Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur

"Know, O Prince that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. Hither came Conan the Cimmerian; blackhaired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand..." -REH

Being a barbarian has acquired a certain amount of social stigma, but there are bonuses to living the barbarian lifestyle. I mean, you work your own hours, you are your own boss, the overhead expenses are minimal, and there are LOADS of perks. What other jobs actually require carousing, wenching, fighting and drinking? On the down side, the life expectancy of the average barbarian is brutally short, unless you are really good at your job. Like Conan.

If you haven't been reading Dark Horse Comics' monthly Conan book by Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord, you really should be. Their adaptation of the life of Robert E. Howard's famous barbarian has treated the character with therespect he deserves. True to his literary roots, Dark Horse's Conan is no muscle-bound, dim-bulb, slab of beef. He is a clever and calculating Cimmerian out to see the world and claim his part of it. If you have been missing out on the fun, now is your chance to redeem yourself by checking out Dark Horse's new limited series "Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur."

P. Craig Russell, an artist known for his sumptuous and refined pencils, continues Busiek and Nord's tradition of quality in this three-issue series. "Jewels" is a very close adaptation of a novella by Howard, and does not take place during the same time in Conan's life as the monthly. (So even if you have never read a Conan story before, you can jump right in with this book.) This tells the tale of a somewhat older and more experienced Conan. Our barbarian hero gets mixed up in the political schemes of corrupt governments and religious leaders, when all he wants to do is make a buck by stealing the kingdom's most valuable artifacts: the jewels known as the"Teeth of Gwahlur." (And, no, I don't know how to pronounce "Gwahlur." Give it your best shot.) A beautiful woman and a mysterious, undying oracle complicate matters even further, but an adventurer's life is never easy.

If you like the sword and sorcery genre, Conan's tales are some of the very best. If you like great comic book art, P. Craig Russell's is some of the very best. When these two are put together, you have a can't-miss, guaranteed Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week, by Crom! Try it and, by Mitra's Toes, you won't be disappointed.