Conan the Cimmerian #13

Here's a comic that seems to fly under the radar of most fans.

That's a shame, because Conan of Cimmeria is consistently an excellent read.

This issue wraps up the six-part adaptation of Robert E. Howard's story Black Colossus, and it's outstanding. Writer Tim Truman has an excellent grasp of the Hyborean Age, the brutality of armed combat and the dark magic that fills the shadows (and our nightmares). I'm not sure how much of the comic script is Howard and how much is Truman, but it all reads like Howard, and that's the highest compliment I can pay any writer.

The art is by Tomas Giorello, with color by Jose Villarruria, and what a fantastic job they do here, especially considering it's one of those jobs that has to be a nightmare for any artist. "Draw 500 horsemen racing down a hill toward an invading army of thousands of Stygians." But they manage it with great power and skill. They evoke horror, fear and brutality, and still manage to draw one of the sexiest women in comics with the barely-covered Princess Yasmela.

Admittedly, "Colossus" isn't one of Howard's best stories, but even his average stuff is well worth seeking out. It's a brutal fight to the finish, and not to be missed.

Back when Roy Thomas left the Conan books in the '80s and lesser writers took his place, I thought the series could never be that good again.

That's one of those rare moments when I'm glad to be proven wrong. Kurt Busiek got this series off to a great start, and now Truman is carrying the banner high. If you're not reading this series, you're missing out.

Grade: A