Here's my review of the Free Comic Book Day 2024 issue of Conan the Barbarian. The digital edition is free on Kindle and direct from Titan Comics if you want to check it out yourself!
Following my review of issue 1 from earlier in the week, here’s one for The Savage Sword of Conan #2. Conan shows a different side of his personality and the Solomon Kane story gears up for the finale.
A little late to the party, but my review of Titan Comics’ The Savage Sword of Conan #1 just went up at Grimdark Magazine. The new black-and-white Conan magazine is off to a good start!
As I work today I'm listening to the soundtrack from the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film that was composed by Basil Poledouris. Things are feeling fairly barbaric at the moment here in the Arizona desert
My review of Conan the Barbarian #10 just went up at Grimdark Magazine. The current arc is fun. but I wouldn't mind moving on from the black stone storyline.
Addendum: we should address the 🐘 in the room… in case of confusion, there is of course a FICTIONAL “John Galt”, created by a very famous American author, whose towering influence on literature still resonates today…
…of course I speak of the late, great Robert E. Howard, whose character “John Galt” appears in the short story “Black Talons”, published in STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES, Dec 1933 (it’s not one of his best, though—stick to #Conan the Barbarian)
My review of Conan the Barbarian #9 just went up at Grimdark Magazine. A significant improvement over the previous issue, but I worry they're adding too much "extended universe" material for this early in the series.
speaking about going through old RPG magazines, Dragon 63 has Gygax' review of the Conan movie (he hated it) and his promise to make #DnD into a movie like Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark by 1984/85.
My review of Conan the Barbarian #7 just went up at Grimdark Magazine. The “Thrice Marked for Death” storyline begins sprinting towards its conclusion!
On one hand, lots of good stuff happened. @teahands and I got wed and had a lovely, low-key day that was perfectly "us". We went to see Eurovision. We had our first cruise. The Miami Dolphins have been doing suspiciously well...
On the flip side, health issues were a stress, and work was... well, let's not mention work. Combined with the wider world being a nonstop fuck-a-palooza...
So I wanted to send it off by picking out some of the cool stuff I've enjoyed...
My entirely unironic #movie of the year was... #Conan the Barbarian.
I saw this for the first time just a few weeks ago, on a cozy winter afternoon, just beginning my xmas holiday. And it hit just right.
It is swords and sorcery just how I like it. Utterly straight-faced, entirely serious. No cowardly comedy relief character, no immersion-breaking Americanisms. Just good old smiting.
I've also become obsessed with the soundtrack, which I can only find as a cobbled-together Spotify playlist.
The release date for the issue was pushed back to January 3rd, but you can read my review of Conan the Barbarian #6 at Grimdark Magazine now! More Bêlit flashbacks, plus Conan faces spectral opponents with a connection to his past!
Formerly from Seattle, I’ve lived in Japan since mid-2001. I work in the mobile gaming industry, mainly localization and licensing.
My book reviews have appeared in New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine, Grimdark Magazine, etc. I'm particularly fond of sword & sorcery, pulp fiction, historical fiction, and horror.