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CONAN THE BARBARIAN BY KURT BUSIEK OMNIBUS
Award-winning writer Kurt Busiek reinvents the Hyborian Age with a gritty new take on Conan the Barbarian! Witness Conan's legendary rise - from his birth on a Cimmerian battlefield to his coming-of-age during the Battle of Venarium. As he wanders the ancient world in search of adventure, Conan will face the Vanir, be enslaved by an ageless evil and battle Janissa the Widowmaker! He will experience the mystery of "the Frost Giant's Daughter", the horror of the "God in the Bowl" and the secrets of the "Tower of the Elephant"! Witness the origin of Conan's archenemy, Thoth-Amon! Allied with an outstanding array of artistic talent, Busiek's Conan sagas mix jaw-dropping adaptations of original Robert E. Howard stories with incredible interlocking new tales! Collecting THE LEGEND #0; CONAN (2004) #1-28, #32, #39 and #45-46 and BOOK OF THOTH #1-4.
1024 pages, Hardcover
Published November 24, 2020
About the author
Kurt Busiek
1,852 books626 followersKurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.
During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).
Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.
In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.
In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.
In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.
Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 3, 2023
This book is simply amazing in art and storytelling , the re-imagination of Conan the Barbarian is quite brilliantly done by Kurt Busiek. For people who never read any Conan this collection is just about perfect.
The one lesser point is the addition of the Book of Amon Thoth to this collection. Amon Thoth is a character from the universe created by Robert E Howard only hé is a villain that meets Conan to his regret. Only the story is about a young Amon Thoth and nothing to do with Conan yet.
Back to Conan the art is amazing, colouring is amazing, the storytelling is spectacular. Overal this is just about brilliant fun with my favorite barbarian.
I absolutely endorse this collection about Conan the Barbarian.
The one lesser point is the addition of the Book of Amon Thoth to this collection. Amon Thoth is a character from the universe created by Robert E Howard only hé is a villain that meets Conan to his regret. Only the story is about a young Amon Thoth and nothing to do with Conan yet.
Back to Conan the art is amazing, colouring is amazing, the storytelling is spectacular. Overal this is just about brilliant fun with my favorite barbarian.
I absolutely endorse this collection about Conan the Barbarian.
February 17, 2022
A well and truly beautiful collection. Stunning art, amazing stories and such good quality.
December 28, 2021
The Conan stories in this collection are remarkably good retellings of the Robert Howard short stories both in terms of Busiek's skill as a comic writer as well as in the transportive artwork of Cary Nord and others. The Conan run is a real achievment. What I felt throughout this collection was its conection to and love of the original Conan stories all the way through the inclusion of a fan work from the 1930s detailing the timeline of Conan's career that concludes with a letter of support from Howard written three months before the author's death. It was one of those extra features that makes this Omnibus worth celibrating. My only critisism with this collection is the Conan: Book of Toth mini series included in the omnibus. It's just not that good and takes the focus off Conan after 800 pages of his adventures. Had it been included in the middle of the collection it would have better lined up with the miniseries publication date and could have let the book end with Conan #39 which would have been a perfect outro.
November 16, 2021
Born on the Battlefield. Busiek's story of Conan's youth is absolutely phenomenal. Herein are a handful of individual short stories, each with a beginning, middle, and end, several with shocking turns. Together, they tell the story of how a youth came of age as a fighter and an individual. It's all great reading, and it all does a great job of capturing the feel of Conan [5/5].
The Frost Giant's Daughter & Other Stories. Busiek takes an intriguing tack for telling a new generation of Conan stories by adapting a single Howard story and surrounding it with new, related material. So here we get "The Frost Giant's Daughter" and a set of stories about the Vanir, Aesir, and Hyperboreans. The story of the northmen is fun, but it really takes on innovative depth when we meet the Hyperboreans and introduce Conan to the most warped Hyborian society that Howard never actually imagined. Overall a great story, with great art [5/5].
The God in the Bowl and Other Stories. Centering his second book on a two-part "God in the Bowl", Busiek doesn't go with the obvious theme of Conan's thieving days, but instead focuses on Thoth Amon, and his foe, the Ibis priest Kalanthes. The adaptation is nice, but the rest of the story is a bit decompressed, with too much time spent fighting huge scarab monsters. There's a nice look at magic in an Age Undreamed of, and the Bone Woman is an interesting addition to the cast, but this is the first arc of Conan that's not absolutely great [4/5].
