THE CIMMERIAN: HOUR OF THE DRAGON #2 – Review

THE CIMMERIAN: HOUR OF THE DRAGON #2, from Ablaze Publishing on April 6th, 2022, follows Conan as he escapes Xaltotun’s captivity and learns Fate has a greater purpose for him in the struggle against the Dragon.

The Details

• Written By: Julien Blondel
• Art By: Valentin Sécher
• Colors By: Valentin Sécher
• Letters By: Dezi Sienty
• Cover Art By: Werther Dell’Edera (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: April, 6, 2022

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Was It Good?

This series is a die-hard Conan fan’s dream come true. We were very positive on issue #1 with its faithful adaptation of the original story and the gritty, powerful art. In THE CIMMERIAN: HOUR OF THE DRAGON #2, Blondel improves on the series by upping the pacing, and Sécher infuses even more power into the artistry with eye-popping magic and evil.

As with the first issue, it’s difficult to critique the plot of the story since it’s a near-exact adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s work from nearly 90 years ago. Instead, we’ll look at the quality of the adaptation and the art.

Again, Blondel’s pacing and distillation of the prose into a comic script are phenomenal. All the piece parts are present to capture the essence of the story, and as any good comic writer should, Blondel relies on the artist to carry part of the story rather than inserting too much exposition or narration to “explain” what’s happening. Each point of dialog is present only when necessary, and each scene is distilled to capture the gist of the moment without any detriment to Howard’s flow. As far as adaptations go, this is a masterclass.

And then there’s the art. Working hand in hand with Blondel’s writing, the art does what it should by carrying part of the story. The composition of each panel feels truly cinematic. The dark shadows permeate every nook and cranny for maximum drama. And there’s a slight improvement here over the first issue as there’s a little more color pop to grab your attention. Everything about this art screams “POWER”, and it exemplifies the titular character perfectly and better than any iteration from Marvel.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

If you’re unfamiliar with Xaltotun or how Conan was captured, first read our THE CIMMERIAN: HOUR OF THE DRAGON #1 review.

We begin with Conan receiving help from a servant girl who heard of his capture. Her loyalties are to her kingdom and Conan as her King. Conan accepts the given sword and makes his way through the dungeon caverns, only to find out why the exit needs no bars or guards. A giant, grey ape guards the passage, but this beast has never met the likes of Conan.

On the road, Conan is met by a witch who has seen the future and knows the threat Xaltotun poses if he’s not stopped. She gives Conan advice on what to do next and promises to meet him later to provide aid. Meanwhile, the rulers who freed Xaltotun become increasingly uneasy over the wizard’s growing power, and they recognize they have no means to control him.

We conclude the issue with a witch’s warning to Conan to find a precious object, an assassination attempt, and the arrival of new fighters who may or may not be allies.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.

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