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Conan the Barbarian (1970-1993) #143-150
The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories
The Chronicles of Conan Volume 19 collects "Deathmark," which mixes tattoos, severed arms, and a decadesold grudge into a gruesome mystery, and "Tower of Mitra," where a magically endowed beauty, seen in a previous Jones Conan story, returns to help defeat a demonic harpy. Writers Mary Jo Duffy, Alan Zelenetz, and Michael Fleisher also contribute oneshot stories to this collection, which finds Conan facing the Dragon of Solvanthia, numerous witches and wizards, rat demons, bloodthirsty swordsmen, and his own son by a priestess of the Cimmerian wilderness!
* This volume collects Conan the Barbarian issues #143 to #150.
* This volume collects Conan the Barbarian issues #143 to #150.
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 22, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 9, 2022
Bruce Jones continues on as writer with some fill in issues by other Marvel writers at the time in the 19th volume of Conan the Barbarian tales containing 8 issues total which originally ran from #143 - #150 in the color comic series.
"Life Among the Dead" is a mystery in which Conan finds the Sword of Graven which was stolen from a statue guarding a cave in a village in Cimmeria called Solvanthia which villager Valen goes through great lengths to recover leading into "The Blade and the Beast" in which Conan delves further into the town mystery and defeats the dragon terrorizing the village.
"Son of Cimmeria" written by Alan Zelenetz and a drastic turn in art from Buscema to Rich Howell harkens back to Conan #48 in which a young Conan met Ursla the bear woman in the wintery wastes. Their union produced a son named Conobar who rules over the area though neither Conan or Conobar realize they are related. A fairly decent story, but Howell's art is not up to the status of Buscema's and really brings the story itself down. One example is the polar bear on page 72 that looks like a cartoon kitten. Yeesh. Howell does way better work on DC's "All-Star Squadron".
"Night of the Three Sisters" written by Mary Jo Duffy with Big John back on art duties finds Conan tasked with aiding three magical sisters ( essentially the three fates of Greek myth ) in getting back to their world though he doesn't realize it all until stories end.
"Tower of Mitra" was my pick of the best of the stories in this volume in which Conan recalls Pelija Lon, daughter to wizard Eshe Lon,who Conan met in #134 as well as in #138 & #139. Pelija tries to contact Conan for help and our hero ends up finding her at the tower of Mitra in nearby D'Eim and gets involved in a bigger mystery with false pretenses and rat demons.
"The Plague of Forlek" is yet another mystery involving body horror, Conan, and others slowly turning into trees.
"Deathmark" is a close second to my favorite in this collection involving tattoos, oaths, buried treasure and yet another further mystery that Conan needs to get to the bottom of.
And last is "Tower of Flame" written by Michael Fleisher who went on to write quite a few SSOC stories. This one involves a woman who is not everything she appears to be and the pursuit of her by a baron and his men thinking she can be the answer to gaining power.
"Life Among the Dead" is a mystery in which Conan finds the Sword of Graven which was stolen from a statue guarding a cave in a village in Cimmeria called Solvanthia which villager Valen goes through great lengths to recover leading into "The Blade and the Beast" in which Conan delves further into the town mystery and defeats the dragon terrorizing the village.
"Son of Cimmeria" written by Alan Zelenetz and a drastic turn in art from Buscema to Rich Howell harkens back to Conan #48 in which a young Conan met Ursla the bear woman in the wintery wastes. Their union produced a son named Conobar who rules over the area though neither Conan or Conobar realize they are related. A fairly decent story, but Howell's art is not up to the status of Buscema's and really brings the story itself down. One example is the polar bear on page 72 that looks like a cartoon kitten. Yeesh. Howell does way better work on DC's "All-Star Squadron".
"Night of the Three Sisters" written by Mary Jo Duffy with Big John back on art duties finds Conan tasked with aiding three magical sisters ( essentially the three fates of Greek myth ) in getting back to their world though he doesn't realize it all until stories end.
"Tower of Mitra" was my pick of the best of the stories in this volume in which Conan recalls Pelija Lon, daughter to wizard Eshe Lon,who Conan met in #134 as well as in #138 & #139. Pelija tries to contact Conan for help and our hero ends up finding her at the tower of Mitra in nearby D'Eim and gets involved in a bigger mystery with false pretenses and rat demons.
"The Plague of Forlek" is yet another mystery involving body horror, Conan, and others slowly turning into trees.
"Deathmark" is a close second to my favorite in this collection involving tattoos, oaths, buried treasure and yet another further mystery that Conan needs to get to the bottom of.
