end of a corridor, and Natala says Conan will cut her throat. Thalis retorts "maybe." At any rate Natala won't know whether Conan will kill or kiss her because she will be the bride of Thog. Natala grabs the dagger from Thalis's belt and tries to attack her. To her credit she draws blood and gets away briefly. Thalis hits the lights, and despite having a cut on her side manages to catch up to a terrified Natala and disarm her before slapping her with a pimpslap. Outraged that Natala dared to attack her she declares Natala will pay. She rips off Natala's clothing, binds her, and as Natala pleads for mercy whips her with such viciousness that it makes the whippings she received in Shem seem paltry by comparison. Even though they're made of silk the whip hurts more than any made of birch or leather. Natala starts to plead when she notices something, the words dying in her throat. Thalis sees it too, and is engulfed in shadow. Bound up as she is Natala can only listen in disgust as the horrible sounds of Thalis pleading are ignored, and devolve into screams of agony, then laughter mixed with sobs. This goes on for a while before ceasing. Natala is nauseated with terror but twists and looks into the direction Thalis vanished. Sure enough, it's Thog, a giant....toad thing. She can't make it out but Thog clearly likes what he sees. He touches her with his long tongues, which are neither warm nor cold, rough nor smooth. Natala is of course terrified, screaming in horror as Thog gropes her and begins to pull her away. Ironically her chains save her, as Thog can't immediately take her.
Conan land's dramatically on three limbs, while holding a sword in his hand. He draws a dagger, and while he would normally be scared, the sight of Natala in Thog's grasp makes him so pissed he ignores it. He charges Thog, who dodges into the shadow before appearing behind him. Conan quickly lashes out with his blades, unable to tell whether he's slashing members off or cleaving the bulk. The tongues have teeth of their own and bite him, crushing clawing and clubbing at the same time. Conan struggles as Thog brings him in for the kill, screaming in pain and bleeding before biting the tongue. This causes Thog to drop him, and though Conan is in pain from the punishment he charges Thog again. He impales him through the chin and though Thog throws him around he manages to force Thog back down a giant hole, the blade slashing Thog as it falls into the darkness. Natala tries to free herself when Conan approaches, looking like shit. He frees her, but Natala notices that he's wounded into death, wondering what they shall do. Conan accepts it, saying you can't fight a devil from hell and come out with whole skin. Natala asks if he killed it but Conan isn't sure. When it fell into the pit it was bleeding but he can't tell whether it can be killed by steel. Natala is also appalled at the state of his back. Conan acknowledges he was cut but it was the squeezing that really hurt. He'll be surprised if half his guts aren't out of place. When she ask what to do, Conan says they can't go through the door. The room is full of dead men and warriors are probably on duty; they didn't follow causee they thought him screwed. He orders Natala to take the gem; as he was groping his way back he felt arches opening into tunnels. They'll follow the first they come to. Maybe it will lead to a pit, maybe to air but they can't take a chance. They have to leave.
Natala gives him the gem and he leads on despite the pain he's in. He doesn't let it show and eventually they reach a door. Conan thinks there's men behind it but tells Natala to open it anyway. "By Crom, the city has not seen such a sacrifice as I will make. Natala opens it..... and we find an empty room (so it seems) with a fountain. Conan comes out expecting a fight but is told no one is there (though there is water.) He tells Natala he can hear it and to get a drink while he keeps watch. Natala says she isn't thirsty and tells Conan to lie besides the fountain while she bathes his wounds. Conan is concerned that the swords of Xuthal may come to them, but Natala can't hear anyone. All i silent. She takes some cloth and makes some bandages, desperately trying to think of a solution even as she is unsure the men of Xuthal are hunting them. She looks around....and sees a woman in bed holding an elixir bottle. She walks over, and realizing what it is, takes it from the girl's hands. She considers stabbing her but can't do it. She gives Conan the elixir and immediately it begins to have an effect; Conan feels new life and power rushing through his veins. He thinks it's the elixir of life. Natala advises that they flee into the corridor to avoid discovery (which will occur if they stay too long. She thinks they can hide....but Conan has nothing of it. They will leave now. Natala is scared about Conan's wounds, but fortunately the elixir is healing it. Maybe it is a false strength but he feels no pain or weakness. He remembers Thalis's statements about the city being one great palace. Apparently some of the chambers are built like towers on the wall. This is one such. Chance has led them well. Natala asks what he means and Conan says there is a crystal jar on the table. He orders Natala to fill it with water and tie the strip of a torn hanging around the table neck while he rips up a tapestry. They'll escape the city (Conan fashions a rope and ties it to a table) and head to the oasis, where Conan can rest until his wounds heal. Then they'll go to the grasslands beyond. They climb down the rope, with Conan saying that the wine is like sorcery. He was a dead man walking a little while ago, but now he's ready for everything.
On the ground, Conan says that they might be followed but he doubts it. They look in the direction of the oasis, and Conan beckons Natala to come. They walk away into the night and Natala asks if he saw anything of Thalis. Conan says it was empty. Natala admits she felt sorry for Thalis despite the whole torture thing, and Conan says it was a hot welcome they got. Everyone will remember their visit for a while. There are brains blood and guts to be cleaned and Thog is injured too. Conan thinks they've gotten off lightly. They have wine water and a chance of reaching a habitable country, even though he looks like he's gone through a meat grinder and she has a sore back. Natala tells Conan everything is his fault. If he hadn't looked admiringly at Thalis none of this would have happened. Conan is amazed. "From and his devils! when oceans drown the world, women will take time for jealousy. Devil take their conceit! Did I TELL the Stygian to fall in love with me? After all....she was only human." They walk into the night and the issue ends.
Review: This was a good conclusion. There were a few ridiculous elements (Natala is naked, then she's dressed, Conan bites Thog's tongue and he lets go) but overall it was good. The art really served the horror and the fight with Thog kicked ass. Conan really looked like complete shit and I was worried he'd die. He's lucky the golden wine heals his wounds. The atmosphere is great, and it even fixes a problem I had with the original (why Thalis wastes time torturing Natala rather than feeding her to Thog); she wasn't planning on the torture but Natala angered her enough she did. All in all it's a great conclusion. 8.5 out of 10.
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Post by johnnypt on Jun 12, 2016 6:32:13 GMT -5
A brief comment about #10:
This section of the story comes completely from Fred’s imagination and even though it’s going in directions I certainly never thought of (to me, Natala was just a slave girl Conan *ahem* appropriated and their connection at first was purely physical, Brythunian girls the Hyborian Age equivalent of a green Orion slave girl), it’s compelling reading.
Thoughts on #11-12
I’m not sure it’s a good idea anymore to have Conan and Thoth Amon cross paths so many times. The fact that Almuric’s army was destroyed by forces from Stygia does suggest the sorcerer was involved since he was still in charge at this point. I probably would’ve preferred he stayed in the capital and wielded his spells from there. Fred also gave Natala far more of a backbone than she had in Howard’s original. I’m also not sure why he decided to make Almruic someone else after Tim Truman set it up at the end of Black Colossus that Prince Julian would take the name Al-Muric. But that’s a perfectly defendable decision, nothing’s set in stone.
Brian Ching did a lot of good work on the Star Wars series when DH had the license. But his work on Conan has left a number of readers cold. It seems to have gotten sketchier as the series when on. Comparing the parts of Xuthal of the Dusk adapted in issues #7 and #12, the later issue seems a lot less detailed. He’s taking off the three issue adaptation of Xuthal and returning with #16. Hope to see his pencils tighten up a bit.
Next time-The Slithering Shadow…really, Farnsworth? Xuthal of the Dusk isn’t a cooler name?
Note-I wrote the review for #12 almost exactly one year ago, so I'm that far behind. As for the elements of the Thoth mini being used in this arc: I don't mind it per se, in fact it's better Fred used them to tie the DH universe closer together. I'm just kind of done with the Conan-Thoth meetings, whoever does them.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 15:11:37 GMT -5
Right, time to begin the next arc
Conan the Avenger Issue #16: Blood Oasis Part 1
Recap: Natala calls out ow. Conan is worried it's a scorpion. Natala says no, it's just a piece of rock. They're walking on the remnants of an old highway and a rock got caught in her shoe. Meanwhile, Natala starts ranting about all the horrible things that she hopes Thog is doing to Thalis. Conan is amused, prompting Natala to ask why he's laughing, it's not funny. Conan says "Particularly if I were Thalis." Natalia is also skeptical of the claim of there being an oasis south of Xuthal. She wanted to kill Natala and make Conan her stud; and he almost let her because he thinks with his loincloth. Conan counters that Thalis thought she had them in her power; she had nothing to gain by lying. Suddenly a sandstorm begins to approach and they have to hide behind a pillar. Natala bemoans (for the umpteenth time) that she used to live in a castle with servants. Her main concerns were usually whether her toenails matched her fingernails. Conan says "Ah, but you feel so much more alive now don't you." Natala says that it's funny; her husband said the same thing right before they were attacked by Pirates. Conan doesn't get it; Natala says that makes two of them. Suddenly a horse comes flying through the sands and Conan has to knock Natala away as the horse crashes into the pillar. Natala is even more pissed off; on top of all the crap she endured now she has sand in her lady parts. As far as she sees it "being alive" just means being in fear all the time. She just wants to live. Is that too much to ask? Conan notices something, ordering Natala back. Natala just asks "what now?" oblivious to the three armored men who have emerged from the sand.
