Batman and Robin #14 – Review

By: Peter J. Tomasi (story), Patrick Gleason & Tomas Giorello (pencils), Mick Gray (inks), John Kalisz (colors)

The Story: In the interest of escaping these crazed cannibals, let’s hope this train is an express.

The Review: Some years ago, more than I care to think about, the now-defunct Weekly Crisis raved about Tomasi’s work on Final Crisis: Requiem, one of the few truly remarkable tie-ins to that much maligned series.  At the time, the W.C. considered Tomasi the writer to watch out for in coming years, and I tended to agree with them.  While Tomasi hasn’t fulfilled the starry expectations we had for him, I think he doesn’t get quite the attention he deserves.

That’s the price you pay for being a character-driven, rather than plot-driven, writer, though.  Of all the storylines Tomasi has written, none really stood out with its dazzling ideas or anything.  Even now, it takes me a moment to remember the events of his opening arc on the relaunched Batman and Robin.  Despite all that, when I look at the titular stars of this series, I am staggered by their incredible evolution since the beginning of the title.

Batman and Robin #13 – Review

By: Peter J. Tomasi (story), Patrick Gleason & Tomas Giorello (art) Mick Gray (inks), John Kalisz (colors)

The Story: Some fathers and sons go fishing; others repair spacecraft in planetary orbit.

The Review: Among the many kinds of storylines superhero comics tend to neglect, they seem most skittish when it comes to writing about kids.  Aside from the Fantastic Four, I can’t think of a single hero of any prominence who’s managed to have children without inviting disaster.  Simply not writing them into the story may be the only way creators can avoid the bummers that logically come with the vigilante business, but it saps the superhero universe of its diversity.

I think that’s another reason why so many of these kids get into costume sooner or later; it’s the only way to keep them included in the hero’s life without spending too much time away from the actual superhero stuff.  The side-effect is it’s incredibly difficult to have genuine parent-child moments in the middle of the some bit of comic book ridiculousness.  I also think there’s a tendency with many writers to equate kids with humor and cuteness, leaving little room for them to have serious sides of their own.

Earth Two #0 – Review

By: James Robinson (story), Tomás Giorello (art), Nathan Eyring (colors)

The Story: Does it really take the smartest guy on the planet to suggest blowing everything up as a solution?

The Review: Of all the titles that could really use a mandated origin issue, Earth Two probably needed it the most.  True, the current arc is an ongoing origin story of a kind, but obviously, the history of this parallel Earth predates Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and Al Pratt.  We know the Age of Wonders began on this world as a response to the Apokoliptian invasion, but we don’t know much of the details.

Unfortunately, Terry Sloan, originally the prototype for Mr. Terrific and now known as “‘Mr. 8’—the eighth and final wonder,” seems more interested in the sound of his own voice than actually enlightening us on much of anything.  No one denies that Robinson has a gift for words, and writes some pretty phrases from time to time, but at his worst, he just rambles with dry commentary and exposition.  No other writer churns out language that sounds like it comes from a clinical dissertation: “And since then, my partners in resistance (in this instance Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman) and myself have been, I think by now, to every country in the world carrying out counterattacks and assaults to keep the invaders at bay.”  Sheesh.

Conan the Cimmerian #5 – Review

By Timothy Truman (writer) Tomas Giorello and Rochard Corben (art), Jose Villarrubia (colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I was actually quite hesitant to pick this one up. While I have enjoyed the series for the most part, my interest is definitely beginning to fade. Conan’s “trip back home” arc has gone on long enough in my opinion, but seeing as though it is going to run through issue seven, I figured I might as well just stick it with it a bit longer.

The Story: Conan and Caollan find themselves on the defensive, as Horsa’s group moves in for the woman. Luckily, a recent acquaintance shows up just in time to provide some support so Conan can continue on the path back home. As for Connacht, he finds himself on board a slaver’s ship in a situation ripe for a revolt.