And last is "Tower of Flame" written by Michael Fleisher who went on to write quite a few SSOC stories. This one involves a woman who is not everything she appears to be and the pursuit of her by a baron and his men thinking she can be the answer to gaining power.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2019
The Bruce Jones run was the one that I remember from when I was a child, so a few of these issues I remember. A few even feature what I consider to be the seminal Conan art team of John Buscema and Ernie Chan. Overall this is another really good volume, but I'm beginning to think the series won't ever reach the pinnacle of the Roy Thomas run. It's not even that I consider Thomas to be a better writer than Bruce Jones, because I'm a huge fan of Bruce Jones. But Thomas had come up with a winning formula that no one has equaled. I'm sounding like a broken record as my past Conan reviews have been similar. This is still a great run, and the Conan series really has been great, and in my opinion underrated.
June 9, 2014
Das Zeichen des Todes einer Comicreihe
Das Zeichen an der Wand sehen wir schon seit einiger Zeit. Man fragt sich, warum Dark Horse sich und uns das hier wirlich noch antut - Comicfans sind aber wohl Masochisten, die brauchen Reprints, selbst, wenn es extrem schmerzt.
Ausgabe #145 ist dann sogar für den Tiefpunkt, den die Reihe seit langer Zeit durchschreitet, eine neue Katastrophe. Für die Zeichnungen hätte ein Drittklässler im Kunstunterricht eine 5 bekommen, und für die Wegwerfstory wurde mal schnell ein Sohn Conans erfunden, der nie vorher und dann auch nie nachher erwähnt wird. So geht man einfach nicht mit dem literarischen Erbe eines Autors um. Aber da in diesem Band auch die X-Men auftauchen, und diverse Außerirdische, und einige Königreiche, die man in Howards Büchern und Landkarten und Sekundärmaterial vergeblich suchte, ist das vielleicht eh nur noch der Tropfen auf dem heißen Stein der Comicverwurstung. Da wünscht man sich den frühen (nicht den späten, offensichtlich senilen!) Roy Thomas zurück.
Bruce Jones fabriziert wieder mal ein grausiges Vorwort - heul, früher, als man noch Papier betatscht hat, war alles besser, heul, und ihr alle werdet nie nachvollziehen können, wie toll es ist, ein Comic zerfleddern und vergilben zu sehen, und wenn euer eReader mal runterfällt, müsst ihr alles neu kaufen, heul. Ja, und was ist das schlechte dran, ein Comic auch in 50 Jahren noch so lesen zu können, wie es gedruckt wurde? Die selbstbemitleidende Nostalgie eines alten Mannes für seine alten Spielzeuge. Lasst mich in Ruhe damit.
Letztlich bekommt man mit diesem Sammelband immerhin noch ein paar Chan-Buscema-Ausgaben zu Gesicht, und dafür verzeihe ich mehr, als es eigentlich gerecht wäre. Schade, dass ein so talentierter Künstler so im Schatten stehen und sich als Inker verdingen musste.
Das Zeichen an der Wand sehen wir schon seit einiger Zeit. Man fragt sich, warum Dark Horse sich und uns das hier wirlich noch antut - Comicfans sind aber wohl Masochisten, die brauchen Reprints, selbst, wenn es extrem schmerzt.
Ausgabe #145 ist dann sogar für den Tiefpunkt, den die Reihe seit langer Zeit durchschreitet, eine neue Katastrophe. Für die Zeichnungen hätte ein Drittklässler im Kunstunterricht eine 5 bekommen, und für die Wegwerfstory wurde mal schnell ein Sohn Conans erfunden, der nie vorher und dann auch nie nachher erwähnt wird. So geht man einfach nicht mit dem literarischen Erbe eines Autors um. Aber da in diesem Band auch die X-Men auftauchen, und diverse Außerirdische, und einige Königreiche, die man in Howards Büchern und Landkarten und Sekundärmaterial vergeblich suchte, ist das vielleicht eh nur noch der Tropfen auf dem heißen Stein der Comicverwurstung. Da wünscht man sich den frühen (nicht den späten, offensichtlich senilen!) Roy Thomas zurück.
Bruce Jones fabriziert wieder mal ein grausiges Vorwort - heul, früher, als man noch Papier betatscht hat, war alles besser, heul, und ihr alle werdet nie nachvollziehen können, wie toll es ist, ein Comic zerfleddern und vergilben zu sehen, und wenn euer eReader mal runterfällt, müsst ihr alles neu kaufen, heul. Ja, und was ist das schlechte dran, ein Comic auch in 50 Jahren noch so lesen zu können, wie es gedruckt wurde? Die selbstbemitleidende Nostalgie eines alten Mannes für seine alten Spielzeuge. Lasst mich in Ruhe damit.