Conan orders them back and they exchange blows. Conan breaks one guys sword after kicking his companion, but when the guy with the broken sword on the ground asks them why they're attacking them (and if Vladislav sent them) Conan accuses THEM of attacking; the guy on the ground accuses Conan of lying. Natala snarkily points to her dagger (which is puny) and claims they were "ambushed" by the debris thrown by the sandstorm. The masked leader thinks it's from Vladislav's raiders, saying the road used to be a major spot for trade caravans. Conan thinks Vladislav sounds more like a Kozaki name than a Zuagir one, and the masked guy draws a sword determined to continue the fight. Fortunately he realizes how stupid it sounds mid sentence and throws the blade down. He takes the helm off begging forgiveness. He introduces himself as Valerius of Kharaun. Conan accepts the handshake; meeting a civilized man who admits the errors of his ways is rare for Conan. Natala isn't impressed and simply asks if they can get the hell out of here, since they don't know when the storm will return. Valerius agrees and whistles. Breathing tubes emerge from the sand. This is followed by the emergence of a MASSIVE liter, in which a veiled noble is sitting.) When Conan asks where Valerius is heading Valerius says he can't say, but that they are far off course. However, the maps they have suggest there's an oasis to the south of here. Conan says he heard the same thing, before recounting what went down in Xuthal. Valerius of course thinks he's full of shit. Conan says "suit yourself"....and then steals a dagger from Valerius's belt before hurling it in the direction of a pillar. He screams "You! Stop, Skulking Dog. Show yourself willingly or be dragged out. A hooded man emerged, nursing a wound before collapsing in the sand.
Natala rushes forwards and bandages his wounds (thanks to being in Shem she knows some tricks or two.) Natala says the wound is clean, which the man is thankful for. He says he felt something strike in the storm; maybe a metal bar from a cage. He says he tried to take shelter in an oasis but a storm blew him off course. Valerius is sceptical; though he dresses like a nobleman he skulks in the shadows like a thief. He asks who the man is, and he introduces himself as Kerim Shah; he says he's a traveller from Iranistan on private business. He says that when he saw the remnants of the ambush he hid, hoping to be safe. When he saw them he was worried they might be the authors of what happened so decided it best to be hidden (he drinks from a waterskin as he says this.) Valerius admits the story SOUNDS plausible but isn't so sure. Conan says that truth teller or liar he'll kill him if he moves against him. He also sees a light through the mist, and suggests everyone move to it.
Kerim Shah says it's as Asura intends. He explains that the monks of Gatha, Asura's prophet (Throwing in a "blessed be his name", which might be where Muslims got it.) lit a fire at the Oasis of Akrel. It burned against the demon Nazu (as per the holy texts) to keep him from winning.) Everyone walks towards it and eventually they arrive at the Oasis. At the Oasis they see the Buzzard's circling ahead. As they advance Natala says that Kerim Shah makes her uneasy. Conan says not to show it since it would probably delight him.....unfortunately they see a butt ton of corpses in the middle of the Oasis. Valerius asks if they should revive them; Conan says why not; they're all dead. Conan notices that the wounds are fresh.....just like Kerim Shah's. He calls Kerim on his story but as he turns Kerim has pulled a batman and vanished. Suddenly some women in a cage scream out for them to help (giving Natala YET ANOTHER shock.) Valerius breaks the lock, asking what happened. The women say that raiders attacked. They survived by hiding under the straw, but have stormed the tower of Silence. Conan and Valerius agree that if the Iranistani is in league with the bandits they must move quickly (though Conan wants to do it calmly, deliberately, and without mercy.) Valerius agrees and his men promise to protect their lady before Valerius rushes off to join the Cimmerian.
Natala bemoans her situation (and that Conan ran off without asking her) but the woman on the liter invites her in; she'll be safer inside when the storm returns. Meanwhile the ladies are flirting with the men. Natala worries about the men and the mistress says they are paid to suffer. She holds out a hand, and Natala accepts. She says at least somebody pays for it. However we see Kerim Shah, with a bow and arrow, hiding in the trees.
Review: This is an...interesting issue. It's good setup, but there's one thing that REALLY bugs me. Xuthal is supposed to be in Kush, or south of it. Yet the Khauranis are somehow able to head there, and are afraid of Vladislav's men. How did they pass all the way through Stygia and Kush. The sad thing is that Van Lente could have just had a timeskip where Conan and Natala got to their destination, got to the lands beyond traveled up to Shem and THEN found this oasis. It would make SO much more sense. Still, Valerius is a likable chap and the atmosphere is well done. 6.5 out of 10.
Next time: an old frenemy returns
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 15:44:18 GMT -5
Issue #17: Blood Oasis Part 2
Recap: As the vultures crow some masked and hooded men are carrying a body on the roof of the temple; they put the slab down and lean over him, taking his mask off. We see that it's an old man. They go inside, leaving the vultures to pick at the remains. Charming. After they leave Conan and Valerius climb up on a grappling hook. Sadly the vultures notice and start cawing before the hooded masked dudes clear the area. One of the men notices this and turns around, forcing Conan to knife him in the neck. Valerius asks which way; Conan says the best way to take out a snake is to cut off the head....and this snake has a long neck (we see that they're STILL actually pretty low below the tower roof where the flame burns.) He says to look for stairs. As they walk Valerius notices a mural, an sees that it's like Kerim Shah said. He starts to read the mural out of curiosity. As Valerius reads (delivering exposition about their doctrine) Conan wanders around, and pulling a curtain stumbles into a horde of monks. Hillariously Valerius continues reading as Conan fights off the warriors. As he reads he sees that the purpose of the flame is to keep the demon Nazu (which is either an elder god or a great old one) at bay. Since Nazu is more shadow then form the light will cause him to evaporate. Hence why the monks have devoted their lives to keeping the flame burning. Valerius dismisses it as superstition and says "what strange beliefs proliferate among these isolated desert folk who have no contact with us civilized men, eh Conan?" When Conan doesn't answer he says "Conan?" Conan answers "Who are you calling "civilized""? Valerius is amazed to see Conan standing amidst a pile of corpses holding a sword. Conan asks "Did you say something else? I wasn't listening."
In the liter, Natala chats with the noblewoman, who says she's a traveller like Natala. Natala says she was a slave till just over a month ago, and that the woman is not like her. The woman asks Natala to tell her about "your cimmerian". Natala says that "he is not mine. I don't know that he has ever been anyone's." (We see Conan and Valerius kicking more ass). "Not even his own." The woman says that all men at some point belong to someone. Natala says that she has heard him call a name in his sleep. Belit. The woman recognizes it as a Shemite name, and asks if she knew her. Natala says no. Also, in many ways Conan is like a wild stallion bucking against the conventions of civilized men. She goes on saying that his is reverse snobbery; where civilized men look down on country men as bumpkins he looks down on them for daring to think it could be better. At other times Conan is more like a hawk or eagle, swift and brutal yet comforting to know that he's overhead. (we see the women continue to flirt with the guards, but one of them seems hesitant. The dynamic duo meanwhile continues to climb the stairs, kicking even more ass as they go. Eventually they are on the roof.
The woman asks Natala if she's slept with Conan. Natala is taken aback but the woman repeats the question. Natala admits she's done it a few times, so the woman asks how was he. We get a shot of Conan and Natala fucking in the sand, and she admits "He makes love....like he was going to war." She says this with a dreamy expression on her face. Topside Valerius and Conan are interrogating a survivor, demanding to know where the leaders are and if they have more captives. The guy refuses to speak so Conan threatens to beat him and rips off the mask. When Valerius comments how taciturn they are Conan takes the flag and threatens to douse the beacon so that they can't lure in more victims. The unmasked guy finally speaks, taking the flag from Conan. Another survivor, Khalid, seems shocked but the unmasked dude protests that if there was anytime to break the law of silence now's the time. Conan asks where Kerim Shah and the other bandits are, as well as what they have done with the monks of Gatha. The unmasked dude says they ARE the monks of Gatha. Conan cannot put out the flame, lest Nazu return. Conan says he doesn't care about their superstitions and demands they tell him where Kerim Shah is. The survivor says they don't know anyone by that name. Conan asks who killed the caravans outside.The survivors tell them that the brothers don't care what goes on outside. They let travellers use the oasis but don't go out to talk to them. At the same time the travellers aren't allowed in to talk to them. Conan realizes they've been had and orders Valerius to tell him who his mistress is. Valerius initially refuses.....so Conan dangles him off the roof of the building. Valerius finally admits that his mistress is Queen Taramis of Khauran, and that they are on a way to meet Yezdigerd for a conference to forge an alliance against the Zuagir, since the raids have destroyed their trade. That's all he knows. Conan asks why they don't just send an envoy, but Valerius says that they don't confide such things in him. He has told Conan all he knows. As the sandstorm approaches he begs Conan to let him up. Conan agrees, saying the true author of these intrigues hasn't shown up yet.
