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Conan The Slayer #5

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    Ian Jane
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  • Conan The Slayer #5



    Conan The Slayer #5
    Released by: Dark Horse Comics
    Released on: November 30th, 2016.
    Written by: Cullen Bunn
    Illustrated by: Sergio Davila
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    “Powerless to avenge his father, Taraslan allows Conan to act on his behalf; with his despicable treachery exposed before the entire tribe, Kyrylo is quickly taken prisoner. But young Taraslan, heavy hearted from the day's events, allows his brother to live— and soon regrets his act of mercy when Kyrylo makes yet another demonic pact to escape the camp. Taraslan then attempts to take matters into his own hands to apprehend his villainous sibling, but he is in over his head…”

    Kyrylo paces in the ruins of the castle that are more like a tomb. Here he converses with the demon who helped him get to where he is, a demon who has taken the form of his recently deceased father, the man he murdered. They talk of how to build a kingdom over which Kyrylo will rule, unaware that outside Taraslan and Conan watch. The torchlight in the top window is a dead giveaway, they know Kyrylo is there and Taraslan wants revenge. Conan advises him not to send in the Kozak soldiers loyal to him until they know if Kyrylo is truly there and, just as importantly, who might be with him. Oksana decides to go ahead and scout the location, but Conan winds up going in her stead.

    As Conan heads towards the castle, Taraslan complains to Oksana that Conan treats him like a child, the same way his father used to treat him. Oksana knows that Conan is right. If Taraslan is to lead, he has a responsibility to stay alive, but Taraslan wants to follow Conan's example of bravery.

    Conan heads to the ruins and knows something is wrong. He can sense that many have died here, but there are no signs of battle. He feels as if the place is cursed. When dead soldiers rise out of the nearby swamp, swords at the ready, Conan realizes his instincts were right. The battle goes in Conan's favor to start with, until he realizes that by cleaving their corpses he's freed their spirits… and those spirits are angry! The same dead soldiers attack the companions Conan has left behind - Oksana and the Kozaks. When Conan returns to them in order to lead them away, he learns that Taraslan has set out on his own. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Conan must decide if they stay and attempt to win a fight against an impossible foe or flee and leave the man he's sworn to protect…

    Solid pulp style storytelling drives this issue. Lots of action, lots of high adventure and some spooky stuff too - it's all here. Bunn's tale isn't taking Conan in any sort of new direction, rather it sticks close to the characters roots. It is interesting to see him working with a bit of a team here rather than simply going about it on his own, but this is a fairly 'pure' take on the character. The plot is moving nicely in this series, offering up some nice twists and turns, interesting supporting characters and loads of great action and fantastic creatures. It's a fun read.

    The artwork from Sergio Davila, colored by Michael Atiyeh, is strong. Lots of nice detail, some interesting and quirky panel layouts and a great sense of style keep it pleasing to the eye. Davila draws Conan big and hulking enough that he cuts an imposing frame but not overdone to the point where he looks like a superhero. He's also got a knack for drawing monsters and the like. Atiyeh's coloring brings all of this to life quite nicely.

    No complaints here at all - this is a fairly traditional Conan story so far but it's done right and it's really entertaining stuff.
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