Conan the Barbarian #22 review— The barbarian becomes a gladiator

Conan the Barbarian has survived countless challenges over his extensive publication history (including some box office struggles), but this latest challenge from writer Jim Zub may be his greatest yet.

*Mild spoilers ahead for Conan the Barbarian #22*

Following the events of the previous issue, Conan finds his allies in cages and himself forced to fight in a deadly gladiatorial arena for the amusement of the city’s wealthy and powerful. Standing before him is the arena’s champion, a giant of a man who promises that Conan’s corpse shall reside in his trophy room when the fight ends. The behemoth’s lust for battle rivals that of the Barbarian, his strength and fury even greater. A more formidable opponent, Conan couldn’t ask for.  

After a ferocious battle, Conan narrowly emerges victorious, but the Cimmerian’s struggles are far from over. Now he must contend with his new reality as entertainment for Kheshatta’s bloodthirsty masses. It’s not the enemies in the arena he must truly worry about, however, but rather the devious machinations of the one who put him there, the enchantress Athyr-Bast, who plots to use him to elevate her own standing amongst the city’s elite.

As I’ve stated in my reviews of Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone and the free comic book day Conan the Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Prelude, I love the way Jim Zub writes Conan stories. From the action-packed scenes showcasing his incredible skill as a warrior to the quieter moments where we’re presented with a look at what lies behind the imposing warrior’s visage, Zub shows he understands the character. This issue is no exception to that.

But it’s more than just his portrayal of the character that kept me hooked. Over the course of the issue, the narrative that Zub presents us with feels full. There are no moments of dead space or filler meant only to drag out a story that could be told in a single issue over multiple just for the sake of sales. As a result, when it reaches its cliffhanger ending it feels earned, allowing me to leave the narrative feeling both satisfied and desperate to know what will happen next.

The artwork by Fernando Dagnino only furthers how great this issue was. From the imposing figure of the Barbarian to the seductive cunning of the enchantress Athyr-Bast, Dagnino expresses as much through his detailed artwork as Zub does with his words. Scenes of battle feel alive and frantic, the swing of a blade or fist seeming to move despite being mere lines on a page, and the expressions of pain and exertion appearing so genuine you can practically hear the grunts that would accompany them. Contrasting this are somber moments that feel so much quieter than the rest of the story, the atmosphere of the scene shifting even as the Barbarian’s expression remains as stoic as ever. 

Beyond that, the artwork feels consistent not only with other artists who have worked on Zub’s Conan stories, but with itself. The quality of the artwork never falters throughout the issue, something that can’t be said for all comics. One larger spread near the middle of the book really showcases his attention to detail, presenting an image that feels as if it should be on the cover of a variant cover rather than hidden inside. 

All-in-all, I have nothing but good things to say about issue #22. The story is exciting, the artwork is superb, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.

Conan the Barbarian #22 is available July 9th from Titan Comics

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