Down below the woman, now revealed to be Taramis, tells Natala the storm approaches. As Conan, Valerius and the two survivors take cover the two slave girls steal the weapons from the Khaurani guards and kill them. Kerim Shah observes, saying he thought their story suspicious but asking when the leader will appear. A voice from above says "Kerim Shah." He looks up. "Boo." The women lunge on him. Natala and Taramis emerge, and are horrified to see the bodies. The slave girls draw blades, but a mysterious voice orders them to leave Natala and Taramis alive. A queen might have uses. Natala says "M-majesty?" "Sshhh." Taramis says. Kerim Shah is forced into the screen at sword point and the voice asks "And you are CONAN'S girl?" Natala says "He owns me no more than Iown him...who?"
We cut out and it's.....oh my god it's a bunch of women with Janissa the Widowmaker. She introduces herself saying "He is an old sword mate of Janissa the Widowmaker. And perhaps I will spare him for securing the tower of silence for me." Oh shit.
Review: Well.....that got dramatic fast. Turns out Janissa played them all for fools and tricked Conan into doing her dirty work for her. I'll tell you the last scene was a major shock, especially since Janissa had been missing since April of 07. Fortunately it seems she's evolved and become far smarter. My earlier complaints about the geographic location still stand, but overall it's a damn good issue with action intrigue and even character moments. Taramis shows us that she's a nice person (if maybe a bit elitist) and we can see why she's loved. But still, the issue definately leaves us wanting more." 7.5 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 16:33:34 GMT -5
Issue #18: Blood Oasis Part 3: Return of the Widowmaker
Recap: Janissa roars for Conan, asking if he hears her. Conan is shocked to recognize her, and when Valerius asks if he knows her he explains that she worked as a killer for a witch calling herself the bone woman. She had obscure schemes that were as obscure as her magic. Conan admits that if Janissa really has become a common bandit it means he can't say whether he rally "knew" her at all. Janissa declares that she has taken the tower of silence without loosing a single woman thanks to Conan, and Valerius looks down to see she surrounded them. She's not an ordinary bandit, though Conan says he can see that. Janissa continues saying that she plans to use the Oasis to strike at slave caravans heading to shem, and the cannibals merchants of Darfur, so she can't let them leave. The monk protests that they can't let her control the tower because if the light goes out they'll be helpless against Nazu. Conan threatens to "defend the tower" by hurling the monk at them if he doesn't shut up, which gives the monk the hint. Janissa goes on, saying she is not cruel; she will let Conan live here at Akrel until it outlives it's usefulness and they move on but only if Conan comes out now without weapons. She knows he can outfight any man or woman alive; however even he can't defeat a hundred. Valerius starts to panic saying they have Natala and Taramis but Conan tells him to shut up. He needs to think. Down Below, one of the warriors says that Janissa should just kill them both, leave no one alive who can take arms against them. Janissa holds a blade to the woman's throat and tells her that while she's been with her longest she doesn't have the right to question orders. She fought with Conan when they protected Kalanthes. If cornered he'll become a whirlwind of death. They'd win but they'd loose half their numbers. Natala looks on, confused.
As Janissa manhandles Sannah (the blonde woman saying they should kill Conan) Another woman notices that Conan and Valerius have rolled out the white flag. The woman is confident that Conan isn't such a fool, but Janissa says "we'll see." Back in the captives, Taramis and Kerim Shah chat. Kerim admits that he is Yezidgerd's emissary, and that she ventured into the wasteland to negotiate the final terms of her dowry to him. Oh my, seems they were considering a MARRIAGE proposal. Taramis takes off her veil, realizing that since Kerim's here Yezdigerd isn't coming. Kerim explains that an uprising among the Khozgari hill people obliged Yezdigerd to marry the daughter of one of the chiefs. Taking another wife and adding her to the harem so soon would disrupt the proper wife order and undo any good feeling by the alliance. Taramis is mighty cross, cutting him off and saying "I DID NOT AGREE TO HAVE MY LANDS ABSORBED BY TURAN AND MY FREEDOM BY YEZDIGERD TO SQUABBLE OVER WHO GETS RUTTED IN HIS BED WHEN!" One of the women tells her to be quiet but she continues, saying that she agreed to the marriage to have access to his army so that it could harry Vladislav's raiders. Kerim protests that he is just a messenger sent to deliver a message at considerable danger. Taramis doesn't care asking how his discretion will help save her trade from the raids of Vladislav? He's driven her to near bankruptcy. The woman tells her to be quiet and as another woman puts her sword at Kerim's neck he says that maybe they should focus on surviving.
Conan and Valerius emerge with swords, and Sannah once more advises her to kill them both. Janissa refuses to do this and she and Conan greet each other tersely. Conan mockingly says he's used to her working alone. Janissa advises him to throw down his sword and Conan asks if she would. Janissa says yes so Conan agrees, throwing his blade to the ground. Valerius lowers his on the ground, asking Taramis if she's unharmed. "Never better." Taramis says sarcastically as the sword is at her neck. Janissa admits that yeah she used to work alone for most of her career, solely to further the schemes of the Bone Woman. She recounts briefly how the bone woman trained her by throwing her into a pit of monsters before making her fight her way out. She says that the ordeal must have robbed her of her judgement, since it's the only explanation as to why she would serve her tormentor without question. She also admits that if anything she has Conan to thank for allowing her to pull the veil from her eyes. Conan asks how so. Janissa explains that the Bone Woman mentioned offhand that she had offered Conan to Janissa as a reward for taking her place but Conan refused. She realized that if Conan had enough self esteem to refuse the arrangement why couldn't she have the same regard for herself (the bone woman DID offer Janissa to Conan as well, so I thought that was where they were going. When she realized Conan turned the offer down she realized that Conan respected her so why can't she have the same level of self respect.) So she quit the bone woman's service by killing her (we see the bone woman's severed head). She goes on, saying that she wandered for years as a hired killer until she found Sannah, the first of her freed slaves. This triggered an epiphany. She swore to never let any person, man or woman, be abused like she had been and so has slowly gathered an army of the legions of slaves that have crisscrossed the desert. It is here in Akrel that she plans to make a base to slowly accumulate her army until they are big enough to march on Shem and Turan themselves.
Conan tells her this seems a worthy use of her talents and a commendable one as well. He sees no reason to interfere, but explains that she has caught Natala and Taramis in her plan. He starts to say that she has no right to hold them captive. Janissa cuts him off and says ""Right?" You speak of RIGHTS, Conan? You, who were born on the battlefield, into a world in which "rights'" are given and taken away by the tip of a sword? I cannot risk our position becoming known to anyone until we have waylaid and freed all the slave caravans we can." Conan says that she will learn how much better it is to be his ally than his enemy, and Janissa says she owes Conan that much. He deserves the same chance she has. She tells him to take a sword, and swing and strike his way out. She gives a warrior woman her blades and says "starting with me." They both move towards it but Janissa is quicker, jumping on Conan's back and doing a twirl that's 360 degrees before landing on her feet. Conan turns....and runs away into the trees. The women think he's running because he's a coward, saying it's wisdom to run. Turns out that's not Conan's plan. No he's getting a weapon He races to the Divan and picks up a sword that was held by the Khaurani guards....just in time to sense Janissa lunging from the trees. He turns and blocks the blade just in time and they exchange blows as Valerius, Kerim, Taramis, Natala and the women warriors observe. As the clash continues Janissa jumps up as Conan thrusts forwards, landing on the sword and breaking it. She jumps in the air swinging the sword at Conan as she passes when in a moment of pure badassdom Conan grabs the sword with his barehand pulls Janissa to him and then elbows her in the stomach knocking her back into some shafts of bamboo (or sticks. She and Conan pick them up and continue their clash, making their way into some rocks along a stream. Janissa dodges an overhand swing and hits Conan in the stomach...Only to trip her up....only for Janissa to pull him in by his hair.
They observe each other and Janissa says "You've gotten slower with age" with a big grin. Conan responds "And you're faster. We're almost even." He too is smiling. Sannah, deeply pissed, yells at Janissa, telling her "STOP FLIRTING AND FINISH HIM, GIRL!" Janissa shouts at Sannah not to question her orders, asking if she wants her to turn her attentions to her after she's finished with Conan.....when Natala, finally having enough storms forwards asking the warriors how they can follow a madwoman. The soldiers are so shocked they don't do anything, and Natala asks who "Sannah" is. Is it a phantom of the oasis or of her own mind. Janissa gestures to Sannah, saying she's her oldest and most trusted advisor, ever since the crusade began. Natala cuts her off, pointing to the warrior women and saying "AND I AM TELLING YOU THERE IS NO ONE STANDING THERE!" One of the warriors says that Janissa has been receiving commands from invisible spirits. It's partly why they follow her. Janissa realizes that it was Sannah who had the inspiration to seize the tower of silence and attack the roads.....
