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Conan:
The Legend
The Legend
0/NOV/2003
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Pencils: Cary Nord
Colors: Dave Stewart
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Price: $25c US/R10.00 SA
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Dark Horse Comics has managed to grab the property rights for Robert
E. Howard’s Conan. The first issue comes out in February
2004 but the nice guys at Dark Horse have been kind enough to release
a preview issue a few months before the titles official release
date just to get us in on the deal nice and early, plus it’s
only $25c!
A young conquering Prince stumbles upon a hidden treasure trove
while raiding his subjugated barbarian lands. Inside lays a strange
and intriguing statue dedicated to a strong and intense hero of
this inhospitable wasteland, his name was Conan. The Prince orders
his advisor to find out as much as he can about this legend. And
so the Advisor returns to his liege sometime later with the Chronicles
of the life of Conan the Barbarian…
This is a strikingly beautiful visual masterpiece of a comic book.
Cary Nord [Daredevil] pencils
the characters and their surroundings with a perfect feel for the
time and place which make the Conan stories the success that they
are. His line work has a sketchy finish yet it is fine enough to
bring great detail into his characters and their intricate costumes.
And Wow!, what an amazing host of costume designs are on
display in this short preview issue alone. From the Arabic
robes of the conquering Prince to the Roman Army style armor of
one of the Ancient Civilizations and onto the Barbarian look of
Conan himself. Cary has them all down perfectly and so realistically
that you would swear they came straight from a history book.
His beautiful pencil renderings are colored directly by
Dave Stewart [Superman/Batman] and skip
the inking phase. If you are reading Marvel Comics 1602
mini series and like the art in those books then pick up this preview
of Conan, with a similar visual feel to 1602 you will undoubtedly
fall in love with this art.
The story by the legendary Kurt Busiek [JLA/Avengers,
Arrowsmith] has yet to really take off in this
short sixteen page preview, but what it does attain in these few
pages is a sense for the time period and a quick concise overview
of who Conan is and what is to come in ensuing issues of this series.
This preview is rounded off with a great mini-sketchbook
of Cary Nord’s work, which is stunning in itself and produced
in a great brown duotone style relevant to the comics overall production
feel. Last but not least is a fun interview of Cary Nord
by Busiek which helps to round off a thoroughly impressive
preview. All of this comes on an extremely high quality paper stock
and with stunning production values all at a measly $25c!!! Go out
and grab it today people!
A great ‘freebie’ issue to get Conan out of the blocks
and off to a sprinters’ start. If this is what we
can expect from the ongoing series then get ready for a winner folks.
I think I’m going to wait for some hardcover editions of this
series in a year or two and collect it that way, I can only imagine
how beautiful those books will look with Nord’s stunning art
and Dark Horses production values at their highest.
Score 10/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
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Comic Reviews
