Conan #11

Who would not be excited about the return of everyone's favorite half-naked barbarian? No one. Yet not only has Conan returned to the pages of the beloved comic book, but he has returned in style. In the hands of Kurt Busiek (adapter/writer) Conan comes alive for a new generation of sword hackery enthusiasts. Aided even more by the traditional and undeniably talented artwork of Cary Nord and Thomas Yeates; Conan stands to once again leave his bloody mark on the skin of comic history.

Conan #11 "The God in the Bowl," features the conclusion of a story line which started in Conan #10. This story is an adaptation from Conan creator Robert E Howard's story by the same name. In this story, Conan is hired by a shadowy figure to steal an unknown item from the Reliquary of Kallian Publico's Temple, only to find Kallian already murdered. What ensues is a "who done it" type mystery conducted by Inquisitor Demetrio, a strangely intelligent and methodical man for his time; while the Guardsman Posthumo applies his more standard approach of "beaten until proven guilty."

An all around good read, this Issue is given depth by Busieks narration which sharply contrasts the rules, ideals, and arrogance of the ancient "civilized" people with that of the honest and honor bound yet brutal and simple methods of the barbarians from which they came. At the same time, the heavily shaded artwork among the ancient artifacts gives a sense of an unknowable past to an already ancient scene. All of this leads up to a conclusion which is more bizarre and profound than any thief in the night.