5 Reasons To Get ‘Conan The Barbarian’ #1 (Marvel Comics)!

In great detail and in greater spirit, Robert E. Howard’s sword-slashing pulp hero returns in an epic and adventurous new tale in Conan The Barbarian #1 (Marvel Comics). Readers will discover why the dark-haired Cimmerian is legendary for his iconic adventures as a thief, a reaver, and slayer. 

Conan’s travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unkown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death! 

Here are 5 reasons why you should read Conan The Barbarian #1:

I have read the collections of Robert E. Howard’s works and my favorite Conan story is “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter.”  Having seen the movies, I even read the first issue imitating Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice.I will say this though, I liked Jason Momoa’s interpretation of the character and I wish his movie has been a better success story at the box office.  

Clearly having fun, writer Jason Aaron does a fantastic job jumping around between the past, present, and future. An interesting nonlinear technique, Aaron unfolds Conan’s multiple time periods all at once, singling out an alluring femme fatale as the connective tissue. The classical lettering by VC’s Travis Lanham bolds certain words in the flirtatious dialogue, the locations, and during the sword violence.

Artist Mahmud Asrar does a fantastic job capturing the swordplay and blood in the illustrations. I love how raw and brutal we see Conan taking a beating in the gladiator battle. With a dose of slasher-like thrills, the illustrations really pop out when the narrative throws in killer psycho children.

Colorist Matthew Wilson crafts a vivid palette that feeds off of natural sunlight, torches, and shadows. Notice how there are always always dark clouds and smoke hovering the battlefields; as if the sun was wiped out. The tones add to the six pack and muscles that Conan is particularly well known for. 

Each fantastic page of Conan The Barbarian #1 will leave a lasting memorable impression on the reader. Whether you’ve seen the movies, or read the books, the first installment will definitely make a Conan fan out of you! 

Conan The Barbarian #1 is out in stores now.