After 51 years, Robert E. Howard’s Conan celebrates 300 issues at Marvel Comics (between two separate eras) with September 8’s Conan the Barbarian #25 (opens in new tab). Between the original 1970 – 1993 series and the second volume launched in 2019, Robert E. Howard’s Cimmerian has proved to be more powerful and resilient in comics than in his home medium of prose, or even movies.
Here’s a preview – pages from each of the four stories in the Conan the Barbarian #25 anthology, followed with details on each one:
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Conan the Barbarian #25 preview
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In this celebratory Conan the Barbarian #25, current series writer Jim Zub and artist Cory Smith transition from their recent sea adventures this summer into his storied time with the queen of the seas, Bêlit, with the story ‘Until Our Stories End.’ They are working with inker Roberto Poggi and colorist Israel Silva:
Former Conan editor-turned-writer Larry Hama returns in Conan the Barbarian #24 for a story about “a hotheaded young” Conan in a short story called ‘A Civilized Man.’ This will be drawn by Paul Davidson and colorist Neeraj Menon.
The third story, ‘Night of Oblivion,’ will be a reunion – the Amazing Spider-Man duo of Dan Slott and Marcos Martin are creating a story from Conan’s time as a thief. Muntsa Vicente is coloring this short.
Hama’s former assistant Conan editor Christopher Priest, who also wrote some Conan in the ’80s, returns for a King Conan story called ‘Black Orchid,’ pitting the aged barbarian against the returning Wraarl, Devourer of Souls. This short story is drawn by Roberto De La Torre, with colors by Java Tartaglia.
The covers to Conan the Barbarian #25 are a veritable artistic showcase. Geoff Shaw has drawn the primary cover, with variants by Daniel Acuna, Kevin Eastman, Peach Momoko, Dan Panosian, Mr. Garcin, and a blank variant. Take a look:
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Conan the Barbarian #25 preview
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Mr. Garcin’s collage cover is a connecting collage cover, with the first half being a Conan #25 variant, with the second half (shown here) to be a cover to a future, but as-yet-unannounced Conan comic.
Conan the Barbarian #25 goes on sale on September 8.
All of Marvel’s Conan comics are made available digitally the same day they do in print. For the best reading experience, check out our recommended best digital comics readers for Android and iOS devices.