The two movies that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star are Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator. In Conan the Barbarian #8 – ‘Thrice Marked for Death IV’ we get to see these two characters combined.
Conan has been possessed by beings intent on finding a sword once in his possession, the very same sword that he used to defeat them back in issue #4. Unable to immediately lay his hands on it we follow his journey through Shadizar as he hunts down his prize. Determined, unflinching, and completely unfeeling, the brutality of his questioning methods and unstoppable drive create a story that actually shocks. Though Conan regularly uses brutal force to dispatch his enemies, here he he kills with such a lack of care or passion that the automaton-like actions create a sense of unease in the readers.
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The sense of unease is further enhanced by the flat-eyed, passive face that artists Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez imbue the normally passionate, larger than life Conan with. There is also excellent work done by Richard Starkings, whose lettering manages to never obscure but instead enhance the flow of the art.
This is lucky, as the art is a stronger than usual driving force for Jim Zub’s writing. It never takes a back seat, but in this issue it’s very much a co-pilot. What we’ve been given here feels like the ending of a chapter, and one which makes us want to begin the next one as soon as possible.
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It also makes sense here to praise the fantastic – and so far by us unacknowledged – work being done by Jeffrey Shanks. In the back of each issue a page has been given over to his essay ‘Robert E. Howard and his Ages Undreamed Of’, discussing the original author and creator of not just Conan, but an entire mythos. His light bites of information are perfect for the uninitiated to begin to learn about the world that Howard created. His insight and takes are fantastic, and should be enough to manage to entertain not just newcomers, but long time fans alike.
Everything about these comics continues to impresses. The phrase ‘passion project’ feels exactly right for this series, as though everyone involved has a genuine love of the world of Conan. It’s a joy to see these comics grow and mature, weaving another glorious thread through an already rich tapestry.
Conan the Barbarian #8 is out on 28th February from Titan Comics.
