Writer: Joshua Dysart Artist: Will Conrad, Juan Ferreyra (colors)
Publisher: Dark Horse
Throughout the works of Robert Howard, Conan has always been a fierce warrior. However, his ferocity only seemed to increase with the weight of his responsibility. Whether it was a band of black corsairs, a legion of Khorajan cavalry or the kingdom of Aquilonia itself, the Cimmerian always fought harder when others depended on him. It should be interesting to see in Conan and the Midnight God just how hard the barbarian fights when his actual kin is on the line.
This latest addition to the Dark Horse chronicles of Conan takes place some time after the events of "The Hour of the Dragon." Conan is the king of Aquilonia and he has married Zenobia, the former slave who freed him from imprisonment under the sorcerer Xaltotun. Zenobia is now pregnant with his heir, further securing Conan’s place on the throne. Naturally, Conan still broods and, as his queen notes, looks for trouble. This is conveyed very well early in the story.
Perhaps most interesting about the character of Conan is that in creating him, Howard did not just create a single character, but in fact three. He created Conan, the young barbarian and thief. He also imagined Conan, the seasoned warrior and mercenary. And finally, there is the older Conan, king of Aquilonia. While these three characters might be the same person, they are in fact very different, separated by chronology and maturity. The team behind Conan and the Midnight God has done an excellent job of capturing the subtle differences that make the old Conan the king that he is. While still a mighty warrior, Conan is also now a husband and lord and is acutely aware of his responsibilities. This is portrayed very well throughout the story, whether it is through Conan’s brooding in the beginning or his choices throughout.
The king certainly has many decisions to make in this new serial. A representative of Stygia has come knocking on his gate, professing to be an envoy of peace. His country has been brought low, he claims, presumably by the coup attempt made by Thutothmes against Thoth-Amon during "The Hour of the Dragon." Untrusting of the sorcerers of Stygia, King Conan still receives him, even though in his younger days he may have killed such a man on sight. This does an excellent job of setting the stage for the rest of the story.
The art in Conan and the Midnight God is of the high caliber that readers have come to expect from the recent Dark Horse serials centered on the Cimmerian. The pencils combined with the colors do an excellent job of invoking the other worldly feel of the age of Hyboria. Starkings continues to do an excellent job with the lettering, particularly in the faux-historical beginning.
Bottom Line: A good start to a story that promises to take its readers beyond Howard’s tales of Conan. It stays true to the original material while adding its own flavor.