What’s Good: While I have little doubt that this story arc will read much better as a collection, each installment is still entertaining and visually pleasing enough. Conan’s journey has a weight and urgency to it that allows for some nice character work among all the action. Connacht’s tale also proves worthwhile, as events and decisions made in his time continue to be subtly reflected in the present. Also good is the fact that the ending of the issue means that the next will bring a very welcome change to the somewhat stale proceedings.

What’s Not So Good: Some of the action in the book is marred by awkward or confusing direction. While the artwork is strong as a whole, I found myself a bit confused on the flow of events on more than one occasion. Also, it is worth mentioning that Timothy Truman’s storytelling structure is probably better suited for a collected format. I consider this “not so good” because, while the bigger picture improves every month, the chapters ultimately feel as though they are lacking the instant gratification that most people read monthly comics for. Conan The Cimmerian #5 is no exception.

Conclusion: The latest chapter in the Conan the Cimmerian series is entertaining, but I can’t say that it is necessarily worth the cash. If you have been enjoying watching the bigger picture come together, then by all means pick it up. But if you, like me, have been a bit frustrated by the arc’s pacing, you may want to skip it.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

I agree with Kyle that this story will probably read better as a collection. I get the sense that once the second half of the story starts, all the previous issues will feel like filler. Everything is entertaining, beautifully written and drawn, but it feels like these five issues could have been cut down to two or three. Nevertheless, I respect the meticulous setup of Cimmeria and the reintroduction of Conan. Mission accomplished. Now I’m ready for things to get started and to move away from all the walking and little battles.

After seeing these little glimpses of his life, anyone else really want a Connacht series?

Grade: B

-Ben Berger

Conan The Cimmerian #4 – Review

By Timothy Truman (writer) Tomas Giorello and Rochard Corben (art), Jose Villarrubia (colorist)

The Story: Conan and his childhood crush, Caollan, must battle through Horsa’s horde of undead soldiers. If they live through the battle Caollan wishes to return to her village in hopes that she can be accepted back into the fold. Conan has his doubts but nonetheless shows willingness to accompany her. Meanwhile, Connacht deals with some awful priests that sacrifice innocent civilians as offerings to their god.

What’s Good? The art is strong with both stories. Connacht’s story is once again the superior and more engaging story. The art and coloring also do a good job of bringing out the forboding atmosphere that Conan’s grandfather dwells in. Great visual storytelling.

What’s Not So Good? Is there a reason why all these Cimmerians have names that start with “C”?

Also, I’m still not sure why we need to see stories about Connacht. As much as I enjoy them, it’s completely upstaging and disrupting the flow of Conan’s story. Four issues into this series and Conan’s story hasn’t gone anywhere. You might as well just rename this book Connacht The Cimmerian, because Conan’s story has been a yawn fest!

Conclusion: House of Mystery has suffers from the same problem – there’s just not enough pages to tell two stories without one being crippled. Conan’s story is going nowhere while at the same time we’re already on Connact’s second tale.

That’s just not right.

Tim Truman needs to make up his mind and give this book an identity. At this point I’m just going to wait for the trade or stop reading all together.

Grade: C-

Conan The Cimmerian #1 – Review

By Tim Truman (writer), Tomàs Giorello, Richard Corben (artists), Jose Villarrubia (colors)

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this relaunch of sorts, but so far, it’s pretty good. If you read the #0 issue that came out last month, you’ll find a minor connection between that story and this one. Conan’s still up in the northern territories and he’s got more “dwarven” like vermin to deal with. The first few pages seem to go through the motions of obligatory violence and set up before making a sharp left turn.

The surprise here is that there isn’t much of a Conan story in this issue at all! Instead, we’re taken aback a couple of generations with Conan’s grandfather, Connacht. The story centers around Connacht’s journey to the north and his rescuing of two young boys from being sacrificed (or just killed) by a deranged cult. The art for this flashback by Richard Corben is very cinematic in nature, and his strong use of blacks (matched with Jose Villarrubia’s colors), paints a haunting haunting tale. I found myself being completely absorbed into the story and the art played a huge role in making that happen. So much did I enjoy this tale, that I actually forgot that I was reading a book about Conan.

