Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Danica Brine
Colourist: Joao Canola
Release Date: 11th December 2024

With Titan Comics boldly proclaiming issue seventeen of Conan The Barbarian to be the beginning of a new story arc for the heavily-muscled Cimmerian, many a fan of Robert E. Howard’s sword and sorcery adventurer were probably expecting something a bit more pulse-pounding than Jim Zub’s “Fangs And Foolish Thieves”. Sure, the twenty-page plot taps into one of the character’s most memorable partnerships by having him accompany Bêlit, Pirate Queen of the Black Coast, to the Port of Prosperity for some much-needed rest and recuperation. But considering that over half the book merely covers the pair drinking, dancing and love-making, there isn’t arguably much to either entertain this title’s long-term readers, or attract any new ones for that matter.

To make matters slightly worse, when the Canadian author does eventually decide to inject his tale with some much-needed action, a fair few within the audience debatably won’t be able to shake the notion that the writer has somehow slipped one of his unused Dungeons & Dragons plot threads into the mix. Such a notion is genuinely hard to ignore, with the powerful pair suddenly being attacked at night by a quartet of incompetent robbers whose party consists of a nimble thief, axe-wielding fighter, bull-necked thug and classic, double-bladed rogue; “Oh, look, my dear — Visitors. What kind of fool wears any eyepatch they don’t need?”

Unfortunately, even the resultant skirmish isn’t especially convincing, with the ill-fated foursome supposedly able to match skills – albeit temporarily – with a Conan and Bêlit who are already warned of their approach, and have had time to arms themselves appropriately. In the novels, the Cimmerian would likely as not have brutally dispatched all of his attackers with great aplomb, especially as he’s initially able to ambush them in the darkness. However, Zub would have his audience believe the warrior would actually struggle to take out the aforementioned rogue, and implausibly then lose out to a Gunderman’s double-handed axe – at least until he is able to stop the big man’s blade literally with his bare hands..?

Danica Brine’s layouts are certainly far less bemusing as this publication’s penmanship, thanks largely to the ”death-defying” illustrator’s style being somewhat reminiscent of the late, great Carmine Infantino. Indeed, it would be interesting to see just how well the GLAAD Award-nominee’s panels held up to scrutiny if inked by someone like legendary embellisher Terry Austin, rather than being coloured by “Jumping” Jao Canola.

The writer of this piece was: Simon Moore
Simon Tweets from @Blaxkleric ‏
You can read more of his reviews at The Brown Bag