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Savage Sword of Conan Volume 16

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    Todd Jordan
    Smut is good.

  • Savage Sword of Conan Volume 16



    Published by: Dark Horse Comics
    Released on: May 21, 2013
    Writers: Charles Dixon, Gary Kwapisz, Gerry Conway
    Artists: Gary Kwapisz, Ernie Chan, Mike Docherty, Jorge Zaffino
    Cover: Earl Norem
    Purchase at Amazon

    The Savage Sword of Conan carries on, with Dark Horse Comics' reprinted volumes of the classic Marvel magazine, originally published in the latter quarter of the 20th Century (it still feels uncomfortable to say that). This edition reprints from issues 161 through 170, which were originally published in 1989 and 1990. The volume boasts another fantastic Earl Norem painting which first graced the cover of issue 168. The covers for the rest of the issues covered in this book show up on the insides, but in black-and-white and by such talents as Ovi Hondru, Dorian Cleavenger, Mark Caparosa, and Joe Jusko. Also found within are pin-ups by Doug Beekman, Mark Beachum, Armando Gil (great stuff), Dave Simons, Mike Docherty, Ernie Chan, Fred Carrillo, and Brian Garvey. This giant book at 500+ pages features a host of Conan stories, some good ones, some ho-hum.

    “The Slithering God”, by Charles Dixon and Ernie Chan (from issue #164, with an Earl Norem cover of Conan showing off his decapitated head collection) was a particularly fun one to read. Conan is in the city of Hanghara which seems more like a living tomb than a thriving trade city, getting his share of a recent group heist. The fellow thieves don't like his barbarian face and you'd best not insult Conan, because he doesn't stand for baloney. But before a fight can ensue, their hideout is breeched thanks to the back-stabbing little turd named Trollo. He was part of the job too, but his wretchedness brought the authorities straight to the gang of thieves. A not-so-long-story made shorter, Conan and Trollo get captured and left to die in cages suspended over the streets. But there is something under the streets and its hungry, and it's nasty. Giant tentacles pull people under, whether random folks or a sacrifice. Yeah well, not while Conan is in town…while there still is one. Ernie Chan's pencils and inks make this story stand out amongst the rest, and his subterranean dwelling monster is pretty epic. It's such a Conan move to rescue one hot chick that was to be sacrificed, but not give two squats about an entire city's fate. How can you not a like man of such character?

    Most of the writing is by Charles Dixon, and the majority of the artwork in the issues this volume holds is by Gary Kwapisz, with inks assists on some. Dixon told some great Conan tales, but without the artwork to back them up, they are way less enjoyable. The Kwapisz stuff is a good example of how a good story can be taken down by artwork that doesn't work with it. The quality just isn't there with his stuff, unless the inks are done by Ernie Chan (at least in the stories in this volume). Jorge Zaffino is another artist doing the same thing here. That's not to say they can't draw, but they certainly brought down the Conan stories to which they contributed.

    Most probably if you're going to pick up this volume, you know what to expect. It's Conan the way many of us grew up reading his tales. He's corny, he's full of bravado, and he's a muscle-bound, womanizing, pig of a brute who no one can defeat; why would you want it any other way? Whether or not this reader likes the art this volume has to offer, the whole thing is still a fun read, which takes very little time devotion and even less brain activity.



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