Conan The King (2021) by Marvel Comics
Dec 22, 2021 15:32:48 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2021 15:32:48 GMT -5
King Conan #1 Review: A Familiar, But Promising Quest For Vengeance
By JENNA ANDERSON
Conan the Barbarian stories have a unique uphill battle in the world of comics—not only do they have to find ways to entice readers in an ever-evolving industry, but they need to cover narrative ground that hasn't already been trampled on in the nearly-100 years since his creation. That balance can often be a tricky one, which makes the launch of this week's King Conan limited series an intriguing new chapter in the character's story. With Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, and Matt Wilson back at the helm, after they previously relaunching Marvel's take on the character in 2019, King Conan #1 takes a fascinating concept into a familiar—but still compelling—narrative territory.
The first in a six-issue miniseries, King Conan #1 follows the titular Cimmerian as he grows restless in his position of power, sending him on a tumultuous journey west. After crossing paths with a formidable and familiar foe, Conan begins to realize the full extent of his turmoil, and that the true threat might be much more dangerous than expected.
Several years have passed since the aforementioned trio relaunched Conan with "The Life and Death of Conan," it feels like a disservice to call King Conan a true sequel. While your mileage with some of King Conan #1's intricacies may increase if you've read that prior run, a variation of the same can be said if you've read any of Marvel's recent Conan comics, or any adaptation in the tapestry from the character's history. This issue balances just enough of the past and future without alienating newer readers, leaning into the nonlinear way that Conan's story has been told since its inception. As a letter at the tail end of the issue explains, King Conan draws inspiration from the stories that Robert E. Howard didn't get a chance to write, but alluded to in larger parts of canon. That alone makes King Conan a compelling concept, and adds another layer of significance to the issue's exploits.
When it comes to the events of King Conan, the plot feels both incredibly simple and complex, with that grandiosity coming through both Conan's various flashbacks and the increasingly-complicated circumstances of the island he's currently occupying. Jason Aaron's approach to the script is sufficiently flowery and outrageous in narration, which balances out some of the more catchphrase-y dialogue spoken by Conan and other characters. There's an easy parallel to be drawn between this series and some of Aaron and Wilson's work together on Thor, but there's an extra sense of world-weariness within the pages of King Conan that the God of Thunder only saw glimpses of. That said, even as Conan's battle for survival gets bloodier and more extravagant, there's an inherent hope lurking beneath the surface.
While the script for King Conan is already compelling, Asrar's visuals take things a step further, taking that sword-and-sworcery tone to a moody and earned tone. Some of the sequences within these pages are truly breathtaking, and I'm envious of anyone who gets to read its many printed double-page spreads. The character designs are complex while having a sense of simple kineticism, allowing action to flow in a way that hasn't been as satisfying as Conan's early days at Marvel. Wilson's color work (as well as Asrar's, in a few key pages) also helps enhance the audience's satisfaction, with the use of blues, teals, and greys that add a sense of tension in every panel, but never growing boring. When their work deploys warmer colors, whether it be a gash of blood, or the golden hues of a key flashback sequence, it feels even more earned. Travis Lanham's lettering expertly ties it all together, both in the narration accompanying Conan's adventures and in the spits of dialogue within the issue.
Is King Conan the most accessible book for new Conan readers? Not necessarily, but if you have even a passing familiarity with the Cimmerian, you'll probably find something to glean from the pages of this oversized debut issue. The premise is fascinating, the art is excellent, and there's an overall sense of purpose within the pages that Marvel's Conan work has been somewhat lacking. I truly have no idea what's in store for the subsequent pages of King Conan, but this issue proved just gripping enough to keep me interested.
Link:
comicbook.com/marvel/news/king-conan-1-review-marvel-comics-2021/
‘King Conan’ #1 review: Knee-deep in the dead
Conan lives! But for how long?
Nathan Simmons
Jason Aaron andMahmud Asrar’s King Conan jumps forward in time to show readers a version of the titular barbarian who is older and wiser, but no less deadly. This miniseries kicks things off with a sequence that shows just how little messing around there will be in this story. Things are off to a bleak start as Conan washes up on the shores of an unknown beach, which is covered in corpses. There’s so much death here that the waves are filled with maggots; clearly, nobody has ever escaped this deserted island hell.
And naturally, there’s a supreme satisfaction in seeing how Conan takes this latest horror in stride. He begins scavenging for the essentials, casually stealing weapons and rum from the bodies, as well as noting that there’s plenty of food here, if it should come to that.
Aaron is so comfortable writing this character at this point, and is clearly relishing the opportunity to show how the aged Conan has lost none of his edge. He’s always been a survivor, and there’s a kind of gallows humor that springs from how easily he adapts to every situation. Things get progressively thornier from there, but the Barbarian’s wit and cunning keeps him moving forward. Mahmud Asrar does a splendid job rendering the disgusting nature of Conan’s new environment and lends a fluidity to the character’s movements. Even at this point in his life, he still has an edge to him that propels him forward into battle. The colors from Matthew Wilson and Asrar lend a funereal pallor to the surroundings. This is a gross book in some spots, and the creative team doesn’t shy away from how bleak things are looking for the titular king.
There are also some smaller moments sprinkled throughout that show how far he’s developed as both a fighter and a strategist. Not only does this series give us a chance to see how an older Conan fights, but we get an idea of how much he has matured. This is furthered through a few brief flashbacks to Conan’s first days out of Cimmeria. Although Aaron acknowledges how green the warrior used to be, and although Asrar draws him with his head hung low and an uncertain look in his eyes, we get the sense that Conan never forgot his roots, even as a ruler.
A few of these jaunts into the past can be a bit confusing, as each one is a pretty significant jump in time. However, it feels like these flashbacks are going to have an accumulative effect when looking at the series as a whole. I’m curious to see how these looks back build upon one another, as well as how they inform Conan’s current state.
Of course, just because he’s wiser, it doesn’t mean that Conan is any less ferocious. There is a nastiness to the way Conan fights and plans here, and the tussle that takes up the majority of this debut takes Conan and his opponent from land to the bottom of the sea, all with a supernatural edge. With a fascinating twist, the first issue sets up a rollicking adventure story that will push Conan to his limits — and may stretch back through his entire history. It should be fascinating to see not only how this battle continues, but how it informs the transformation of Conan from runaway to monarch to prey.
'King Conan' #1 is equal turns brutal and entertaining as hell — and reminds the reader why Conan reigns supreme.
The Good:
Starts in a bleak place and keeps heaping things onto Conan in increasingly exciting ways
The battle is ferocious and thrilling, full of great action and sarcastic narration
Shows a real progression for the character, as well as some unexpectedly sweet moments
The twist genuinely surprised me and sets up a great new direction for the tale
The Bad:
Transitions between a few of the flashbacks are a bit jarring, but the sequences themselves are well-told
Rating: 8.5 Great
Link:
aiptcomics.com/2021/12/22/king-conan-1-review/
If you wanna read a few more reviews you can find them at the link below:
comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/marvel-comics/king-conan-(2021)/1
