CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3, from Titan Comics on 9/27/23, brings the steely blade of Conan to the Citadel of the Black Stone where evil cults await.
The Details
- Written by: Jim Zub
- Art by: Robert De La Torre
- Colors by: Dean White
- Letters by: Richard Starkings
- Cover art by: Doug Braithwaite (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: September 27, 2023
Is CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 Good?
Jim Zub continues his pitch-perfect interpretation of the world’s greatest barbarian when Conan and Brissas infiltrate the Citadel of the Black Stone to end the infectious evil at its source. CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 has everything you’ve been missing in Conan comics – bloody, brutal action, desperate battle against overwhelming odds, malignant rituals, and foul wizards.
When last we left Conan and Brissa, they fought their way North to find even the towns of Cimmeria had fallen to the undead armies of Lost Picts. Moving with stealth and guile from a safe distance, the duo found the source of infection at a giant spire erupting from the ground. Now, Conan and Brissa search the malignant stronghold to find starved prisoners, a pool of water tainted with dark magic, and the soulless monsters in charge of it all.
If it sounds like the description reads like the trailer for an adventure serial from the Golden Age of Hollywood, that’s intentional. Jim Zub digs deep to give you a classic Conan adventure from front to back that matches the style, tone, and grim adventure of Robert E. Howard’s original works. When we say this adventure feels like an authentic Conan adventure, we mean it.
What’s great about CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3? Conan’s fights are brutal, bloody, and copious. Once the group’s stealthy entrance is discovered, the comic turns into an all-out action fest with a doozy of an ending.
What’s not so great about CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3? Practically, nothing. This issue is as strong a Conan comic as you could hope for.
How’s the art? Robert De La Torre is firing on all cylinders with a version of the comic that harkens back to the Bronze Age with strong, powerful lines, dynamic action, and dramatic panels.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our CONAN THE BARBARIAN #2 review to find out what horrors were discovered when Conan reached Cimmeria.
We begin with Conan and Brissa quietly entering the entrance of the Citadel of Black Stone. They find the citadel’s architecture is ancient, crumbling, and of a strange design unknown to human senses. Eventually, the duo spies two cloaked guards and a prison cell holding a group of Cimmerians weak from hunger. Conan kills the guards and frees his fellow countrymen.
Beneath the cloaks of the unholy guards, Conan discovers the men are not mean but reptilian beasts. Conan takes the strongest men with him deeper into the citadel, and Brissa leads the weak and injured out to safety.
We conclude the issue with an unholy sacrifice, a desperate battle, and a murky dive.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 delivers wall-to-wall action and gritty, brutal revenge when Conan faces the dark cult responsible for wiping out his people. Zub’s stray is quintessential Conan, and De La Torre’s art is Bronze Age perfection.
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