The curse of those who wait for the trade is that they're always late to the party.

I just started the Aaron/Asrar take on Conan yesterday, and while the first issue was quite decent, I would posit that a Conan book needs an editor who's versed in Howardian lore.

This book's creators can be proud of its good story and beautiful art, with good dialog and some proper references to the Hyborian age world, but as in so many cases over the decades when it comes to Conan stories not written by Roy Thomas (or Kurt Busiek, Fred van Lente or Tim Truman), a few hiccups distracted me from enjoying the tale to the fullest.

Yes, I realize that being obsessive about the internal consistency of fantasy stories is a bit childish and silly. That's comic-book fandom for you. If I seem critical, it's not because my childhood has been ruined or anything; it's just that I grew used to Roy Thomas' or Kurt Busiek's level of scholarship when it comes to Conan.

Let's start with what I really liked. The idea of a story spanning the Cimmerian's whole life, while sounding just like what Aaron did when he started writing Thor, is a pretty good one for restarting the Conan book at Marvel. The first few pages with their collage of classic panels, along with the famous "Know, O Prince..." text, is a great reintroduction; it really says "Look, kids, Conan is back!" I loved that.

The map was also beautiful. I love maps of fantasy worlds, and the one of Conan's world has originally been drawn by Robert Howard himself. The version seen here avoids drawing borders too precisely, which is great because that's definitely how borders worked back in antiquity. Full marks up to this point.

The story itself follows a traditional path; evil witch, dark god returning to Earth, Conan is a badass, that kind of thing. Par for the course, but Aaron's dialog is as engaging as Asrar's art looks good. Very good, in fact, in its earthiness. No fantasy swords, no ridiculous armours, no psychedelic architecture, no Hulk-like men or Lady Death-like women; this is a world I can believe in. It doesn't top Cary Nord gorgeous designs based on historical ones, but it's among the very nice-looking takes on Conan's world.

I could have cheered out loud when a Zamoran thief invokes the god Bel. Excellent job, Mr. Aaron!!! Too many Marvel writers from the bad old days of the '80s used every Hyborian age god indiscriminately, not acknowledging that different regions have different pantheons. Bel is indeed a god worshipped in Zamora, so full marks here.

There are a few wrong notes too. First, young Conan is introduced as a pit fighter in Zamora. Oy vey... Once again, echoes from the John Milius film taint the comic. Young Conan was a thief in Zamora, not a gladiator. Yes, sure, one can multi-task... but there is a world of difference between the two careers, and here Conan is clearly just a gladiator. New readers won't care, and in fact they would have no reason whatsoever to even notice... but I'm an old reader, this is my review, and to me this is as relevant as Daredevil not having started his career with a red costume. The progression of the character from a starveling thief to a more seasoned warrior is an integral part of his early story, and here it seems to be simply sidestepped . Props to Aaron, however, for pointing out that Conan's sword skill is rudimentary at this stage in his career! I'd be delighted if future issues show that young Conan is a very pedestrian rider (pun unintended) and can't use a bow yet. 

Geographical and historical tidbits: Conan complains about the weather being as hot as in Shem, and he's said to have travelled all along the Kings' Road. Wellllll... Nit picking time. (First it's called the Road of Kings and not the Kings' Road, grumblegripe grumblegripe). Conan hasn't travelled the Road of Kings yet; he arrived in Zamora from the north, via Hyperborea and Brythunia, while the Road of Kings stretches in an east-west direction. Furthermore, at this point in his early life, he has not yet been in Shem.

A dude in the fighting pit is using a spear made of "wood from the Isle of Skelos". Now that would surprise me, as the Isle of Skelos is uninhabited, and was unknown to Conan (and everyone else apart from a few wizards) until he reached it in SSoC #40, when he was in his mid- to late-thirties.

Several pages later, King Conan wins a great battle on the eastern border of his kingdom against the forces of Turan. That, well... that is either an error (Turanians wouldn't reach that far west for centuries, according to Howard's The Hyborian Age), or an extrapolation of the events from Don Kraar's run on Conan the King, in which the king of Turan was scheming against the distant kingdom of Aquilonia. So... even if it contradicts Howard's prose, it agrees somewhat with the comics' continuity. Whatever be the case, any confusion would have been avoided by using Nemedians or Ophireans instead of Turanians as the vanquished enemies. (Or Picts... Picts are always a good source of plot-mandated conflict, although the fight would have occurred in the west of Aquilonia rather than the east).

Final mark: something like four stars out of five. I look forward to the rest of the story, and a peek at issue #4 was thrilling: it has gorgeous Gerardo Zaffino art, looking much like his father Jorge's, and the one issue of SSoC that Jorge drew is one of the best-looking of the lot!