Read All the Comics!: Conan

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Conan

Conan 0-6, 9, 11, 13-18

I probably bought this on the strength of Kurt Busiek’s name. I don’t remember for sure, but I suspect that I got everything after issue six for free, explaining the gaps.

I was initially going to say that Conan is pure high fantasy, but then I looked it up to make sure it meant what I thought it did. Turns out not so much. Turns out there are all types of fantasy, with distinctions I hadn’t considered before.

High fantasy: Fictional world where Good vs Evil is a big deal. Lord of the Rings and Dragonlance.
Heroic fantasy: More focus on the individual adventures, without an overarching plot. Not much distinction from Sword and Sorcery. Conan.
Low fantasy: Magical elements intruding on the ‘real’ world. Harry Potter.

Naturally, there are tons of grey areas, further subgenres, and academic bickering over where the lines are drawn. In any case, heroic fantasy works for me - Brawny man with sword and horned helmet fights monsters, wizards, and scheming humans. If he manages to rescue the nubile woman in the story (she dies a surprisingly large percentage of the time), be sure that he will be bedding her by the end of it.

I was surprised at the intelligence and cunning of Conan. He’s not just a machine of brute force; He’s most adept at using stealth and alternative methods of attack to achieve his aims. Indeed, he’d have died countless times were it not for his smarts.

Busiek’s stories, some adapted from creator Robert E. Howard’s original tales, are filled with energy and fantastical situations. It’s quite different from the fantasy I usually read, where character development is far more present. Not a knock on Conan, there’s something satisfying about getting right to the action with someone who doesn’t change much, if at all. It’s a lot more in line with characters like Sherlock Holmes or Dick Tracy.

Cary Nord’s art is beautiful, and not at all what I expected after seeing his Daredevil work. A lot has to do with Dave Stewart on colors, working over uninked pencils. The result is perfect for the telling of adventures that happened long ago.