The Tower of the Elephant & Other Stories. Ah, here's the story of Conan the Thief, surrounding a three-part "Tower of the Elephant". The new thief stories aren't of much note, other than "The Crown of Tiamat", which is a wonderful little story of Conan's women and thieving and what happens when they intersect. Then we get "Tower of the Elephant", which is a wonderful Howard story with its deconstruction of the trope of the sorcerer's demon, adapted well here ... though it's a pity that the adaptations are getting longer and longer when single issues were Busiek's strength in some of his earliest tales. [4+/5].
The Magistrate's Wife. Busiek's final arc story, not previously collected with his other work, and not completed here, which is a bit frustrating. With just the half of the story, it's not more than good. [3/5]
The Blood-Stained Crown & Other Stories. Busiek's miscellaneous stories, unfortunately, are all quite contrived. We get a muddy story that puts the focus on our storyteller; we get some funny stuff; we get a story that tries to present someone as Robert Howard; and we get a really artificial story about Janissa and Conan separately fighting their way to the center of a magic tower. None of it is particularly notable. Nor good. [3/5].
The Book of Thoth. Although a bit slow & long, this is otherwise a fine background story for Thoth-Amon, giving him a childhood and making him into a real character with his many, many betrayals [4/5].
The Frost Giant's Daughter & Other Stories. Busiek takes an intriguing tack for telling a new generation of Conan stories by adapting a single Howard story and surrounding it with new, related material. So here we get "The Frost Giant's Daughter" and a set of stories about the Vanir, Aesir, and Hyperboreans. The story of the northmen is fun, but it really takes on innovative depth when we meet the Hyperboreans and introduce Conan to the most warped Hyborian society that Howard never actually imagined. Overall a great story, with great art [5/5].
The God in the Bowl and Other Stories. Centering his second book on a two-part "God in the Bowl", Busiek doesn't go with the obvious theme of Conan's thieving days, but instead focuses on Thoth Amon, and his foe, the Ibis priest Kalanthes. The adaptation is nice, but the rest of the story is a bit decompressed, with too much time spent fighting huge scarab monsters. There's a nice look at magic in an Age Undreamed of, and the Bone Woman is an interesting addition to the cast, but this is the first arc of Conan that's not absolutely great [4/5].
The Tower of the Elephant & Other Stories. Ah, here's the story of Conan the Thief, surrounding a three-part "Tower of the Elephant". The new thief stories aren't of much note, other than "The Crown of Tiamat", which is a wonderful little story of Conan's women and thieving and what happens when they intersect. Then we get "Tower of the Elephant", which is a wonderful Howard story with its deconstruction of the trope of the sorcerer's demon, adapted well here ... though it's a pity that the adaptations are getting longer and longer when single issues were Busiek's strength in some of his earliest tales. [4+/5].
The Magistrate's Wife. Busiek's final arc story, not previously collected with his other work, and not completed here, which is a bit frustrating. With just the half of the story, it's not more than good. [3/5]
The Blood-Stained Crown & Other Stories. Busiek's miscellaneous stories, unfortunately, are all quite contrived. We get a muddy story that puts the focus on our storyteller; we get some funny stuff; we get a story that tries to present someone as Robert Howard; and we get a really artificial story about Janissa and Conan separately fighting their way to the center of a magic tower. None of it is particularly notable. Nor good. [3/5].
The Book of Thoth. Although a bit slow & long, this is otherwise a fine background story for Thoth-Amon, giving him a childhood and making him into a real character with his many, many betrayals [4/5].
January 28, 2022
I love pulpy nonsense; I also love engaging literature; literature that makes you look at problems and issues in a new light or reading something from the past that perceived something in a manner that was either marginally or wildly incorrect. If we were thinking in terms of visual mediums, the difference between a movie and a film. This Omnibus edition of Conan is the very definition of a movie all the way.
That’s not to say that pulp is fundamentally devoid of thoughtful questions, however. The pulps were very much an expansion of the classic “penny dreadful”; literature that was to be churned out as quickly as possible in periodic intervals. Just like any other medium, the pulps had their share of conflicts between the author and publisher, the publisher often pushing for more action, spectacle, and probably hyper-sexualized women. The authors, on the other hand, had a vision that didn’t necessarily need more action, spectacle, and hyper-sexualized women.
