Leroy Douresseaux on CONAN: Island of No Return #2

CONAN: ISLAND OF NO RETURN #2 (OF 2)
DARK HORSE COMICS

WRITER: Ron Marz
PENCILS: Bart Sears
INKS: Randy Elliot
COLORS: Mark Roberts
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
COVER: Stjepan Sejic
32pp, Color, $3.50

What do I hate about Conan: Island of No Return? I hate that it’s over. I also love Stjepan Sejic’s cover, which reminds me of the covers for The Savage Sword of Conan, one of my all time favorite comic books,

Conan: Island of No Return is a two-issue miniseries that, according to Dark Horse Comics, will act as an interlude to the main series, Conan: Road of Kings. Island of No Return follows Conan and half-sisters/thieves, Brenna and Venya, to a remote island that is supposedly home to the fabled treasure hoard of late Prince Mikkinos.

As Conan: Island of No Return #2 begins, Conan and the sisters learn that they aren’t the only ones on the island looking for treasure. As the stakes rise, Conan begins to wonder how much not to trust the sisters. If he thinks they’re dangerous, wait until he meets the thing guarding the treasure.

[This comic book includes an episode of “The Adventures of Two-Gun Bob” by Jim and Ruth Keegan.]

THE LOWDOWN: Because the second issue was very enjoyable to read, I can stand by what I said about the first issue of Conan: Island of No Return. Ron Marz has written a fast moving tale that has some of the best things that make Conan great – sword-fighting, sorcery, monsters, lost treasure, and treacherous gorgeous women.

Bart Sears, whose art I enjoyed in the first issue, actually improves. His sinewy pencils capture the sharp edges in both plot and character motivation, but in this issue, the compositions are more robust. They capture Conan’s brawny physique and cat-like grace and give power to the fight scenes. The inking by Randy Elliot, which seemed too heavy over Sears’ pencils in the first issue, actually improves and embellishes the best aspects of the art. I was not really crazy about the colors, but now the colors make this book sparkle and bring to life the ruins, rubble, and caverns that are the setting for this tale.

A

Leroy Douresseaux on CONAN: ISLAND OF NO RETURN #1

CONAN: ISLAND OF NO RETURN #1 (OF 2)
DARK HORSE COMICS

WRITER: Ron Marz
PENCILS: Bart Sears
INKS: Randy Elliot
COLORS: Mark Roberts
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
COVER: Michael Kutsche
32pp, Color, $3.50

I have not read a new Conan comic book since 1994 when I read Conan vs. Rune (Marvel Comics). Since then, I’ve read a few original Conan works by the character’s creator, Robert E. Howard, including Howard’s only full-length Conan novel, The Hour of the Dragon (1935). Now, I’ve just read a comic book that makes me want to return to reading Conan the way I did as I teenager – monthly.

Conan: Island of No Return is a two-issue miniseries from Dark Horse Comics. According to the publisher, it is an interlude to the main series, Conan: Road of Kings.

As Conan: Island of No Return #1 begins, Conan the Cimmerian (Barbarian and Thief) has just been fired as a bodyguard for… dereliction of duty? On the run from a cadre of guards, the half-sisters, Brenna and Venya, who are also thieves aid Conan. They just so happen to be in need of a strong back to help them with an upcoming treasure hunt.

Their destination is a small, jagged island and an abandoned cliff-top castle, where the treasure hoard of the late Prince Mikkinos lies deep in the bowels of the ruins of his palace. In order to help the sisters, not only must Conan scale sheer cliffs, but he must also deal with a haunted island.

While it may be a brief interlude to the main Conan storylines (as well being a break from the main series for the publisher), Conan: Island of No Return is an action-packed short story. It offers what many Conan tales usually have – beautiful women, haunted treasure spots, and Conan on a heist with shifty allies, plus it is a rippin’ read.

The script, written by Ron Marz, is efficient and powerful, with each panel a sharp jab that keeps this fast moving tale… well, moving fast. Bart Sears’ sinewy pencils capture the sharp edges in both plot and character motivation, as well as encapsulating Conan’s brawny physique and cat-like grace. Randy Elliot’s heavy inks have mixed results over Sears’ art and the coloring is merely acceptable, while Michael Kutsche’s cover is quite good. I can’t wait for the conclusion.

A-