Now, if Dark Horse wants to end this series now and just make a book about Connacht, I’m all for it. It’s great to have something completely different, yet somewhat familiar. Nothing against Conan mainstay artist, Tomas Giorello, who has the Conan formula down to a science, but the “non-Conan” art and story was far superior. It’s a bit of a risk to stray from the main character in the first issue, but Tim Truman gets high marks for pulling it off. I’m sure this is all just a primer for Conan’s tale up north, but damn if it isn’t fun to read. And the best part is Connacht’s story isn’t over yet.

In the end, part of me was yearning for a strong Conan debut, and its a little disappointing that we don’t get one. But on the other hand, we an excellent story marking the debut of Conan’s grandfather. So, take it as you will. Me? I know the Conan stories will come. In the meantime, I’m going to sit back and get lost in Connacht’s adventure. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

Thanks to this new series, I finally feel comfortable jumping into a Conan ongoing. I have read issues of Conan stories here and there, but never felt I had a grasp on the larger picture of things. The last Dark Horse run was pretty far along when I became interested in it, so I figured I would just wait until I found a clear jump-on point. The Conan the Cimmerian series is that point. Issue #0 did a nice job setting the story up and I looked forward to what the debut issue would have to offer.

While it wasn’t really what I was expecting, I have very few complaints about this first issue. Having Conan merely there to set the stage for another character could have easily rubbed me the wrong way considering that this is the first time I’ve jumped into a Conan series, but Connacht’s story is so compelling that I hardly cared about the change. Jason pretty much nailed it all with his review, so let me just say that this would be a great place for anyone interested in Conan to jump on.

While you won’t get much Conan, trust me when I say that Connacht is still very much worth reading about.  (Grade A-)

– Kyle Posluszny

Conan The Cimmerian #0 – Review

Timothy Truman (writer), Tomas Giorello (artist), Jose Villarrubia (colors), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters)

I love Conan. I think he’s a great character with a very interesting world. Most of my exposure to him was through the movies, so reading this comic was a little different for me. Not bad, just different. This issue sets up Conan’s return to Cimmeria which will be the plot of the new ongoing Conan story.

Truman’s writing of Conan is pretty solid. It’s less dumb barbarian, and more warrior king. He’s a man of few words – more content to let his actions and his sword speak for him. It’s a difficult book to critique from a writing perspective because there isn’t much dialogue. Conan says very little, and the raiders he kills are dead before they can say too much.

Truman does use the poem “Cimmeria” by Robert E. Howard throughout to great effect. The poem reads like a tall-tale, fable, or campfire story. It serves a number of purposes. First, it reintroduces us to Conan’s world and the comic. Second, it sets the tone of the book and its future issues by being both somber and badass. Third, the poem describes both Conan and Cimmeria as if the two are synonymous. Conan and his country have come to your town like a force of nature and you either get swept up in it, or get out of their way.

Giorello does an excellent job of conveying the story here. His style looks like an incredibly detailed painting. Unlike someone like Alex Ross who favors the epic look, Giorello takes a much more gritty approach. This is complemented really well by Villarrubia’s coloring, which is dark to fit the tone. There are several really awesome panels of Conan’s battle. My favorite of which being when Conan kills The Axe-Man. It’s both bloody and brutal.

The worst part about this book is that it ends. It does feel short, but it definitely wets your appetite for more. This is a great read for anyone who likes Conan, swordplay, or blood. The pencils, inks, and writing is all on point here, let’s hope they can keep up the good work. (Grade: B)

– Ben Berger

A Second Opinion

As a fan of the last Conan series that finished just a month or two ago, I’m pretty excited to see how Timothy Truman interprets the next stage of Conan’s life. To be honest, the work he did after Kurt Busiek left the series was pale by comparison; most of the stories seemed to suffer from pacing problems or from being drawn out too long.

