Chronicles of Conan vol 8: Brothers of the Blade

Chronicles of Conan vol 8: Brothers of the Blade 

By Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Mike Ploog & various (Dark Horse Books)
ISBN: 1-84576-137-5

The eighth volume of reprinted Marvel Conan stories is a true treat, as it features not just the magnificently recoloured artwork of John Buscema partnered with some of his most gifted inkers – Tom Palmer, Frank Springer, Pablo Marcos and Steve Gan – but also reprints one of the last comic stories of the tragically under-rated Mike Ploog. The book ends with Buscema, though, who returns to begin the epic “Queen of the Black Coast” story line that ran from issues #58 – 100 of the monthly comic book. Parts one and two can be found here along with issues #52 through 57.

Conan is undergoing something of a revival at the moment, both as prose and comic book character, not to mention all those figurines that could find homes on the shelves of the faithful, and there’s always the promise of another movie. Still and all, and whilst admitting my bias, if you can’t actually have more Robert E. Howard, you can’t do much better than these thumping good yarns that kept the legend alive in the long-ago, hip again 1970s.

© 1975, 2005 Conan Properties International, LLC. All Rights Reserved.