This leads us to Conan. In popular culture, he is a barbarian, known for brute strength and a lust for women. Conan loves three things, in popular culture: to crush his enemies, to see them driven before him, and to hear the lamentations of their women. But that is not the essence of what Conan is, and what his original author, Robert E Howard wanted him to be.
Conan is a critique of society. It may be unintentional, but he gives me a very slight Zarathustra coming from the cave vibe. Conan is labeled barbarian but the various societies he interacts with. Conan hails from misty Cimmeria, a hard place, and survival is always at the forefront of the mind. Luxury is non-existent. While it is not the total Hobbesian State of Nature, it has the slimmest trappings of a Cimmerian social contract that bands people together. The Cimmerians do not continually exist if they do not keep their word, defend each other, and provide for their community.
Conan later leaves Cimmeria to see the world, and very much struggles with “modernity” and all its politicking, social trappings, and misdirection. It is anathema to Conan. Conan is the blunt character that shows the failings of the societies he interacts with, and we as the reader are supposed to apply Conan’s issues with these mythical, past societies, with the problems of our own. Today we all don’t want to grow up in cold, misty Cimmeria, but wouldn’t it be nice if we held to those Cimmerian tenets, and worked to bring down the ridiculous barriers of modern society?
Rounding this back to the pulps, Conan was indeed a critique of society. Ironically, the way Conan was published resulted in society forcing almost all of the original Conan stories to have some kind of hyper-sexualized, damseled woman in them, which is such an unintentional meta-critique than what was intended it turns my head around.
So that is Conan in general. What about this Conan? What about this Marvel Omnibus collection of a storied Dark Horse comics run, authored by Kurt Busiek? It’s mostly good. There is more than an essence of Howard’s intended Conan present, but it can often be inelegant.
First and foremost, as indicated by the table of contents, many issues are out of order. Interspersed throughout the run are essentially Conan’s origins, which are collected chronologically, rather than numerically. The entire omnibus is framed from a Prince well after Conan’s lifetime learning about him from a cranky old Wazir (possibly Thoth-Amon? It is implied) after the Prince discovered a massive statute and scrolls about Conan’s life. The Prince learns about how to rule from Conan’s life and adventures, as we are supposed to learn how to view the trappings of today’s society.
Conan’s early life is a typical coming-of-age story. Conan is a melancholic and sullen boy, teenager, and man. He prefers to confront his problems rather than run away from them, and he is a tenacious fighter. After the origin, Conan leaves in search of adventure. His first real encounter with a different civilization is with the Hyperboreans, who are an evil race of spellcasters. Conan is aghast at this, and it is probably a cornerstone reason for his distrust of magic. Disgusted by the Hyperboreans, Conan travels to the cities of men and is confronted with the ludicrousness of society and it just pisses him off even more. Thus begins the story of Conan, a warrior, thief, reaver, and eventually a king.
A personal highlight was the adaptation of my favorite Conan short story, the Tower of the Elephant. It is tweaked just enough to fit in Busiek’s narrative, without changing the meat of the story. The artist of this arc is unnatural in his ability to capture what Howard originally detailed on the page.
There are some issues with this, however. Too many women are just sex objects or non-factors. Conan’s mother dies immediately, giving birth on the battlefield. There is an antagonistic Bone Woman, who is basically a Baba Yaga type character, and the Bone Woman’s assassin/warrior, Janissa, who of course in her training was sexually assaulted multiple times and wears next to nothing every time she is on-page. Conan is primarily shirtless, sometimes just in a loincloth, but when the situation warrants it, Conan is armored up. Not Janissa. So yeah, women are not well represented here.
People of color could also use some more representation, as the primary black individual, Kalanthes falls into the “mystic negro” trope. He is the only black person in the book, and he is the only person who uses magic who Conan trusts through the book. Kalanthes’ father does appear as well, so that makes the total number of named people of color to two, which is lackluster, especially when the majority of the Conan stories take place in what would eventually become modern Africa. Granted, some of the early stories take place in what would later be Europe (before continental drift created the Mediterranean), but as Conan moves south, the people remain white.
The Omnibus is closed out by the four-part Book of Thoth which is meh. It’s the origin of the big bad, archrival, Set-worshipping, evil sorcerer Thoth-Amon. I didn’t need this. I don’t particularly have to have an origin story for every villain. I don’t need to see that the world was against him, his father beat him, and he just had a rotten lot in life. Sometimes I just want my villains to be bad dudes. The Book of Thoth is not bad, but I find it unnecessary.
Finally, the art. This Omnibus features over 30 issues, and the artists change consistently. Ironically, the first arc in this Omnibus, the Legend of Conan frame tale, and the Born on the Battlefield Conan origin arc are the best in the book, while the Book of Thoth art I find horrible. The Legend of Conan has beautiful and intricate artwork, and the Born on the Battlefield features what looks more like it was created with brush strokes instead of being penciled and later colored. The Book of Thoth is an ungainly semi-abstract-looking mess. The art in between these two bookends sometimes rivals the Legend issue, with the Tower of the Elephant and the Tower of Tera-Teth being the standouts, and the rest is mostly unobjectionable.
Overall, this is good. The Book of Thoth isn’t the best way to end things. I wish some of the arcs were a bit more defined. I love the entire run being a frame tale for the Prince, but his appearances are inconsistent, and sometimes feel like an afterthought. Having definitive arcs bookended with the Prince would have been an improvement in my mind. If you enjoy Conan, then you will enjoy this, however, it is never exceptional. It firmly exists in the good-not-great category. 3/5
That’s not to say that pulp is fundamentally devoid of thoughtful questions, however. The pulps were very much an expansion of the classic “penny dreadful”; literature that was to be churned out as quickly as possible in periodic intervals. Just like any other medium, the pulps had their share of conflicts between the author and publisher, the publisher often pushing for more action, spectacle, and probably hyper-sexualized women. The authors, on the other hand, had a vision that didn’t necessarily need more action, spectacle, and hyper-sexualized women.
This leads us to Conan. In popular culture, he is a barbarian, known for brute strength and a lust for women. Conan loves three things, in popular culture: to crush his enemies, to see them driven before him, and to hear the lamentations of their women. But that is not the essence of what Conan is, and what his original author, Robert E Howard wanted him to be.
Conan is a critique of society. It may be unintentional, but he gives me a very slight Zarathustra coming from the cave vibe. Conan is labeled barbarian but the various societies he interacts with. Conan hails from misty Cimmeria, a hard place, and survival is always at the forefront of the mind. Luxury is non-existent. While it is not the total Hobbesian State of Nature, it has the slimmest trappings of a Cimmerian social contract that bands people together. The Cimmerians do not continually exist if they do not keep their word, defend each other, and provide for their community.
Conan later leaves Cimmeria to see the world, and very much struggles with “modernity” and all its politicking, social trappings, and misdirection. It is anathema to Conan. Conan is the blunt character that shows the failings of the societies he interacts with, and we as the reader are supposed to apply Conan’s issues with these mythical, past societies, with the problems of our own. Today we all don’t want to grow up in cold, misty Cimmeria, but wouldn’t it be nice if we held to those Cimmerian tenets, and worked to bring down the ridiculous barriers of modern society?
Rounding this back to the pulps, Conan was indeed a critique of society. Ironically, the way Conan was published resulted in society forcing almost all of the original Conan stories to have some kind of hyper-sexualized, damseled woman in them, which is such an unintentional meta-critique than what was intended it turns my head around.
So that is Conan in general. What about this Conan? What about this Marvel Omnibus collection of a storied Dark Horse comics run, authored by Kurt Busiek? It’s mostly good. There is more than an essence of Howard’s intended Conan present, but it can often be inelegant.
First and foremost, as indicated by the table of contents, many issues are out of order. Interspersed throughout the run are essentially Conan’s origins, which are collected chronologically, rather than numerically. The entire omnibus is framed from a Prince well after Conan’s lifetime learning about him from a cranky old Wazir (possibly Thoth-Amon? It is implied) after the Prince discovered a massive statute and scrolls about Conan’s life. The Prince learns about how to rule from Conan’s life and adventures, as we are supposed to learn how to view the trappings of today’s society.
Conan’s early life is a typical coming-of-age story. Conan is a melancholic and sullen boy, teenager, and man. He prefers to confront his problems rather than run away from them, and he is a tenacious fighter. After the origin, Conan leaves in search of adventure. His first real encounter with a different civilization is with the Hyperboreans, who are an evil race of spellcasters. Conan is aghast at this, and it is probably a cornerstone reason for his distrust of magic. Disgusted by the Hyperboreans, Conan travels to the cities of men and is confronted with the ludicrousness of society and it just pisses him off even more. Thus begins the story of Conan, a warrior, thief, reaver, and eventually a king.
A personal highlight was the adaptation of my favorite Conan short story, the Tower of the Elephant. It is tweaked just enough to fit in Busiek’s narrative, without changing the meat of the story. The artist of this arc is unnatural in his ability to capture what Howard originally detailed on the page.
There are some issues with this, however. Too many women are just sex objects or non-factors. Conan’s mother dies immediately, giving birth on the battlefield. There is an antagonistic Bone Woman, who is basically a Baba Yaga type character, and the Bone Woman’s assassin/warrior, Janissa, who of course in her training was sexually assaulted multiple times and wears next to nothing every time she is on-page. Conan is primarily shirtless, sometimes just in a loincloth, but when the situation warrants it, Conan is armored up. Not Janissa. So yeah, women are not well represented here.
People of color could also use some more representation, as the primary black individual, Kalanthes falls into the “mystic negro” trope. He is the only black person in the book, and he is the only person who uses magic who Conan trusts through the book. Kalanthes’ father does appear as well, so that makes the total number of named people of color to two, which is lackluster, especially when the majority of the Conan stories take place in what would eventually become modern Africa. Granted, some of the early stories take place in what would later be Europe (before continental drift created the Mediterranean), but as Conan moves south, the people remain white.
The Omnibus is closed out by the four-part Book of Thoth which is meh. It’s the origin of the big bad, archrival, Set-worshipping, evil sorcerer Thoth-Amon. I didn’t need this. I don’t particularly have to have an origin story for every villain. I don’t need to see that the world was against him, his father beat him, and he just had a rotten lot in life. Sometimes I just want my villains to be bad dudes. The Book of Thoth is not bad, but I find it unnecessary.
Finally, the art. This Omnibus features over 30 issues, and the artists change consistently. Ironically, the first arc in this Omnibus, the Legend of Conan frame tale, and the Born on the Battlefield Conan origin arc are the best in the book, while the Book of Thoth art I find horrible. The Legend of Conan has beautiful and intricate artwork, and the Born on the Battlefield features what looks more like it was created with brush strokes instead of being penciled and later colored. The Book of Thoth is an ungainly semi-abstract-looking mess. The art in between these two bookends sometimes rivals the Legend issue, with the Tower of the Elephant and the Tower of Tera-Teth being the standouts, and the rest is mostly unobjectionable.
Overall, this is good. The Book of Thoth isn’t the best way to end things. I wish some of the arcs were a bit more defined. I love the entire run being a frame tale for the Prince, but his appearances are inconsistent, and sometimes feel like an afterthought. Having definitive arcs bookended with the Prince would have been an improvement in my mind. If you enjoy Conan, then you will enjoy this, however, it is never exceptional. It firmly exists in the good-not-great category. 3/5
March 13, 2023
(Zero spoiler review) 4.25/5
This one had been sitting on my shelf for a while, amidst a plethora of other Conan omnibus'. And for no other reason than I wasn't really sure where this one fit in among all the others. Though finally I cracked it open, and I was very glad I did. There were times during this that I had to truly stop and consider whether this in fact topped the near flawless run of Buscema and Thomas, such was the quality of the art, with Busiek doing a very solid job putting words to Cary Nord and Greg Buth's exquisite artwork. Though in the end the quality overall didn't quite touch the legends that are Buscema and Thomas, this is the best Conan omnibus I've read in quite some time. That would be since Thomas and Buscema finished their run on The Original Marvel years as it were.
Focusing on some of the more well known and loved Conan stories from Robert E. Howard, offering a slightly different take than what has been offered before. Busiek comports himself commendably here, although it is Cary Nord (and Greg Buth with his flawless opening arc) that really steal the show here. You could make the case that the violence and wenching is slightly dialed down, or at least that's the way it seemed to me. After all, Conan without bloodshed and boobs is not Conan at all. But even then, there is more than enough here to satisfy the most discerning of Conan aficionado's. It may currently out be out of print, but by Crom, it's well worth tracking it down if you can get it for a reasonable price. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
This one had been sitting on my shelf for a while, amidst a plethora of other Conan omnibus'. And for no other reason than I wasn't really sure where this one fit in among all the others. Though finally I cracked it open, and I was very glad I did. There were times during this that I had to truly stop and consider whether this in fact topped the near flawless run of Buscema and Thomas, such was the quality of the art, with Busiek doing a very solid job putting words to Cary Nord and Greg Buth's exquisite artwork. Though in the end the quality overall didn't quite touch the legends that are Buscema and Thomas, this is the best Conan omnibus I've read in quite some time. That would be since Thomas and Buscema finished their run on The Original Marvel years as it were.
