Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 151, Conan the Barbarian 152

Conan 151 coverConan the Barbarian #151 – “Vale of Death” – Michael Fleisher/John Buscema/Ernie Chan

This one starts with Conan hunting in the mountains of Cimmeria. He’s attacked by a giant hawk and dropped into a hidden valley. He comes upon a burning castle where some hill tribes (the Yggdar) have slaughtered all the inhabitants (the Osiiren) … or almost all. A dying man gives Conan a locket and begs him to deliver it and pass on a message, but he expires before he can go into detail. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 151, Conan the Barbarian 152”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 149, Conan the Barbarian 150

Conan 149 coverConan the Barbarian #149 – “Deathmark” – Bruce Jones/John Buscema/Ernie Chan

This one starts with Conan riding through a forested area near Cimmeria. He hears a cry of pain and finds a dead man who’s missing an arm. He sees a rider hurrying away and assumes it’s the killer, but when he catches the rider it turns out to be the dead man’s son. The kid tells Conan they were going to Travania to meet his father’s friend Valik, so Conan offers to take him there. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 149, Conan the Barbarian 150”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 147, Conan the Barbarian 148

Conan 147 coverConan the Barbarian #147 – “Tower of Mitra” – Bruce Jones/John Buscema/Ernie Chan

This one starts with Conan reminiscing about Pelija Lon, the woman he met in issue 134 and last saw in issue 139. Coincidentally, a vision of Pelija Lon appears in front of him, begging him to help her. Unfortunately, the vision doesn’t give a location, so Conan heads for D’eim (city of the High Priestess of Mitra), where he knows Pelija was headed. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 147, Conan the Barbarian 148”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 145, Conan the Barbarian 146

Conan 145 coverConan the Barbarian #145 – “Son of Cimmeria” – Alan Zelenetz/Richard Howell/Bob Camp

This one starts with a group of older Cimmerians reminiscing about the Battle of Venarium, where Conan first tasted battle. These memories have been prompted by the fact that Conan has returned to Cimmeria for a visit and is now leading a war band into the mountains to eliminate a troublesome Pict raiding party. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 145, Conan the Barbarian 146”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 143, Conan the Barbarian 144

Conan 143 coverConan the Barbarian #143 – “Life Among the Dead” – Bruce Jones/John Buscema/Ricardo Villamonte

This one starts in a small Cimmerian village called Solvanthia, where the ground begins to tremble violently. The villagers have a pretty good idea what’s causing it and rush up the mountain to a gold statue of their hero, Graven. But there’s something missing from the statue … Graven’s sword, which is some kind of talisman that keeps a dragon asleep under the village. Now that the sword has been stolen, the dragon is waking up, so the villagers figure they’d better get the sword back quickly. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 143, Conan the Barbarian 144”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 141, Conan the Barbarian 142

Conan 141 coverConan the Barbarian #141 – “The Web Tightens” – Bruce Jones/John Buscema/Brett Breeding

Last issue, Conan was shanghaied aboard a pirate vessel by Lupos Davalte, a man he’d pissed off in a tavern brawl. Conan was forced to help row the ship until they stopped for provisions and ended up being attacked by giant spiders in the forest. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 141, Conan the Barbarian 142”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 139, Conan the Barbarian 140

Conan 139 coverConan the Barbarian #139 – “In the Lair of the Damned” – Bruce Jones/Val Mayerik

Last issue, Conan and Pelija Lon were sent to a demi-plane to recover an amulet for the wizard Revelle. The amulet is around the neck of Pelija’s father (Eshe Lon) and Revelle claimed that removing it would turn him back to his old (non-evil) self, but when they found Eshe and Conan took the amulet from him, he turned into some kind of serpent demon. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 139, Conan the Barbarian 140”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 137, Conan the Barbarian 138

Conan 137 coverConan the Barbarian #137 – “Titan’s Gambit” – Bruce Jones/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts at the court of King Arvenger of Voldhom, where a dwarf (Twillo) and a dim-witted behemoth (Bolo) are in attendance. Some peasants have brought in a “champion” (a huge bear)to fight Bolo, who seems too gentle for such sport … until Twillo plays a certain song on his flute. That song brings back memories of how Bolo’s parents were butchered, which makes him go crazy with rage and kill the bear with his bare hands. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 137, Conan the Barbarian 138”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 135, Conan the Barbarian 136

Conan 135 coverConan the Barbarian #135 – “The Forest of the Night” – Steven Grant/Marc Silvestri/Joe Rubinstein, Danny Bulanadi

This one starts with Conan in the Border Kingdoms, where he’s been hired as a scout and mercenary for an outpost. Having been ambushed by Picts and lost his horse and supplies, Conan makes his way through a strange forest, killing a deer for sustenance. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 135, Conan the Barbarian 136”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 133, Conan the Barbarian 134

Conan 133 coverConan the Barbarian #133 – “The Witch of Widnsor” – Bruce Jones/Gil Kane/Danny Bulanadi

This one starts with Conan making his way through some mountains bordering Cimmeria. He sees a strange-looking mountain peak that shimmers in the sunlight, but his attention is soon drawn to a line of dead men tied to crosspieces of wood. They all died of deep puncture wounds and have signed waivers tacked to the crosses, attesting that they sought to free Princess Seraina of their own free will. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 133, Conan the Barbarian 134”