Letztlich bekommt man mit diesem Sammelband immerhin noch ein paar Chan-Buscema-Ausgaben zu Gesicht, und dafür verzeihe ich mehr, als es eigentlich gerecht wäre. Schade, dass ein so talentierter Künstler so im Schatten stehen und sich als Inker verdingen musste.
February 16, 2020
The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories sees Conan taking up with a group of ladies who have recruited him to help them out, a recurring Lady of Conan's past and an whole heap of severed parts throughout! :D The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories is filled with the trademark humour and action and continues straight on from the previous book! :D The stories are all different and varied and have plot twists that will keep you guessing throughout! :D
The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories are pops off the page really adding to the script with eye popping colour that really serve to illustrate what is going on throughout! :D The art style itself really aids the script as well with cinematic vistas throughout! :D The script and art marry up perfectly creating a crazy action packed adventures that will keep you guessing from the start! :D
The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories never lets up with the plot twists and action from the start with world building aplenty and really delving in Conan's past and future and is filled with Easter Eggs throughout! :D The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories is filled with action, heroics, grandstanding, Character development, Monsters, sword swinging, rib breaking humour, daring do and adventure throughout! :D Brilliant Crisp High Five! :D Get it When You Can! :D
The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories are pops off the page really adding to the script with eye popping colour that really serve to illustrate what is going on throughout! :D The art style itself really aids the script as well with cinematic vistas throughout! :D The script and art marry up perfectly creating a crazy action packed adventures that will keep you guessing from the start! :D
The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories never lets up with the plot twists and action from the start with world building aplenty and really delving in Conan's past and future and is filled with Easter Eggs throughout! :D The Chronicles of Conan, Volume 19: Deathmark and Other Stories is filled with action, heroics, grandstanding, Character development, Monsters, sword swinging, rib breaking humour, daring do and adventure throughout! :D Brilliant Crisp High Five! :D Get it When You Can! :D
August 1, 2026
I really didn't like this. The quality of this series has been...how do you say...all over the damn place ever since Roy Thomas left the book. We've swapped writers a couple times now. Usually they start pretty rough, get into the swing of things for a couple issues...then its like they just don't want to be there anymore and turn in the dumbest drivel imaginable. And sadly, Bruce Jones, follows this exactly as we reach, I presume, the end of his run. Throw in a couple mid fill ins and what you get is an extremely unexciting batch of stories.
I'm also going to throw in that one thing killing this book by this point is the loss of any kind of geography. Roy Thomas was really focused on where we were in the world and what that area was like and it helped make this age undreamt of feel; that much more real and solid. Here we are apparently in Cimmeria, the land of Conan's birth, but nothing makes any sense for that corner of the world. It just feels like any pseudo medieval kingdom with a name put through a random letter generator.
The ONLY thing in this book worth paying attention to is John Buscema. No matter how dull or dumb the story is, this man draws the crap out of it.
I'm also going to throw in that one thing killing this book by this point is the loss of any kind of geography. Roy Thomas was really focused on where we were in the world and what that area was like and it helped make this age undreamt of feel; that much more real and solid. Here we are apparently in Cimmeria, the land of Conan's birth, but nothing makes any sense for that corner of the world. It just feels like any pseudo medieval kingdom with a name put through a random letter generator.
The ONLY thing in this book worth paying attention to is John Buscema. No matter how dull or dumb the story is, this man draws the crap out of it.
September 17, 2024
Collects 143-150. Really weak set of stories here. Bruce Jones is okay, but doesn't really thread his tales into a cohesive narrative. Also two fill-in issues.
143-144
Bruce Jones / John Buscema
145
Alan Zelentz / Richard Howell + Bob Camp
very odd art. I don't hate it, looks a bit indie comics to me.
146
Mary Jo Duffy + John Buscmea with Camp
147-149
Bruce Jones / John Buscema with Ernie Chan
Good artwork to finish out the book with but the stories are just a bit dull and repetitive. There's really no character development or stakes.
143-144
Bruce Jones / John Buscema
145
Alan Zelentz / Richard Howell + Bob Camp
very odd art. I don't hate it, looks a bit indie comics to me.
146
Mary Jo Duffy + John Buscmea with Camp
147-149
Bruce Jones / John Buscema with Ernie Chan
Good artwork to finish out the book with but the stories are just a bit dull and repetitive. There's really no character development or stakes.
August 12, 2021
Didn't love this. One-offs, no cohesive plot, various writers who just don't seem to grasp the feel of the series. Probably my least favorite to date. Still a nice, relaxing break from serious reading, but not great.
September 21, 2018
These are some of my very favorite Conan stories. Bruce Jones writes great stuff.
February 21, 2025
Very cool omnibus.
Covers Issues 143-150 from the Conan the Barbarian comic book.
Covers Issues 143-150 from the Conan the Barbarian comic book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews