CONAN: BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE #4, by Titan Comics on 12/4/24, concludes the Robert E. Howard crossover when the remaining heroes take drastic steps after Conan’s death to destroy the Black Stone.
Credits:
- Writer: Jim Zub
- Artist: Jonas Scharf
- Colorist: Jāo Canola
- Letterer: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
- Cover Artist: Thomas Nachlik (cover A)
- Publisher: Titan Comics
- Release Date: December 4, 2024
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 34
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of CONAN: BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE #4:
First Impressions:
Wowee, wow, wow! It’s one thing to start a miniseries on a decent or strong note and finish strong, but it’s another to start strong and end on a phenomenal note. Writer Jim Zub concludes the Robert E. Howard crossover event with drama of the highest order, cinematic action, a super-satisfying conclusion, and a last-page tease that will get Lovecraft fans all aflutter. Well done, Folks. Well done!
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the Howard heroes in Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #3, the great Beast, unbound by time or space, reappeared when Dark Agnes intentionally summoned it to force the battle. Unfortunately, the giant monster was too great for Dark Agnes to overcome, and she lost her life. The issue ended with Conan choosing to fight instead of flee, but even the mighty Conan joined Dark Agnes in the hereafter.
In Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4, the remaining Howard heroes – Solomon Kane, Brissa, and Kirowan – find a quiet spot for Conan to take his last breath. When the barbarian dies, the players are suddenly imbued with a green fire and slowly begin to dissolve. James Allison’s spirit explains that Conan was the anchor to this time and place, so his death threatens to send them back to their respective lives before their quest is won.
Jim Zub starts the issue with a strong element of shock and urgency. Yes, Conan is dead, so the Howard heroes better figure something out quickly before the barbarian’s demise ends any hope of stopping the Beast of the Black Stone.
Against Solomon Kane’s protests, Kirowan decides to perform a pagan ritual that may undo what was done. Kirowan pulls out a small knife, recites an otherworldly incantation he learned years ago, and plunges the knife into his right eye as a sacrifice. The ritual grants him the ability to share his life power with Conan’s lifeless frame. Soon, Brissa joins the connection, and after strong urging, Solomon Kane joins as well.
Suddenly, Conan is shocked to life. In exchange for his sacrifice, Kirowan is granted the vision of the souls who’ve passed beyond this mortal realm so that he can bring them on their journey.
Zub uses ancient magicks, resurrection, and maybe an homage to Tolkien’s Return of the King to set the stage for an epic battle. Kirowan may be Howard’s archetype for Indiana Jones, and this moment confirms Kirowan is just as brave and committed as he is scholarly.
The three heroes become four again, and Kirowan uses his new sight to follow the trail of energy to the Black Stone. The four march along a narrow trail, accompanied by the ghosts of Picts and Warriors, with a score to settle against the Black Stone and its beast. The procession ends when they reach a massive crater blasted in the center of the jungle with a Black Stone altar and the giant beast waiting at the center.
The issue ends with a battle for the ages, a new path for two Howard heroes, and the opening eye of a Great Old One.
Overall, Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 ends the crossover miniseries as well as it started, maybe even better. Jim Zub prayed to the Old Great Ones to invoke the power of pulp adventure, so let’s hope he didn’t put an eye out.
Artwork and Presentation:
Jonas Scharf kills in the art department to finish the issue with strength, power, vitality, and excitement. Robert E. Howard’s cast of characters has never looked better, and the last page’s visual tease will leave you hungry for more.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Without giving too much away regarding the ending, a monster from Lovecraft lore is introduced, but H.P. Lovecraft only referenced the monster and never fully introduced it. The Great Old One in question was originally named in the King Kull story “The Curse of the Golden Skull,” but the character didn’t fully appear until it was developed by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner, when they brought the monster to life in Marvel Premiere #10, published on Aug 31, 1973.
Final Thoughts:
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CONAN: BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE #4 ends the spectacular crossover miniseries on a cosmically good note. Jim Zub imagines a battle for the age that requires our heroes to fight, sacrifice, and die to save the world, and Jonas Scharf’s artwork is pulp magnificence.
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