Conan the Barbarian #36
"Cursed Shores Beyond" Part 4
"A Glimpse Beyond"
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Fernando Dagnino
Colorist: Diego Rodriguez
Cover Artist: Mark Bagley
Publisher: Titan Comics
Conan once again finds himself faced with forces that defy explanation—but not the tip of his blade...
Cut off One Head
We begin with a brief reminder of the time Conan slew the sorcerer-king Thulsa Doom. What the Cimmerian did not know is that this act would set off a chain reaction of events that would splinter Doom's followers into different factions. One of these factions, the Children of the Woeful Eye, were the cause of much of Conan's recent woes—including the mysterious and deadly Son of the Tooth.
Another faction, the Noga Kinfolk, is the cause of his current woes. Worshipping Jaggta-Noga, they placed the swordsman Morley with the Red Brotherhood—the same band of brigands that Conan and Valeria have been traveling with. Now having sacrificed much of the crew to their god, Morley is infused with dark powers and plans to send Conan to meet his master...
Two More Take Its Place
In previous issues, I expressed disappointment with how quickly this story arc went from a pirate adventure to a survival one. Now that we are at the end and things have escalated even further, I now understand why the early parts of the arc went the way they did.
What seemed like a fun side story at first has turned out to be more tied to the ongoing tale that Jim Zub has been telling all along than I realized. The way he has tied together Thulsa Doom, the Woeful Eye, and now the Noga Kinfolk is impressive and shows just how tightly he's planned out his Conan run.
After the fairly lengthy explanation of how events tie together, we are at last given the confrontation between Conan and Morley that has been brewing for a couple of issues now. And it delivers. Morley is infused with dark powers and is already a mighty swordsman himself—but he underestimates Conan and his survival instincts, which proves to be his downfall.
The absolute best part of the fight is when Morley mentions how he could have slit Conan's throat at any time while they were at sea, then turns invisible so that he can do so now... and Conan punches him right in the invisible nose. It's hilarious and so very Conan at the same time.
I don't think it spoils anything to say that Conan survives and Morley doesn't. The way that the Cimmerian gains the upper hand is clever and shows once again why so many of his foes are fools to underestimate him. In the end, Conan and Valeria find themselves alone on the island and have to decide where the current takes them next.
Valeria isn't much of a factor in this issue at all, spending much of it laid out or unconscious. That is probably my biggest disappointment—after everything this arc built between her and Morley, she deserved to be more of a factor in his defeat. But at the end of the day, this is Conan's story, not hers, so I understand why it played out the way it did.
Playing Possum
Jim Zub delivers another strong Conan tale that is far more tied to his overall story arc than I initially realized. The pacing is a little odd, with the first part of the issue being devoted to this extended flashback showing how everything connects, but the confrontation with Morley and Jaggta-Noga plays out just about perfectly.
Fernando Dagnino's art throughout this story arc has been good, but he stepped it up to another level this time around. The initial pages of the issue, showing when Conan slew Thulsa Doom, are absolutely amazing, and the rest of the issue is just as strong. The fight with Morley is short and brutal, with a moment of levity when Conan punched him in the invisible nose. The eldritch being is as bizarre and horrifying as you'd expect, and there is plenty of chaos in its wake.
Diego Rodriguez's colors are on a whole other level this issue, too. The early pages with Thulsa Doom are incredibly bright and vivid, adding to the power of the moment, then the palette comes back to a more normal tone for the extended flashback sequence. Once we return to the fight with Morley, the issue takes on a more vivid tone again, as there is plenty of red and pink shades to represent the swirling portals bringing Jaggta-Noga to this world. Once the evil is forced back, the colors settle back down but still convey the beauty of the jungle island and the deep blues of the sea.
Wanderlust
Conan the Barbarian #36 is a strong finish to the current story arc, giving us a dynamic battle between Conan and the swordsman Morley, with some incredibly powerful artwork and colors. Several clever moments in the fight showcase the Cimmerian's wit and skill, once again demonstrating why his foes should not underestimate him. Conan may hear the call of the sea once more, but it's clear the forces of darkness aren't finished with him yet.