[REVIEW] TALES OF A CIMMERIAN IN KING-SIZE ‘CONAN #1’

Our favorite Cimmerian barbarian returns in King-Size Conan #1 to grace us with his ways with a sword. Hold onto your heads and waterskins, folks, because it is a celebration unlike any other to hit the shelves!

Celebrating 50 years of adventures, this one-shot spans the life and times of Conan within this oversized, jam-packed spectacular. It has everything you want in a Conan story and a little more. Luckily, we don’t get just one story. We get five tales of Conan that present a turning point in his life that all fans alike can enjoy. From fighting men and beasts to gods, there is much to see.

With King-Size Conan #1, it was go big or go home, and this was huge. Having been a fan of Conan for a very long time, I felt that each narrative highlighted moments in Conan’s life that defined him–especially how his view of the world is realistic and straightforward. Conan isn’t just a barbarian; he is a man traversing a way of life, freely. Whether in war, thievery, sailing the seas or even taking refuge in a small village, we witness what Conan values most.

Although I loved each writer’s story about Conan’s adventures throughout the ages, Roy Thomas’s stood out. He introduces a new prelude never seen before that reaches back to his very first issue of Conan The Barbarian.  Roy creates a great starting point for new readers who may be unsure as to where to get into Conan comicbooks. The Hyborian Age is both dangerous and full of natural beauty, and it was beautifully captured by Ive, Pete, Jesus, Carlos, and Neeraj, respectively. I thought the pencilwork from McNiven, Roberto, and Pete was fantastically drawn. I wasn’t too enthusiastic about Eastman’s interior artwork, but I treasured his first story with Conan for Marvel comics. Additionally, Travis did an amazing lettering job, and the comic wouldn’t have been the same without him on the team.

That being said, I truly appreciated the amount of time and craftsmanship that went into creating King-Size Conan #1. It was a pleasure to sit down and read from cover to cover. If you or someone who you know want to explore the world of Conan, pick this up.

King-Size Conan #1

9.4

Storytelling

9.5/10

Artwork

9.0/10

Coloring

9.0/10

Lettering

9.5/10

Barbaric

10.0/10

Credits

• Writers: Roy Thomas, Kurt Busiek, Chris Claremont, Kevin Eastman, Steven S. DeKnight
• Artists: Jesus Saiz, Peter M. Woods, Kevin Eastman, Steven McNiven, Robert De La Torre
• Colorists: Ive Svorcina, Peter M.Woods, Jesus Saiz, Carlos Lopez, Neeraj Menon
• Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
• Cover Artist: Andrew C. Robinson

Credits (cont)

• Editor: Mark Basso
• Publisher: Marvel Comics