|
Post by Jason Aiken on Dec 7, 2019 19:47:28 GMT -5
Yeah this won me over with the first page depicting James Allison on his death bed in Cross Plains. All of REH's characters were depicted accurately and in the Howardian spirit. I agree regarding Moon Knight not feeling that out of place, too.
It will be interesting to see if the WYRM talking to James is actually the "worm" from Valley of the Worm.
This looks to be a fun four issues.
Regarding the chronology...
It's explicitly Conan after God in the Bowl.
If the splash pages are depicting past adventures that already happened then I believe this is Kane after all of the REH adventures, too. I think that's Le Loup he's fighting in the spread and from him fighting the gorillas he's at least been to Africa.
Agreed with this being set after the REH Dark Agnes tales, too.
It was smart to set this after the two's REH tales, gives Zub more freedom.
|
|
|
Post by boboldman on Dec 7, 2019 20:18:43 GMT -5
Question - am I reading too much into it, or is this story implying that Conan, Kane, Agnes, Moon Knight and the rest are all reincarnations of the same person?
|
|
|
Post by Jason Aiken on Dec 7, 2019 20:34:38 GMT -5
No, I don't think that's what they're going for. I feared that with Marc Spector but that wasn't the case.
Allison was just the mechanism that brought them together.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2019 2:18:19 GMT -5
VARIANT COVER BY MIGUEL MERCADO
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2019 17:50:45 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by mindboggled on Dec 15, 2019 13:23:51 GMT -5
This is really good stuff. And we don't have to wait long for issue two!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2019 2:43:39 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Taurus on Dec 18, 2019 13:53:45 GMT -5
The good old furkini.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2019 2:16:59 GMT -5
Another fine issue by Jim Zub.
One concern I do have is concerning the pacing - this issue still feels like an introduction to the characters with only 2 issues to go. It's difficult to say, but I gotta a feeling that this would've worked a lot better as a 6 issue mini-series.
|
|
|
Post by darklordbob on Dec 19, 2019 8:49:24 GMT -5
That last page though.
"There is no Wyrm."
Someone's got a serious sore spot about the whole Niord incident way, way, way back when.
|
|
|
Post by johnnypt on Dec 19, 2019 12:18:49 GMT -5
Another fine issue by Jim Zub. One concern I do have is concerning the pacing - this issue still feels like an introduction to the characters with only 2 issues to go. It's difficult to say, but I gotta a feeling that this would've worked a lot better as a 6 issue mini-series. I think it may end up spilling over into Battle for the Serpent Crown, which the just released March solicits just reminded me is starting in Feb
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2019 13:23:54 GMT -5
REVIEW: Zub Continues to Impress in Serpent War #2
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer In the second chapter of Conan: Serpent War, Jim Zub delivers another solid issue, proving yet again he is a worthy custodian of Robert E. Howard’s creations.
The central premise is intriguing, with a dying James Allison acting as a conduit between the Elder God, Wyrm, and two sets of heroes in separate time periods — Conan of Cimmeria and Dark Agnes de Chastillon in the barbarian’s Hyborian Age, and Solomon Kane and Marvel’s Moon Knight in Kane’s 14th Century Europe — in a concerted effort to thwart the machinations of the Serpent God, Set.
That said, there is clearly more than meets the eye in this tale, as the Allison sequences make clear. Zub is carefully unraveling the thread for us, as the heroes too are wary of Allison’s direction.
Speaking of heroes, I enjoyed the interplay between Agnes and Conan best. Their distrust, but grudging respect for one another makes for some fun, playful banter. Moon Knight and Solomon Kane are a different matter, and I believe this plays more into Moon Knight just not being a good fit for the story. I understand why he’s there. It is a Marvel Comic after all, but I would have preferred, perhaps, someone more fitting to the tale, like Hawkeye, or Valkyrie, or even, Misty Knight. Someone less “super-heroic”, if you follow.
Still, Zub writes them well, and there is plenty of breakneck action that keeps the story rolling along. But for all that action, it’s the underlying mystery that is the glue that holds the story together and keeps it from being just another event cross-over. Well, that and the fact that we get four Howard protagonists all taking the stage.
As for the art, once again it falters. While Vanesa del Rey and Jean-Francois Beaulieu continue to amplify the creep factor with their Allison sequences, we have Stephen Segovia unevenly replacing Eaton and Hanna for the issue.
I have yet to track down the original art for the issue, but I suspect the main culprit for my disquiet is Frank D’Armata’s coloring. Looking over it again now, it is the teeth, particularly in Conan and Kane’s respective mouths. Yeah, I know, seems weird to nitpick at dental renderings in a comic book, but man, it’s jolting.
However, just like the first issue, whatever problems I have with the art is minor. The story is solid, a slight downgrade from the stellar debut, but easily in my top 5 comics of the week, and leagues better than the majority of Marvel’s Savage Sword and Conan the Barbarian output this year.
It bears repeating, I am thrilled Jim Zub is handling Conan the Barbarian beginning with issue #13. The fact that he’s paired with Rogê Antônio is the proverbial icing on the cake. I expect great things from them.
As for Serpent War #2? It gets 8.75 out of 10 skulls of my enemies this time out.
Link: www.paintmonkslibrary.com/2019/12/19/review-zub-continues-to-impress-in-serpent-war-2/
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2019 10:32:39 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Erik on Dec 23, 2019 11:14:24 GMT -5
Another fine issue by Jim Zub. One concern I do have is concerning the pacing - this issue still feels like an introduction to the characters with only 2 issues to go. It's difficult to say, but I gotta a feeling that this would've worked a lot better as a 6 issue mini-series. This is the feeling I'm getting too - I'm a bit concerned that there isn't enough story left with only two more issues, especially since I'm really enjoying it. Still, it's definitely one of the better stories that have been released for Conan since his return to Marvel, so I can't complain.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2019 2:22:20 GMT -5
2nd printing available from 29 January 2020.
|
|