Conan The Cimmerian #1-13 (Ongoing)

is an ongoing series on the adventures of the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard and published by Dark Horse Comics beginning in 2008. It continues from where the first Dark Horse series, simply entitled Conan, and that ran for 50 issues from 2004 to 2008, left off. Dark Horse in fact specifies Conan the Cimmerian #1 as "No. 51 in a Series" and so on, excluding the #0 issue special that served to introduce the new series. Conan the Cimmerian presents a fresh interpretation, incorporating both new material and adaptations of stories by Robert E. Howard, with no other connection to many Marvel Comics series or other post-Howard material, with the aim of revitalizing the character which has remained quite popular through the years. Conan the Cimmerian in Dark Horse Comics' chronology marks a transition point going into the second major chapter in Conan's life, as he leaves his time as a thief and rogue behind him and heads into his mercenary and pirate years. Issue #13 features "Black Altar", the sixth and final chapter in Dark Horse Comics' adaptation of Howard's "Black Colossus" novel. Non-stop battle action and sustained great visuals. This is how a Conan comic book should be.

In "Black Altar," the relentless final chapter in the "Black Colossus" adaptation, Natohk's desert hordes surge up the narrow Shamla Pass, and Conan's ragged army desperately attempts to hold their high ground. Outnumbered and facing an army fueled by a zealous, reborn Stygian wizard, simply surviving may be the greatest victory Conan can hope for. Any triumph will ring hollow, though, if Conan can't protect Khoraja's current sovereign, the beautiful Princess Yasmela -- whom Natohk has vowed to capture! Tim Truman, Tomás Giorello, and José Villarrubia bring the gripping, blood-filled Battle of Shamla Pass to life! Smartly written and flawlessly rendered, don't miss the epic finale to a Robert E. Howard classic. Writer: Timothy Truman; Penciller: Tomás Giorello; Colorist: José Villarrubia; Cover Artist: Joseph Michael Linsner --

Tomás Giorello and José Villarrubia's art is so great here that it's the ultimate selling point. From the massive war that rages . . . to the images of scorpions and vultures amidst the desolation, it's just beautiful. Some of the scenes remind me a lot of collaborations by P. Craig Russell and Lovern Kindzierski, and that's no small feat. --

Visit my blog often for updates to, and more spin-offs and special issues in: the Complete Amazing Spider-Man (Issues 1-602 and counting) and other complete Spider-Man series; Grimm Fairy Tales (Issues 1-40 and counting); the complete Transformers official movies comics series; for complete classic EC Comics series; and for other complete comics collector's series.