Grimjack by John Ostrander & Tim Truman

The serialised adventures of an aging, misanthropic bounty hunter living in a world where all realities meet.

This is a reprint from twenty or so years ago, and it drips of mid-eighties sci-fi, but it’s entertaining for it. Maybe not your thing if that’s not your genre, but if it is…

By Tim Truman (story), Tomas Giorelo & Richard Corben (art), and Jose Villarrubia (colors)

The story of Connacht and the two orphaned boys continues as the trio tirelessly journeys out of hostile territory and into more friendly kingdoms. Here, they encounter a threat that could not only hamper their travel, but end their lives as well. To tell any more would spoil the story’s climax (though I’ll admit it’s a bit predictable). What did surprise me, however, is that the story of Connacht concludes this issue. And it wraps up quite nicely, leaving Conan once again on his own.

There’s some excellent art in this issue by Tomas Giorelo who works on Conan’s story and Richard Corben on Connacht’s story. Because this is Connacht’s story, a bulk of the work is done by Corben who  draws heavily on mood to get the story across. Colorist Jose Villarrubia’s colors effortlessly evoke emotions out of the reader and out of Corben’s artwork. There’s a genuine feeling of dread during the night time sequences that jumps off the pages. Unfortunately, some of this eeriness is lost when the story is thrusted into a fight scene that’s clumsily orchestrated. Villarrubia does his best to save it, but there’s a couple of panels that come out a bit awkward.

Tm Truman is settling in nicely with this new run. Connacht’s story definitely took me off-guard when first introduced, but seeing it completed makes a lot of sense. I give Truman and Dark Horse credit because it’s quite unorthodox to have a new series do little with its main character for the first two issues. But Connacht’s story touches on two important pieces of criteria: it sets the tone for the entire series, and gives the reader insight into Conan’s ancestry. This is not the fun-filled, jovial adventures (and sometimes creepy) adventures that Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord brought us five years ago. Conan’s world is colder, more brutal, and mature. It’ll be great to see how these series of tales unravel. (Grade: B)

- J. Montes

Timothy Truman (Writer), Tomas Giorello (Art), Jose Villarrubia (Colors)

Don’t let the $4.99 cover price scare you off, this book is worth it. This is the conclusion of the “Hand of Nergal” story arc which has run for the past few issues and it’s a fine, action-packed conclusion.

The reader is quickly brought up to speed on the situation and away we go. You’ve got all your standard Conan elements here – a damsel or two in distress, no shortage of undead swordsmen for Conan to hack at, an oversized Lovecraftian beasty and a wicked schemer, Atalis, with a sinister lust for power. Conan and his small band find their way into Atalis’s lair whereupon they are immediately imperiled by the foul beasty. Just as Atalis unfolds the nature of his plan Conan and his band rally and after a touch of sorcery and much swordplay, emerge victorious.

While this may sound like stories you’ve read before it really is worth the read. Tim Truman shows a real facility with the character and the genre as he delivers a forty-page story that moves along crisply to a satisfying conclusion. The artwork throughout is superb and wonderfully colored as well. One of my complaints about many modern comics is that the colors are so dark that they obscure the art. Jose Villarubia uses a muted pastel palette that captures the mood of the story while letting Tomas Giorello’s art shine.

Not only do you get this fine story but Dark Horse reprints “The Hand of Nergal” from Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #30 by Roy Thomas and John Buscema with an introductory essay from Roy, himself. The reprint has been recolored and relettered for the Chronicles of Conan Vol. 5 and provides an interesting contrast with the main feature. Top it all off with a beauty of a cover by Tony Harris and you’ve quite a nice package here.

This issue marks the conclusion of Dark Horse’s series of Conan as a wandering thief. At the end of the issue Conan sets off for home where his tales will be picked up in June with Conan the Cimmerian #0. I’ve been reading this Conan series for the past year and look forward to the new series, especially if the quality is up to the level of this issue. (Grade: A)

- Arthur Cooke