A green mist emerges from the corpses of the two monks at the the top of the tower. Both of whom are dead. The Bone Woman appears in the mist asking "Outmaneuver the Bone Woman would you? You aren't the only one to TRY, Janissa, my dear...But I rather doubt you'll be the only to succeed." She starts laughing as green fire emerges from her fingers, dousing the flame. Kerim calls Conan an idiot for leaving the beacon unguarded, but Conan says hey, he had other things on his mind. Natala says it's out now. Kerim sees the stars are winking out, and Taramis asks if this is an eclipse. She didn't know one was predicted for tonight. Kerim says that no, there isn't. Conan realizes it's no eclipse. It's the dark one. It's Nazu. And he his on his way and VERY hungry. Nazu passes the moon with a roar.
Review: Well this was a great issue. Some elements of the duel were rather silly but overall it was a well choreographed and executed fight sequence; the last time Conan and Janissa fought was ten years earlier (in our time) and it was implied Janissa held back. Here they go all out and by god it's a great fight sequence. Janissa herself is a high point; she's appeared before but was basically an attack hound. Here she has her own personality and has grown more interesting. She's decided to fight for herself and to make sure others don't suffer like she did. In essence she's her own woman. This is a good angle to take her and while I would have done her heel realization differently (as I said above I thought she realized Conan rejected the offer to have her). It could have been a typing error though. The flirting was also pretty funny and entirely in character, and even the Bone Woman gets pissed off. Which triggers the final point. The Bone Woman herself. Turns out that the Bone Woman has been manipulating Janissa all along, playing EVERYONE like a bitch so that she can put out the flame and summon Nazu. And it works. Things are getting hairy for Conan and his friends. Can they survive? 8.7 out of 10
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Post by lordyam on Jun 12, 2016 17:02:35 GMT -5
Issue #19: Blood Oasis Part 4
Recap: As Nazu roars, the bone woman laughs and plays a melody on a flute. Nazu howls and roars again. Down below Valerius asks how they'll fight it. Conan, for once, wants to break and run. Kerim Shah agrees, and Janissa says she never took Conan to be a coward, asking when he ran from a fight. Conan says only fools run toward a fight that isn't headed their way. And besides, he's been sucked into the Bone Woman's schemes one time too many. Janissa protests that she tried to quit, prompting Conan to say "Find me again once you've finally succeeded, and by Crom I'll buy you an ale!" He starts to say that as long as the thing stays off his path he'll stay out of it's path....when Natala points out that the thing is charging right for them. Everyone dives into the river...well Conan, Kerim, Valerius Janissa Taramis and Natala do. Everyone else runs and Nazu kills a lot of the warrior women. Conan surfaces, and rants "Wizards and Warlocks. Fan! Always insisting I kill them. " He rallies Valerius, Janissa, and Kerim Shah and they run to the tower. Natala takes Taramis behind a rock to hide. Natala says that she was once a highborn lady like Natala. Eventually you get used to it even if you don't like it.
Inside Kerim asks what they do. Should they reignite the beacon. Conan says he has a plan but Valerius tells him to wait. They've passed the glyphs he read earlier and as luck would have it Valerius remembered something else he read. Turns out the monks had a secondary defense against Nazu should the beacon fail. A Chime of sorts hidden in the vaults of the tower, since the creature is as sensitive to sound as it is to light. The frequencies prevent Nazu from existing on earth. Kerim is skeptical so Janissa asks Conan what his plan is. Conan says "Hit whatever attacks us, man or beast, repeatedly, until it dies." All three are stupefied and then they all decide "nah Valerius's plan is better." The bone woman blows the flute and all the dead monks Conan killed with Valerius rise up and start attacking them as zombies. Conan Valerius and Janissa slice their way through while Kerim provides covering fire. Eventually they split up. Conan and the two men flee into the vaults, while Janissa goes up the stairs to confront the Bone Woman. In the vault they reach the chime. Conan asks Valerius how they activate the chime; this is his plan after all. Valerius says he doesn't know; Conan is stupefied, saying that he thought Valerius knew how to work it. Valerius says "I NEVER SAID THAT!" Kerim screams that more zombies are on the way. On the roof, Janissa fights her way through zombies and the Bone Woman mockingly tells her "HEHEHEHEHEHEH! You think you can stop me, Janissa? It was your own desire to be better than others that I turned against you. Those Demons that ravaged you again and again? They were produced by the hateful corners of your own mind. I even used your desire not to serve me to serve me. Thanks to you, the monks who had prevented em for centuries from binding the old one Nazu to me were slaughtered" (Nazu starts to move towards the tower). She continues "You are just one of MANY pawns I have toyed with and broken over the epochs. I AM THE HARBINGER OF THE OLD GODS AND THE NEW! And even if you turn your bottomless hatred upon me you cannot kill that which does not die!" Janissa turns and sees Nazu about to impact the tower.
Meanwhile down below Conan is still fighting but Valerius and Kerim Shah are about to be overwhelmed. Valerius shouts for Kerim Shah to do something. Kerim Shah stammers because he can't prompting Conan to say "Oh CROM TAKE YOU ALL IN the" before slamming the chime with his sword. This does the trick, sending a massive wave of sound that blows Nazu back and blowing off the walls of the main tower. The Bone Woman shares in shock and disbelief as Nazu falls....giving Janissa the opening to decapitate her. Janissa stands over the corpse. "If you cannot die, then I get the pleasure of doing this over and over and over again. Lucky me." In the chamber of the chime Conan says "See, I told you hitting things would work." Valerius and Kerim Shah stare at him dumbfounded.
Outside, Kerim Shah is talking to Taramis, saying he's surprised she's leaving when they haven't finished business. Taramis doesn't see the point; he doesn't want to marry her and she won't go after a man who nauseated her even when he AGREED to marry her. Kerim proposes a deal where Taramis gives a fifth of the treasure to Turan and in return Yezdigerd will loan the forced needed to take the raiders. Taramis pretends to consider.....then walks away saying "allow me to counter it with the sight of my backside." She's impressed with Conan, realizing he may help solve her problems AND that he can do it with fewer strings attached (Conan examines the corpse of Nazu with his sword.) Conan approaches Natala, who is standing with the warrior women (those still alive.) Conan tells her Taramis's identity (unaware she already knows) and that she's invited them both to return to the capital with her. Conan's service of the captain of the guard in Kush impressed her and so she's offered him a job as head of Khauran's royal guard. Conan tells her to get moving. She'll finally have a palace and servants again and no more trouble....when Natala says she isn't going. Conan is taken aback, and Natala admits that she's staying with Janissa and the she devils. Most of these girls have no schooling and need to learn more than how to hold a sword. Plus she's the closest they've had to a healer in a year. Conan points out that all she's done for weeks is complain about being trapped in the wasteland. Natala says that's true, but only because they haven't reached a destination. These people need her.
Janissa approaches, saying she told Natala to check with Conan before she agreed to take her on, but Conan cuts her off. He didn't free Natala from bondage just to replace her master. He says she is free to go. Janissa says "as am I." They shake hands and say goodbye. Janissa says "Cimmerian." Conan says "Widowmaker." Conan walks away as Natala says goodbye. Conan and Valerius and Taramis all leave. Conan is on a camel of his own, Valerius and Taramis share. Conan asks Valerius how long it will be before they reach Khauran. Valerius says that it's long enough that there's no point asking questions. Conan says he'll ride on ahead. Valerius finally notices Natala ain't with them and begins to ask when Taramis puts her hand over his mouth. Valerius is surprised, but Taramis says "As you say, Valerius, it is a long journey." They ride into the sunlight as the sun rises.
Review: This was a good conclusion overall. There was a lot to like. The final battle with the zombies was intense, and the desperation of both the swarm of zombies and Nazu's charge were well done. It also retcons the demon rape from Janissa's backstory, which I thought was a smart move. Natala parts from the story in way that makes sense, and Conan and Janissa part again, this time under more amicable terms. It leads perfectly into Witch. The Bone Woman's plan was pretty clever too; get rid of the monks, bind the old god to you, take over the world. Simple, but effective.
However, there are some problems. The first is the geographical one. Why the hell would Taramis or Yezdigerd travel THAT far south for a conference? Why would Janissa make an oasis her base to attack Shem and others if Shem was far away?
Also, Conan came across a little thick. His plan is rather crude and when it ends up working he has this big shit eating grin on his face. I don't think that was the intent and the plan HAS usually worked (hell even with Thog) but it seemed a little daft in how he presented it.
Overall though, it was a damn good issue; one of the best in the series. 8.3 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 13, 2016 0:16:25 GMT -5
Now for the final story: A Witch Shall Be Born
Issue #20: A Witch Shall be Born Part 1
Recap: Taramis awakens from a dream to find herself in pitch darkness to see a woman standing before her in the silence. She thinks she is bewitched but the fire says "No sweet sister! Here is no sorcery." Tatamis says she has no sister. The figure asks if she never had a twin sister who had flash as soft as hers. Tatamis says she did once but the sister died. The figure angrily says "YOU LIE! She did not die! FOOL!" before deciding "enough of this mummery!" telling her to look and let her sight be blasted. Before her is a figure who looks....exactly like her. Tatamis demands her explain herself before she summons her lady's in waiting to call the guards. The woman tells her that she can scream all she wants, for the women will not wake till dawn. The guardsmen won't answer either because they've been sent to another wing of the palace. Tatamis demands to know who gave such a command. The woman before her says she did a little while ago right before she entered. After all they thought she was the queen. She pours herself wine and says she acted the part beautifully, balancing imperious dignity with womanly sweetness. Tatamis again asks who she is, and the woman says she is Salome. Taramis says she thought Salome died within an hour of her birth. Salome says that "so thought many." We get a flashback of infant Salome being left in the desert as Salome says what happened, and Salome asks WHY they bore her to die. Tatamis says she's heard the story, and then notices a crescent moon between her boobs. She recognizes it as the mark of the witch. Salome summons up an image of a demon rutting a black haired queen as Salome gives us some exposition about how the First queen of the line had sex with a demon and bore his daughter; as such each century there is a girl born into the Askhauriaqn dynasty, each with the mark. Some were slain at birth. Some walked the earth as witches, proud daughters of their kingdom with the mark on their chests.
Salome goes on to say that the life in her was stronger then most thanks to her demonic heritage, and so she lasted for hours until a Khitan wizard found her on the way back to Khitai from Stygia. He saw the mark on her bosom and recognized her for what she was. He took her in and gave her life. We get some flashbacks as Salome describes how he trained her in magic (Salome does tricks for him in a belly dancing outfit) before eventually being kicked out (we see her in a chinese outfit as he screams at her) saying that she was just a common witch in spite of what he taught and unworthy of wielding the sorcery he would have taught her.. He would have made her queen of the world and ruled earth through her but she was only a "harlot of darkness." Salome thinks it for the best; she could never have been willing to stay in a gold tower studying incantations on serpent's skin and reading musty tomes in dead languages. Even though he dismissed her as an earthly sprite she doesn't care (Salome walks in the desert alone). We end the flashbacks, with Salome saying that this world as all the power pomp and pageantry she wants, and the wizard had told her of her heritage. Now she has come to take what is hers. What is hers by right of possession. Taramis is skeptical of this, saying that drugging some maids and tricking the guards hardly makes her queen. Taramis is still queen. She's willing to give Salome a place of honor as her sister but Salome cuts her off, mockingly saying "how generous of you." She also says "before putting you in my place, perhaps you will tell me whose soldiers camp in the plain outside the city walls?" Taramis is confused but says they are the Shemitish mercenaries of Constantius, the Kothian voivode of the free companions. Salome asks what they do there and Taramis says they asked permission to cross the border into Turan. Constantius himself is in the tower to ensure they are well behaved. Salome also asks if Constantius asked her hand in marriage. Taramis asks how she knows, and Salome simply shrugs and asks "you refused, Dear Sister?" Taramis's response is "well duh." How could she treat the proposal of marrying a bloody adventurer who was exiled from his home for his crimes with anything but disdain. She regrets letting Constantius in, but says that tomorrow she shall make him order the troops to leave, while keeping him until they are over the border. Her soldiers man the wall of the city, and she has warned Constantius that he will answer for whatever crimes his mercs inflict on the villagers.
Salome asks "Constantius is confined in the south tower?" Taramis is again confused. "That is what I said. Why do you ask?" Salome claps and says "The queen grants you an audience, falcon!" The doors open and Constantius enters, outraging Taramis with his audacity. He even hits on her, saying she's more alluring in her nightly clothes than in her robes of state. Taramis says he's insane, and that if she is in his power he is in the power of her subjects, who will tear him to pieces if he touches her. She orders him out but Salome declares it time to end the farce. She wants to move things to the next phase, revealing that SHE sent Constantius here. When she wanted to take Khauran she cast about and chose Constantius for his lack of qualities men call good; Constantius is of course flattered by this, bowing deeply. Salome continues, saying that she sent him to Khauran and once his men were camped she entered the city. The guards thought it Taramis returning from a nocturnal adventure. Constantius grabs Taramis as she struggles and curses, and Salome says that while the guards were surprised they admitted her without question. Then she took out the ladies in waiting. Taramis asks what's next and Salome says "Listen!" Sure enough, there are the sounds of the mercenaries marching into the city, voices shouting in an alien tongue, and cries of alarm. Taramis is horrified, asking what Salome did. Salome says she ordered the gates opened to the mercenaries. They obeyed and now Constantius's goons enter the city.. Taramis dives and Salmoe grabs her wrists. Taramis is horrified; Salome has betrayed the people in her guise ands so made her seem a traitor. She declares she will go to them....and is cut off by Salome forcing Taramis into Constantius's arms. She asks Constantius if he knows the way to the dungeons? When Constantius seems to affirm this she orders him to take Taramis and lock her in the cell; the jailers are drugged sleepy as she saw too. She orders Constantius to have a man cut their throats before they awaken. No one must know that Salome is Taramis and Taramis is a prisoner in an unknown dungeon. Constantius agrees, but first asks if he can have...amusement first? Salome says "Not I! Tame the scornful hussy as you will." She walks out the doors and stops to listen. The bitch smiles as Taramis screams, before walking on as the screams grow louder.
In the barracks Conan hears the boots of the mercs and wakes up. Conan opens the door of the barracks; Valerius sleepily asks Conan if the alarm sounded because they didn't hear anything. Conan explains what is going on, which prompts the men to quickly get dressed. Conan explains they are to gather in front of the palace without their arms and armor. Conan is confused but it is the queen's order. In front of the palace Salome greets the men of Khauran saying that she has decided to marry Constantius and that the original rejection was a test to see if he was worthy. She declares Constantius loyal and says that this morning has a new proposal and a new answer; Constantius will now be the royal consort of the line. And since he has mercenaries already (that is ten thousand strong. The army is superfluous and hereby disbanded. She thanks them for their service and tells them to go home. Conan orders the men (who are in the process of leaving) to halt. He says no one moves except by his order. He walks up to Salome, examines her, then declares "This is not the Queen! This isn't Taramis! It's some devil in masquerade!" One of the Shemites orders Conan to show respect, but Conan ain't having it and cuts his throat. Constantius orders his men to cut the traitors down and his men swarm Conan. As the royal guards are attacked Valerius fights one but gets an arrow in the leg (he says he killed more later on but we don't see it). He flees the battle, knocking on the door of his girlfriend Ivga. He tells Ivga offscreen and asks why he wasn't slain? Better to die than live to see Taramis turn traitor and harlot. Ivga tells him to lie down, and they decide not to get a doctor, since Consantiu's men are searching the quarters for wounded Khaurani; any they find will be hung. Ivga takes out the arrow from this leg, and Valerius says he killed three and is happy for it, but bemoans how Taramis could betray the people who worshipped her. Better death than shame. He asks Ivga if she saw what happened, and Ivga says no; she was awoken by fighting in the streets and saw Shemites cutting people down. Valerius muses that he never saw a man fight as Conan did. He says that Conan fought with his back to a wall and killed a fuckton before being overwhelmed and dragged down. He heard Constantius order his men to take Conan alive, and explains that when he saw Conan fall he fled the battle feeling as if the world had burst under his fingers.
Review: The Final arc gets off to a sublime start; the first half of the issue is Salome's intro and it's pretty damn effective. We get her backstory, and it establishes both her and Constantius as vile motherfuckers who need to die and makes the reader invested in their final fall. The fight sequence was short but captured the despair and hopelessness quite well. As the issue ends, you're truly worried for Conan. 8 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 13, 2016 0:42:39 GMT -5
Issue #21: A Witch Shall Be Born Part 2
Recap: Conan is bound to a cross and though he is in pain, he does''t scream as the nails enter his flesh until the very last one pierces his right foot. The Shemites pull the cross up and Constantius mocks him saying that he won't be there in his final hours. He as duties to perform in the city.....like fucking the queen. So he leaves Conan to the cross and the vultures, who Constantius thinks will ensure Conan won't last for days. He also says that Conan won't be rescued even if he is unguarded. He has proclaimed that ANYONE seeking to take his body from the cross, alive or dead, will be flayed alive in the square with their families. He leaves no guards because the vultures won't approach as long as there are men near and he doesn't wish them to feel constraint. He bids Conan farewell, saying he'll remember him in an hour when Taramis (or Salome) lies in his arms. Conan spits on him, and Constantius tells Conan to remember him when the vultures tear at his living flesh; they're a voracious breed and he's seen men live for hours even as their eyes ears and scalps are missing, put until the beaks eat into their vitals. He rides off, leaving Conan to observe the terrain. We see that there are fertile farmlands with cattle and small villages nearby in the north and west. The desert is in the southeast, and Conan stares at it. He stares at Khauran, revolted that the city betrayed him and got him into circumstances that left him hanging on the cross. Consumed with anger, Conan tries to pull his hands up. He gives up only because it's futile. Unable to drag them through the wounds he feels helpless for the first time ever (I dunno the Ilbars river and Belit's death are pretty high contenders.)
A vulture approaches and starts picking at Conan, but the flock leaves when Conan yells at them to go away. Even worse is that he's thirsty as shit. He hasn't drank since before the battle and killing is thirsty work. He also sees the river and thinks that maybe the river is closer (he hallucinates it splashing him) and has to bite his lip to keep from screaming in rage. The sun begins to set and Conan sees four horses approaching; he's relieved and overjoyed at first....then it turns out they're hallucinations of people he has known. One set is Valerius and his riders; another is Matak, Diana, Abit and Natala. Another is Belit and the Black Corsairs. Conan is dejected. Night falls and Conan is dejected, musing that his brains are turning to mush. In his ears he hears the vulture's wings beating, and realizes his cries won't drive them away anymore. Conan draws his head back as far as he can and decides to wait. Sure enough, one drifts lower and lower and starts biting him. Conan bites it's neck in turn and as it struggles he continues. Eventually it drops to the ground dead and Conan spits the blood out. Conan gives a laugh of triumph, happy he can still give death out. As long as he feels death is negated. Suddenly a voice declares "By Mitra! In all my life I have never seen such a thing!" Conan turns down to see four men on horseback. The leader says he should know Conan, and another recognizes him as the captain of the Queen's guard. The leader muses that she must be casting off her favorites and is surprised. He'd have rather had a long bloody war, since it would have given them a chance to plunder. As is they've only come across this nag (gesturing to a sick horse) and a dying man (Conan.) Conan says that if he could come down he'd make a dying dog out of him, calling him "Zaporoskan Thief". The leader is amazed Conan knows him and asks how Conan knows him. Conan says there's only one of his breed in this region, and says he his Olgerd Vladislav the outlaw chieftain. Olgerd acknowledges this and says he was also a hetman of the Kozaki. He asks if Conan would like to live. Conan responds that only a fool would ask that question. Olgerd says he is a hard man and that he only respects toughness. He shall judge if Conan is a man or a dog fit only to die. His second says that if they cut him down they may be seen from the walls. Olgerd says that no, the dusk is deep. He gives Djebal an axe to cut the cross down. Djebal muses that if it falls forward he'll be crushed, so he'll cut it so it falls backwards. However the shock of the fall may crack his skull and tear love his entrails. Olgerd says he'll survive if he's worthy. If not he deserves death. He orders Djebal tho cut Conan down.
Djebal begins the job, sending pain through Conan's hands and feet. He makes no sound and sets his teeth Eventually the cross falls backwards, and Conan braces himself for impact. Sure enough it hurts like a son of a bitch but he resists the tide of blackness; his muscles have sheathed his interiors. Djebal pulls out the nails from Conan's hands with tongs and tosses them aside, since Conan is still alive even if he doesn't move except for breathing. Djebal moves to take the feet spikes out when Conan reaches up, takes the tongs and uses them to extract the nails from his feet; he does this even though his hands are swollen and in pain. Conan does the job and makes his way to his feet, resisting the urge to vomit. Olgerd looks and Conan makes his way to the nag. He climbs on, almost fainting but keeping from falling. Olgerd slaps the nag, and Conan pulls the reigns as the horse snorts. Djebal takes water to offer Conan but Olgerd says to wait until they reach camp. If he's fit, he'll survive the ten mile ride. They ride into the night, with Conan swaying like a drunken man; bloodied, but alive.
Review: This was a damn perfect issue. The art got a bump and as such we get a top notch scene; Everything about the adaptation is perfect; the misery Conan endures, the hopelessness, the salvation when Olgerd saves him. Reading the issue was physically painful in a good way; I felt Conan's agony and misery in a good way, and his happiness at surviving, even if he's in a miserable state. 10 out of 10; 9.5 at the least.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 13, 2016 1:48:19 GMT -5
Issue #22: A Witch Shall Be Born Part 3
Recap: Two Khaurani men wander through the desert, having reached the Oasis of Aurel, which lies in ruins. We learn that it was considered a legend. His companion asks if he said there were monks who can give them food and shelter. They get a drink in the river and notice that the tower of Silence has collapsed (the tower was intact when Conan and Taramis and Valerius left.) Janissa and her she devils seem to have cleaned up. His friend asks if the provisions are still inside. One of the men addresses the first (Tarek) saying he'll be happy to start running. Suddenly, four men in Zuagir clothing emerge from hiding. One tries to draw arms, but the other (Tarek) doesn't see the point and throws down his sword. He kneels, putting his hands on his head. He moans that Taramis has taken everything from her once loyal guardsmen. Though who weren't executed have been driven into the desert. It's been months since he's eaten a proper meal and he can barely lift his blade. He tells the leader that he can't take anything but their lives; Taramis got the rest. Conan searches him and finds a scroll on his body. He reads it. It's a letter from a scholar living in Khauran to his friend Alcimedes. He's telling his friend about what happened in Khauran; seven months have passed since Salome took over though the writer doesn't know this. As far as he knows Taramis has gone mad, and has become the opposite of her virtuous just and tranquil self. The court has become a den of debauchery (we see dancing girls who are very uncomfortable, and Salome, Constantius, and the Shemites leering). The women are forced to join in be they married or virgins. "Taramis" hasn't even bothered to marry Constantius (they share a toast) who sits besides her as consort. His officers follow his example, forcing themselves on women regardless of rank or station. The Kingdom has become massively taxed with the farms stripped to the bone and the merchants being reduced to rags.
The leader asks where he got the scroll, and Tarek says he shot a bird down outside the city while foraging and it had a scroll tied to it's leg. He was going to wipe his ass with it. We cut back to the writer, who continues to explain that he expects Alcimedes to be incredulous. He says that unlike in the western nations there are factors that keep an uprising from occurring. First is that Khauran is one of many principalities formed eat the eastern part of the empire of Koth, but which regained independence. It's a small country; indeed the entire realm is made up of these tiny little kingdoms, small in comparison with the larger realms of the west and east. More importantly, they control the caravan routes and the wealth. Khauran is the most southeasterly, bordering the deserts of Eastern Shem. Khauran is the only real city in the realm and stands in sight of the river that separates the grasslands and desert. The land is rich enough to yield three and four crops a year, and the plains to the north and west are dotted with small villages; these villages are agriculturists only; they are of a mixed aboriginal race that are unwarlike and unable to protect themselves; also they aren't allowed to wield weapons or posses them. They depend wholly upon the city for protection. As such, they can't revolt like they would in western civilizations (we also see a few hanging from a tree). The people of the city suffer just as much; they have been stripped of their wealth and their daughters taken to satisfy Constantius's lust and those of his men. The Mercenaries are monsters ion human form, possessing all the qualities their armies are taught to abhor in their wars with Shemitish allies of Argos. Any Khaurani caught carrying a weapon is violently put to death (we see man getting speared.) There is a systematic persecution of young Khaurani men able to bar arms. They have been slaughtered, or sold as slaves to Turan. Thousands have fled the kingdom, either joining other kingdoms or becoming bandits.
Tarek's companion says he's sorry Tarek believe his life isn't valuable enough to fight for, but he still has his dignity. He draws his sword and cuts down one Zuagir declaring he will make the enemy pay for his blood. He runs off; the leader orders his men to bring the prisoner back ALIVE. When asked about Tarek he says that he needs no guard; his own fear keeps him down. The philosopher continues the letter, saying there is the possibility of invasion. The mercs are from the Shemite cities in the West; Pelishtim, Anakim, and Akkharim. They are HATED by the Zuagirs and the other wandering tribes in the region. We get exposition about how the countries of the barbarians are divided into the western meadowlands that stretch to the oceans (in which their are cities of town dwellers) and the eastern deserts where nomads hold sway. In the present Tarek considers the leader's words and moves to get his sword as the leader continues reading (the letter says that the Eastern and Western Shemites have warred for years, and while the Zuagir hate Khauran they resent their western brethren for conquering it where they failed.) Tarek says you can starve a man, drive him from his home, spill his blood, but spitting on his honor is something you can't do (the letter continues saying that the natural hatred might be egged on by the queen's former guard commander, who somehow escaped the cross and fled to the nomads. He describes the Cimmerians as gloomy people who have taught the soldiers how ferocious they are with bitter cross). He declares that if you spit on his honor and you will learn there is life in him yet. The leader decks him as he charges, knocking him out. The letter says it is rumored that he has become the right hand of Olgerd Vladislav, the adventurer that wandered down from the northern steppes and made himself chief of a Zuagir band. There are also rumors that the band has grown in recent months and that Olgerd is considering a raid on Khauran. However, he is pessimistic of the chances of success, since the Zuagir have no knowledge of investing a city, terrible formations that are loose, lacking skill in hand to hand compared to the Shemitish city mercs, and no siege engines. The letter says that maybe the Khaurani will welcome the conquest, since they can't be worse and even total extermination can't be worse than what they must endure no. However, they are so cowed and helpless that they can't provide aid to the invaders (the leader has moved to sit on a rock).
The letter goes on to say that the worship of Ishtar has been abolished, musing "Taramis" must be possessed by a demon. He muses that while the worship of Ishtar is inferior to the worship of Mitra, it is still superior to the "devil worship" of the Shemites. The temple is filled with horrible obscenities. horrific gods and goddesses of the night in perverse poses and revolting characteristics (we see a hooded man inside the temple observing it.) Some of these gods are those of Khitai, Turan, Shem and Vendhaya. Others are reminiscent of hideous and half remembered antiquity that have been forgotten except in legend (he has no idea where "Taramis" gained the knowledge.) Human sacrifice has been instituted and since she and Constantius have joined together there have been now fewer then 500 men women and children sacrificed. Some have died ion the altar, with "Taramis" holding the dagger (we see an image of a girl screaming as Salome raises the knife) many die a more horrible fate. "Taramis" has placed a demon in the crypt. Shortly after the revolt was put down Salome was alone in the temple except for a dozen captives, all bound. The people saw smoke all night, the frenzied chanting of the queen and the screams of captives. Towards dawn there was an inhuman croaking the froze the blood of all who heard it. Then "Taramis" emerged at dawn reeling drunkenly with eyes triumphant. After that the captives were never seen again, nor was the croaking heard (all this accompanied by delightfully disturbing image, including a Salome who looks demonic.) He can no longer think of Taramis as human, but a demon. That she rules unpunished shakes his faith in divine justice. (As this happens Tarek's friend leaps over a pillar and slashes the throat of a Zuagir before being hit with a sword hilt and dragged back by the first pursuer and a guy who came out of nowhere (maybe it's the guy who he cut down earlier)). The scholar says that compared with what Taramis was like when he first arrived he's bewildered. So much so he's almost inclined to believe that Taramis has been possessed by a devil like most people believe. He has chased with a soldier named Valerius, who thinks that a witch has assumed a form identical to that of Taramis, and thatshe has Taramis in the dungeons, with the being ruling a female sorcerer. The leader says "Valerius" and continues reading. We learn Valerius has sworn to find Taramis if she lives but that the philosopher fears that he has fallen victim to Constantius for he was implicated in the palace revolt and escaped and remind in hiding, refusing to flee (We see Valerius chatting with the guy and then putting on his hood before slinking off). It was during this time Valerius told him his beliefs. He has disappeared though and he fears Constantius's spies have caught him. However, he has to conclude the letter and slip it out by carrier pigeon which will carry it to the post where he purchased it, on the Kothian border where it will eventually come to him by rider and camel train. But he has to do it before dawn. It is late and the drums beat in the temple where doubtless "Taramis" is up to no good. (We see the philosopher place it on the bird's leg and send it away.) The letter ends with "Your friend and colleague in the pursuit of knowledge, Astreas of Nemedia.
The zuagir come back with Tarek's companion, begging the leader to kill him slowly to make him pay for killing Marwan (the dude who's throat was cut.) The leader says "I will try. But you will be careless." The confused Zuagir says he won't but the leader says "Oh, I am afraid you will. You will let him get your sword form you. And he bleeds you here." He cuts the dudes neck. The other swears Nazu (hah, you're talking to Nazu's killer). Before impaling the other through the heart. The leader goes on, saying "then he and his friend flee into the trackless sands. And your chieftain Olgerd will curse you for the fools that you are. Tarek's companion is confused, saying he doesn't understand. The leader tells him to shut up and do as he says and he will. He gives him water, and orders him to wake Tarek. He'd rather not explain this twice. Tarek is woken and the leader says "Men of Khauran. There are many of you, scattered across the desert. Isolated, exposed, you are but weak single digits. But I see now...there are enough of you to be gathered into a fist. Wait here and I will find the others, and send them here. With provisions to eat along with the spring of Aurel to drink. Tarek is skeptical, asking why the should trust a desert dog. The leader starts to unwrap his hood saying "Because I have a debt to pay to Constantius and whatever that she devil is that calls herself our queen." It's Conan!!!!! "Lane there is little either of us can do to oppose his swords or her witchcraft. Together though, inited we may drive this pack of jackals from their lair.
Review: This was a great issue; aside from the geographic absurdity of Aurel's location (seriously fred, you shouldn't have had blood oasis occur right after Shadow) it was perfect. The images that accompany the letter PERFECTLY accompany the text describing it and we truly see the debauchery and cruelty, as well as the desperation and hopelessness that the people of Khauran feel. Even though it was obvious that Conan was the leader of the Zuagir it was still triumphant to see him read the scroll, take out his fellows and than free the Khaurani. Their hope has been rekindled and things are building up to the counter offensive. 9 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 13, 2016 3:29:05 GMT -5
Issue #23: A Witch Shall Be Born Part 4:
Recap: Turanian sentries notice a Zuagir attack on their fort, and the captain orders the men to their stations. Down below, Conan orders his men to do it like they drilled. Conan tricks them into shooting blind and then has mis men unveil the plan. They break the door down and enter. Conan cuts down one and when another charges saying his life is nothing except as it serves Yezdigerd Conan says "When a man says his life means nothing I have no reason to doubt him" and impales his throat so the sword emerges from his brain. Conan mocks him, saying he's sure his life means as much to Yezdigerd as he removes his blade.
On the roof Olgerd enters, saying they know the garrison payroll passed through before dawn. He says that whoever wants to live should lead him to it. An officer says he is not fit to clean Yezdigerd's chamberpot with his tongue, prompting Olgerd to cut his throat. He asks if he's made himself clear. Every single soldier raises their hand. However he only needs one; talking one he has his men sever the hands of the survivors so they can never wield swords against them again. The men scream for mercy as axes raise. At the gate the Zuagir are moving a massive chest as Olgerd and Conan see they have a visitor. It's Punjab, hetman of the Khozgari hillmen. Yezdigerd cuts him off saying it doesn't explain why he's here. He begins to warn of the consequences of trying to separate them from their prize....but Punjab is't interested, saying that word of their band's success have reached the Khozgri and as such he wishes to add his strength to theirs. Olgerd turns to Conan, saying that his fame reaches to the edge of the desert. Conan sarcastically says "most impressive my chief. Punab asks "This....is Conan?" Olgerd says that yes, he was Taramis's favorite before she cast him off with her sanity. Still her loss is his gain. He can't ask for a better second. Punab is all "yeah....sure......second." Conan warns that the Khozgri are related to Yezdigerd by marriage, and Olgerd takes this into account warning that they cut down dogs but kill spies over weeks. Punab spits on Yezdigerd. He demoted Punjab's kid in the wife order, treating her like another harlot in his harem rather than the queen she is. He says that he wants to make the pricks they have Turan bleed into a torrent. Olgerd is amused and says that if they swear fealty to him he'll drink from a bottomless font of vengeance. Punab seems to agree saying they will follow because they are honored to be among the STRONG MEN (he looks at Conan knowingly) at his side. The Zuagir return to camp, and we see a MASS of severed hands on the ground.
In their tent, Olgerd passes Conan a goblet of wine and they both drink, with Olgerd praising the good fortune they have. He talks about how both of them have seen increases in their fortune, and that Conan should be thankful (Conan was hanging on a cross, now he's second to the most powerful raider between Turan and the west meadows.) Conan should thank him. Conan asks what for. For recognizing his usefulness. He tells Olgerd that when you allow elevation of a man you profit by the advance and that he earned everything he's won. Olgerd acknowledges his skill but states that Conan shouldn't think he had anything to do with the new recruits. It's his skill at raiding, guided by his wit, that brought them in. He says that the nomads are always looking for a successful leader, with more faith in a foreigner than one of their own. There's no limit to what they can accomplish. They have 11,000 men now, and in another year they'll have three times that number. So far they've just raided city states and outposts. Once they have 30000+ they'll raid no more. They can move to conquest; Olgerd sees himself as Emperor of Shem, and states Conan can be the vizier as long as he carries out the order unquestioningly. In the meantime he thinks they'll ride eastward and storm the Vezek outpost where the caravans pay their toll....when Conan smashes his goblet down and says "I think not." Olgerd is offended. HE does the armies thinking. Conan says there are enough men in the band for his purpose and that he's sick of waiting. He has a score to settle. Olgerd realizes Conan still wants revenge and while he likes a hater he thinks they should wait. Conan tells him that "you told me once you'd aid me in taking Khauran."