With this issue #0, Truman immediately sets the tone for the series. This is not the gallivanting troublemaker who we saw meer months ago. This is a hardened man who’s grown mature from the countless battles and adventures of his past. I’m keen to see where things go from here – and for 99 cents, this issue’s hard to pass up.

I’m still not a fan of the Conan books not having traditional inkers. While Cary Nord was able to get away with a lot thanks to his brilliant colorist, Tomas Giorello’s work feels unfinished and messy at times. The coloring goes a long way in bringing the world to life, however. And in this dull, barren land, the stark color of the blood does a good job of highlighting the brutal violence being depicted.

Consider me on board, at least for the first few issues. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

Conan #50 – Review

Timothy Truman (Writer), Tomas Giorello (Art), Jose Villarrubia (Colors)

Don’t let the $4.99 cover price scare you off, this book is worth it. This is the conclusion of the “Hand of Nergal” story arc which has run for the past few issues and it’s a fine, action-packed conclusion.

The reader is quickly brought up to speed on the situation and away we go. You’ve got all your standard Conan elements here – a damsel or two in distress, no shortage of undead swordsmen for Conan to hack at, an oversized Lovecraftian beasty and a wicked schemer, Atalis, with a sinister lust for power. Conan and his small band find their way into Atalis’s lair whereupon they are immediately imperiled by the foul beasty. Just as Atalis unfolds the nature of his plan Conan and his band rally and after a touch of sorcery and much swordplay, emerge victorious.

While this may sound like stories you’ve read before it really is worth the read. Tim Truman shows a real facility with the character and the genre as he delivers a forty-page story that moves along crisply to a satisfying conclusion. The artwork throughout is superb and wonderfully colored as well. One of my complaints about many modern comics is that the colors are so dark that they obscure the art. Jose Villarubia uses a muted pastel palette that captures the mood of the story while letting Tomas Giorello’s art shine.

Not only do you get this fine story but Dark Horse reprints “The Hand of Nergal” from Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #30 by Roy Thomas and John Buscema with an introductory essay from Roy, himself. The reprint has been recolored and relettered for the Chronicles of Conan Vol. 5 and provides an interesting contrast with the main feature. Top it all off with a beauty of a cover by Tony Harris and you’ve quite a nice package here.

This issue marks the conclusion of Dark Horse’s series of Conan as a wandering thief. At the end of the issue Conan sets off for home where his tales will be picked up in June with Conan the Cimmerian #0. I’ve been reading this Conan series for the past year and look forward to the new series, especially if the quality is up to the level of this issue. (Grade: A)

– Arthur Cooke

Conan #48 – Review

By Timothy Truman (writer), Tomas Giorello (art), JD Mettler (colors)

Conan #48 begins the “Darkness Rising” storyline. It follows a servant girl to the queen named, Iniri,who’s en route to the Capital under armed guard. But when they’re ambushed by horde of undead soldiers, it’s up to Conan to save the day. This is my first issue of Conan since Kurt Busiek’s run. The style and feel of the story almost seem out of place. Perhaps it’s because this story follows the girl more than Conan or perhaps it’s because Cary Nord is no longer around. Whatever it is, I didn’t get the charge I usually do from reading an issue of this series.

There’s a lot of violence in this book and it makes for a quick read – only the narration seems to slow things down. There’s also a subplot that’s briefly touched upon regarding an undead warrior who has Conan’s number. But his appearance doesn’t surprise or invoke any emotion at all. It’s all just a little subdued. There is, however, a ghastly creature (The Scion of Nergal), that’s pretty nightmarish. I’m interested to see how Conan eventually confronts it.

Despite the dark themes, the book is colored with a lot of bright colors and that’s kind of what threw me off. It’s just lacking in atmosphere right now. With two issues left, I’m hopeful that Tim Truman and company can turn things around. (Grade: C-)

– J.Montes