Conan #1 Island of No Return

Dark Horse Comics
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Bart Sears

There’s something about the character Conan that is timeless. He’s from a time long ago; he’s a thief, outcast but is destined to be king (but that is another story). This story tells of how he’s hired to help retrieve a treasure from a dead king. Now most people and fans may say that’s typical for him (I may have too) but this story has more to offer and to add to his mythology. I think this series is going to take Conan to a new level, introduce him to new fans and take him to new heights.

First, I have to say this is the first time I can think of that I’ve read anything from Ron Marz. This is very well written and shows that Conan has wit, power in his voice and is not just a rouge or a brute. That was something I really enjoyed. The other characters had their own voices and their voices rolled off the page. The art had a gritty feel to it, but not like other things I’ve described in the same way. It gave this piece a unique feel that worked well with the writing and you as comic book fan know you need. Lastly, the paneling was relatively easy to follow.

As usual, I’m given the first book to review; at times this is good thing. For this number one, it did what it needed to. I was given enough of the back-story to know Conan, even if I wasn’t already a fan and I knew the back-story of the situation he’s in (by the way, there’s a lesson to be learned in the first chase scene, one I already know thankfully). I wouldn’t use the word fun to describe this but it was enjoyable. I felt like I was in his land and time. In my humble opinion, this is worth getting and reading; I want to know what happens next. I give this 4 caps out of 5.