Olgerd says that was before he realized the possibilities of their power. In a year they may be strong enough. Conan is adamant. Within a week. Olgerd is skeptical saying that even if he were willing to throw men away they can't take the city in a siege. Conan says they won't need too; he'll lure Constantius into the plain. Olgerd asks what then. They'd loose the exchange of arrows since they have weaker armor and the Shemites have better formation, and so would kick their asses in sword fighting. Conan says "Not if there were three thousand desperate Hyborian horsemen fighting in a solid wedge such as I could teach them. Olgerd asks where he'll secure them. Conan says he already has them. They await at the Oasis of Akrel for his orders. Olgerd is shocked. Conan says they are men who fled Constantius. Most of them lived as outlaws in the deserts east of the city and they are hardened by this; any one can match three mercenaries (we see the men gathered together in the oasis.) Hardened as they are, but divided they need a leader. Conan is that leader and they await Conan's orders and seek to be used. Olgerd is amazed Conan did this without his knowledge, so Conan says "It was I they wished to follow, not you." Olgerd asks what he told them to gain allegiance from them, and Conan says he told them he'd use the desert wolves to destroy Constantius and restore the city. Olgerd is outraged that Conan thinks he's chief already and threatens to have Conan torn between four palm trees. Conan mockingly suggests he call them men to see if they obey. Olgerd tries...but can't speak. Instead he calls Conan scum for daring to undermine his power. Conan says he never had to. When Olgerd said he had nothing to do with bringing the newbie recruits he lied. He had EVERYTHING to do with it. They took Olgerd's orders but fought for him. There is no room for two chiefs and they know Conan is stronger. Conan gets them better and they understand him because he too is a barbarian. Olgerd again asks what they'll say when he asks them to fight Khauran. Conan says he'll simply promise them a camel train of gold. The city will happily give it up to be free of Constantius. After that he'll lead them against Turan like Olgerd planned. They'd want loot and Constantius is as good a target for it as any.
Olgerd, outraged, tries to pull a knife but before it's free of his belt Conan grabs his wrist. He asks Olgerd if he's fit to live and then breaks his wrist. He tells Olgerd that he gives him life like Olgerd gave him, even if it was for his own reasons. It was a better test Olgerd gave. No one but a western barbarian could survive it. He tells Olgerd to take his horse and go. It's tied behind the tent and there is food and water in the bags. He tells Olgerd to go quickly; there's no room for a fallen chief and if the warriors see him they'll never let him leave alive. Olgerd realizes he's beaten and climbs aboard before riding away. Conan takes a swig in the tent, throws down the bottle and emerges. He whistles to his men, getting their attention. "Are, you dogs, sharpen your ears and listen! Gather around here. I have a tail to tell you."
Review: This is another great issue: rather than jump into the final stretch we see Conan's time with Olgerd. Conan's quickly adapted to leadership, and even to the Khozgri and the people spreading the tales it's obvious Conan is the real power. The delusion of Olgerd is shattered over the issue's second half, and it is glorious to watch after seeing how cruel Olgerd was the first half. The stage is set for the final battle. 9 out of 10.
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Post by lordyam on Jun 13, 2016 3:59:36 GMT -5
Issue #24: A Witch Shall Be Born Part 5
Recap: We see Salome visiting Taramis in her cell, mocking her. Salome is annoyed that Taramis doesn't cry as willingly as she once did. Taramis says that Salome will wring no tears from her. She knows Salome only keeps her alive for torment, hence why she limited the tortures to things that will neither kill or disfigure her. However, Taramis declares she fears her no longer. She orders Salome to slay her and be done with it. She's wrung her last tear. Salome is unimpressed saying that it's only the body she's caused pain, and only the pride and self esteem she's crushed. Salome gloats that Taramis is vulnerable to mental torment; as seen when Salome gloats about the "comedies" she's subjected the subjects too. This time she has more proof. She tells Taramis that Krallides has returned from Turan and been captured. Taramis asks what she's done with him. Salome takes the sack she's been holding and opens it on the floor. It's Krallides's severed head. Salome says that he was trying to stir up the people by claiming Conan spoke the truth when he called Salome false. She asks how the people would have risen against the Shemite mercs. With sticks and stones? She also gloats that dogs are eating his headless corpse in the square while the head will be cast into the sewer to rot. Salome takes the head, gloating that Taramis discovered she DID have tears to shed (Taramis has burst out crying). Salome is pleased. She has reserved the mental torment for last. Afterwards she'll show her MANY sights like this.
She exits and a big guard, Khumbanigash, asks if Taramis wept. Salome says she did. There are whole sections of the sensibilities untouched. When one sense is dulled she discovers a newer and more poignant pang. She casts the head to a beggar in a hood. She orders Khumbanigash to make a sign indicating what to do, since he's deaf. Khumbanigash asks Salome why she keeps up the facade. She's so entrenched that nothing can unseat her at all. So what if the Khaurani learn the truth. They can't do anything. As they walk to the door he suggests revealing her identity showing Taramis and then decapitating her in the square. Salome says "not yet, good Khumbanisgash." The door slams shut and the beggar kneels. Turns out it's Valerius. He's overjoyed to have proof that not only is his theory of "Taramis" being an imposter true, but that Taramis lives. He runs off saying that Krallides's martyrdom was not in vain. He prays for Ishtar to aid him now if she loves true men. Later VAlerius is meeting the revels saying that he knew Conan was right when he said Taramis wasn't Taramis. He explains he's been playing the part of a beggar for months, and that he's learned that Taramis is held in the dungeons that adjoin the palace. He thinks that the invasion gives them he opportunity they seek. What Conan seeks he can't say. Maybe he just wants vengeance on Constantius, maybe he'll sack the whole city but in any case they MUST free their queen. He'll move all his men to meet Conan on the plain, since there aren't enough supplies to last an entire siege and scouts say Conan has siege engines. Since Constantius doesn't desire a siege he'll march his warriors to the plains where he expects the army to scatter. He'll have only a few hundred men in the city and THEY will mount the walls/towers. The prison will be unguarded. When they have Taramis circumstances will decide their next move. If Conan wins they show Taramis to the people and bid them to rise. Which will encourage the people to rise. Then they can parlay with Conan. If he's shown the truth he'll spare the city. If Constantius wins they take Taramis and flee. The men all agree and Valerius is given three cheers. The men take their weapons and prepare to head to the prison. The mercs are already heading for the south gate.
The mercs ride out but in the palace Constantius tells Salome that she'll have more captives for her temple devil. It grows weary of soft civilized men and would like desert men. Salome, eating grapes, tells him to be careful and not forget who leads the desert animals. Constantius admits he's not likely to forget. That's why he's joining to advance with the men; Conan knows the art of the siege and his scouts, unable to approach the columns, report seeing siege engines when they were close enough. He thinks Conan had 10000 men working day and night for a month (since it seems he has catapults, rams, ballistae, mangonels). He does't now where Conan got the materials; maybe he has a treaty with the Turanians. But he's sure they won't do him any good. He's fought the Zuagir before and knows the drill. They exchange arrow fire and once they take losses they charge in and kill the survivors and scatter the rest. He'll ride through the gate by sundown with hundreds of captives. He gets his helmet on and gloats that he'd like to hold a fete where his men skin survivors alive. Conan he wants to impale on the palace steps. Salome agrees on the condition she get 100 slaves for the altar. Constantius agrees and salutes declaring "For victory and the fair honor of Taramis!" He walks out, and Salome calls her servant Zang. She gives him a crystal orb telling him to ride with Constantius and give her real time footage of the battle (well she says news but essentially that's what she wants." She orders Zang to go and then goes to the balcony. The people watch at the southern gate, unsure of who to rout for. Constantius means more torment; Conan probably means they all die. Conan hasn't given them any word and no one knows what to expect.
The battle begins with arrow fire, with the Shemites not taking that many losses. Confident, Constantius orders his men to move in. Conan charges forwards as well and they charge at each other. Salome goes back inside. In the field Conan orders his seconds Tarek and Sami "NOW!" Constantius is confused.....but at this point the lines part, revealing all 3000 Khaurani soldiers charging on horseback. Constantius can only scream in horror as he realizes he's totally fucked. Inside Salome notices the orb acting up so she goes to it and contacts Zang, shouting his name. Zang shouts her name desperately, and she says "I hear! Speak! How goes the battle?" We cut to Zang kneeling on the ground, saying that they are doomed. Khauran is lost. His horse is down and he can't escape (we see the Khaurani slaughtering Shemites). Salome tells him to stop yammering and tell her what happened. Zang says they rode out, but the lines parted, revealing the Khaurani horsemen. They had the element of surprise and were SUPREMELY hateful. Once the ranks were split asunder the Desert men fell on them. We see Khumbanigash impaling two men on a bigass spear. As Zang tells Salome the siege engines were a trick, Conan lunges from a rock at Khumbanigash. He slashes his throat, prompting Zang to report it. He doesn't see Constantius. The Khaurani decimate their lines and the Shemites of the Zuagir feather them with arrows. Before he can say more he screams in pain. Salome stares into the crystal, shocked and horrified.
Review: Another solid issue. The intro of Salome hurting her sister, while short, got the message across perfectly, as we see yet more of her bitchery. Valerius gets the confirmation he needs and we see both him and Conan implement their plans. The high point though HAD to be Conan outmaneuvering the bastard Constantius. After seeing him slimily rape Taramis and gloat of his victory that "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" was OH so satisfying. The bully has had the tables turned on him and he doesn't know what to do with someone who can fight back. Salome's terror in the last panel is priceless. The end is coming you heartless bitch. 10 out of 10.
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