Conan the Cimmerian #17 (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 #17, released January 6, 2010, is part two of the three-part story arc entitled "Free Companions."

In part two of the three-issue Free Companions arc, Conan rebels against Princess Yasmela, his former lover, and seeks to infiltrate the dungeons of Koth with a small band of handpicked mercenaries. Taking place right after Robert E. Howard's "Black Colossus" tale and setting up events that will lead directly into Dark Horse's next Howard adaptation, Free Companions finds Conan launching an impulsive precision mission to free Yasmela's captured brother, the true leader of Khoraja, who is a prisoner in Koth -- a rescue operation that's either inspired and necessary or extremely foolhardy! Will betrayal lead Conan into a rage-filled suicide mission? By: Timothy Truman, Timothy Truman, Tomas Giorello, Jose Villarrubia, Joseph Michael Linsner -- "Tim Truman gets right to the heart of the character to what makes him tick. In addition, Tomas Giorello's artwork absolutely nails Conans . . . The colors by Jose; Villarrubia give an added weight of emotion and realism to the story." --

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