Focusing on some of the more well known and loved Conan stories from Robert E. Howard, offering a slightly different take than what has been offered before. Busiek comports himself commendably here, although it is Cary Nord (and Greg Buth with his flawless opening arc) that really steal the show here. You could make the case that the violence and wenching is slightly dialed down, or at least that's the way it seemed to me. After all, Conan without bloodshed and boobs is not Conan at all. But even then, there is more than enough here to satisfy the most discerning of Conan aficionado's. It may currently out be out of print, but by Crom, it's well worth tracking it down if you can get it for a reasonable price. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
October 29, 2022
WOOOOO ! Very good read, its very violent & gritty. Loveee the artwork. This was my first introduction to Conan in the comics as a kid. This book is a modern take on the legendary Conan ! I think the MAJOR writing standout here was how Busiek wrote Conan’s youth years. WOOO ! I could read that stuff over & over again ! Sheesh !!! What knocked off a star for me was how some of the stories in the last third of the book dragged down the book a bit. There was a also a story arc that wasn’t even finished that I’m upset I couldn’t see that done. But the random stories at the last 3rd of the book, ruined the flow.. other than that, good read.
December 25, 2020
“Cocainum”...was the only knowledge I had when Arnold Schwarzenegger utters those words as Conan in the movies. So I thought I’d give this character a try in comics. I was very impressed by the brillant storytelling by Kurt Busiek. It was very Game of Thrones-asq. Tales of epic battles, scorcery, magic and Gods and Kings. The art by Cary Nord was amazing as it depicted the medevil period nicely. I’m glad I took a chance on this because it exceeded my expectations. I give this a 5/5.
February 19, 2022
Damn this was such a great read untill about the last 10% of the book where the artwork changed and the stories became boring and badly written. The rest of the book gets 5 stars but the works at the end really did not need to be included and drag the book down.
December 30, 2020
The best comic/graphic novel/omnibus in my collection? Maybe. Certainly can’t recall another 1000+ page volume that I wished was longer!
January 14, 2023
Some of the best Conan adaptations and original material out there. A worthy successor to the Marvel work.
March 6, 2026
Kurt Busiek's Conan is a fun series that takes the character back to his more gritty Robert E Howard roots with fantastic art by Greg Ruth and Cary Nord.
Unlike a lot of Conan's sagas, Busiek's run on Conan takes place in chronological order as opposed to jumping through different parts of his life like the original pulp tales and the current Jim Zub run. As such, only three of Howard's original tales are adapted in this book, these being: The Frost Giant's Daughter, The God in the Bowl, and The Tower of the Elephant. The rest of the stories in here are all original tales, and it's with these that the book really shines I found, free to have Conan go on all sorts of adventures. Busiek has an excellent voice for Conan, adding layers to what could be a very simple character in a less talented writer's hands.
That being said, I do think this book does make a case for why Conan shouldn't be read in chronological order. As fun as Conan's days as a thief are, I did find myself wanting to see some of the larger scale conflicts that came later in his life. Save for the opening arc (showing Conan and the Cimmerians taking Venarium as mentioned in Beyond the Black River) there isn't much of that here. I would recommend reading this book in chunks, rather than by binge, as I did find it started to blend together somewhat.
Busiek technically leaves the series after #18, though would write a handful of issues later on. As these seemed to be part of on-going narratives I found it difficult to be properly invested in them and this did hamper my enjoyment a little.
If you're interested in reading a more modern comic take on Conan however, one that stays true to the character's more anti-hero roots, this is an excellent choice surpassed only by Jim Zub's on-going run with the Cimmerian.
Unlike a lot of Conan's sagas, Busiek's run on Conan takes place in chronological order as opposed to jumping through different parts of his life like the original pulp tales and the current Jim Zub run. As such, only three of Howard's original tales are adapted in this book, these being: The Frost Giant's Daughter, The God in the Bowl, and The Tower of the Elephant. The rest of the stories in here are all original tales, and it's with these that the book really shines I found, free to have Conan go on all sorts of adventures. Busiek has an excellent voice for Conan, adding layers to what could be a very simple character in a less talented writer's hands.
