Bloodbath.

That is the only word that comes to mind for this issue. I knew the war was coming and I knew there would be blood, but this issue delivered all of that plus some. Picking up immediately after Kull and Brule's first serpent kill, the duo hustles to clean up the evidence, giving them ample time before the other miscreants notice their missing brethren. Unfortunately for them, their well-laid plans start to go a rye quickly.

Nelson squeezes in a kingly manners lesson before the action unfolds, showing that he hasn't lost his knack for making this book as well rounded as possible. Taking that a step further by solidifying Brule and Kull's friendship with a pact of trust. But by page eight, Nelson starts the river of blood and sails through the rest of the issue on the waves of gore. I was applauding and wincing at the head shattering action that unfolds with the deceptive serpents, Kull makes a point in destroying all who stand in his way, perfectly illustrating how he claimed the throne in the first place.

While Conrad and Villarrubia have kept me satisfied throughout the course of this book, they really stepped it up a notch this time. Conrad's eye popping gore kept red on Villarrubia's palette most of the issue. Not too mention that he keeps up his level of detail and you can actually see and name the body parts flying out of the serpent men. Plus, you get the fantastic splash pages I've mentioned time and again in this issue. This duo has brought the pages from Howard's work to life, no need for imagination with this art team they'll fill in the blanks between the words for you.

Even though I've given away the gore aspect of this issue, I didn't tell you any more than what the beautifully crafted cover already showed you. There are still details to be had so go out and pick up this installment.

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