Yet Another Comic Geek Update

The third issue of IDW's GODZILLA: KINGDOM OF MONSTERS continues introducing more monsters (Battra emerges by two mysterious young French girls) and we're promised the unleashing of Mothra in issue 4.  There's some humor thrown in courtesy of a pop star named "Girly YaYa" who advocates monster rights (!), and it was nice to see Anguirus smash two rednecks to death with its club-like tail.  Phil Hester's artwork is fine (although at times it seems a tad rushed) and Eric Powell & Tracy Marsh's script promises more fun to come.  My only complaint is the 3 variant covers that seem to come with each issue...the above one is what I found at my local comic shop, but it's not the better of the bunch.  I wish they'd stick with one design.



Dark Horse's KING CONAN re-vamp ends with the 4th issue, concluding the classic Robert E. Howard story THE SCARLET CITADEL.  With the help of the sorcerer Pelias, Conan arrives just in time to save his kingdom from attack.  Tomas Giorello's pencils are among the best ever to render the barbarian, here in all his head-lobbing, face slashing glory.  The death of Tsotha is quite epic here, and it all ends with a great quote from author Howard dated march 10, 1935.  Great stuff.

Meanwhile, the 5th issue of Dark Horse's CONAN: ROAD OF KINGS rages on with another action packed, brutal issue.  After narrowly escaping a gigantic DUNE-like worm made of gold, Conan manages to catch up to Olivia and her captors, only to face the axeman who's scheduled to decapitate them the next morning.  We're also introduced to super-bitch queen Sophonesba, who along with her astrologer friend Necrodemus, influence the King of Aurolla.  We're left off on a potential head-crushing cliff hanger for the 6th issue, and also news that Dark Horse will be doing a 2-issue Conan tale titled CONAN: ISLAND OF NO RETURN, before returning to the ROAD OF KINGS series with a new story arc in issue 7.