That being said, I do think this book does make a case for why Conan shouldn't be read in chronological order. As fun as Conan's days as a thief are, I did find myself wanting to see some of the larger scale conflicts that came later in his life. Save for the opening arc (showing Conan and the Cimmerians taking Venarium as mentioned in Beyond the Black River) there isn't much of that here. I would recommend reading this book in chunks, rather than by binge, as I did find it started to blend together somewhat.
Busiek technically leaves the series after #18, though would write a handful of issues later on. As these seemed to be part of on-going narratives I found it difficult to be properly invested in them and this did hamper my enjoyment a little.
If you're interested in reading a more modern comic take on Conan however, one that stays true to the character's more anti-hero roots, this is an excellent choice surpassed only by Jim Zub's on-going run with the Cimmerian.
May 6, 2021
"Hither came Conan the Cimmerian... Black haired, sullen eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer ⚔
I love the character of Conan, but i did not mind the classic Marvel work now rereleased in omni format, a run that i do wanted to read badly was Kurt Busieks one by Dark Horse, it was sold for literary kidney money on the interweb because it was out of print, with Marvel snagging away another huge franchise, we as fans get these Dark Horse books made as Marvel omnis, and man o man, this book rocks. Busiek together with Cary Nord and others really pick on the strenght of the classic Robert E. Howard tales, we get alot of the greatest short stories, magic, sword and Sorcery and of course Conan steeling and fighting and fucking his way through Cimmeria. This book meets all expectations so far and is a must for any Conan fan.
I love the character of Conan, but i did not mind the classic Marvel work now rereleased in omni format, a run that i do wanted to read badly was Kurt Busieks one by Dark Horse, it was sold for literary kidney money on the interweb because it was out of print, with Marvel snagging away another huge franchise, we as fans get these Dark Horse books made as Marvel omnis, and man o man, this book rocks. Busiek together with Cary Nord and others really pick on the strenght of the classic Robert E. Howard tales, we get alot of the greatest short stories, magic, sword and Sorcery and of course Conan steeling and fighting and fucking his way through Cimmeria. This book meets all expectations so far and is a must for any Conan fan.
December 29, 2020
Wow. What a book. There are a small number of comic omnis that I would actually fight to make 6-stars including Morrison’s Doom Patrol and Gotham Central. Add this book to the list.
It physically pained me to put it down. From the Zero issue introduction through the final miniseries, this is an incredible book, and perfect for someone curious about the sword and sievert genre, or Conan in general.
Special awards to the collected edition department at Marvel for the way they mapped this omnibus. They went out of their way to order the issues chronologically within the story, not just straight #1-30 etc.
Can’t recommend highly enough.
It physically pained me to put it down. From the Zero issue introduction through the final miniseries, this is an incredible book, and perfect for someone curious about the sword and sievert genre, or Conan in general.
Special awards to the collected edition department at Marvel for the way they mapped this omnibus. They went out of their way to order the issues chronologically within the story, not just straight #1-30 etc.
Can’t recommend highly enough.
February 15, 2021
Having read in the original run, I was really looking forward to this. I can't quite figure out my reaction. It simultaneously was fun and also felt like a slog at times. Cary Nord's issues are beyond amazing, and it's some of my absolute favorite comics art of all time. Busiek is a favorite writer of mine, and I really dig his Conan -- he has a smartness to him, but he also is fallible and makes dumb decisions.
October 2, 2022
FULL REVIEW *Spoiler Free*- https://youtu.be/BMlmJPAC8PA
Grind Early But Does Pick Up with City of Thieves
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 stars
Art: 3.5 stars
Prose: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Pacing: 3 stars
Character Development: 4.25 stars
World Building: 3.75 stars
Grind Early But Does Pick Up with City of Thieves
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 stars
Art: 3.5 stars
Prose: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Pacing: 3 stars
Character Development: 4.25 stars
World Building: 3.75 stars
July 1, 2022
Never read Conan before and I did not expect I would enjoy it this much. Its a great adventure tale.
January 19, 2021
This book works on so many levels. It’s gorgeous, through the work of Greg Ruth and of course Cary Nord’s Frazetta-esque approach. Kurt Busiek is rightly heralded for his superhero work, but I think more attention should be given to what he did here. It’s a rollicking Conan comic first and foremost, but it’s also a meditation on the power of story and legend, by the framing of the adventures as stories told by a nefarious Wazir to his Prince.
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