“I fear neither man or magic.” – Victor Von Doom
This issue opens with Stephen Strange locating the amulet of power using the orb of Agamotto he finds that the amulet is in Latveria. When we cut to Victor Von Doom’s castle, he’s laid out an impressive feast for everyone’s favorite barbarian. Conan obliges himself to the goodies set before him. It’s a feast fit for a king as the strong man wolfs down everything in sight. He notices that Dr. Doom isn’t eating.
The Creative Team
Gary Duggan brings together some of Marvel’s greatest badasses and puts them in an incredible situation. The whole plot revolves around the amulet and what to do with it before it causes serious damage. This isn’t as action-packed an issue as previous issues have been. But it’s a necessary story in the dynamic of things. I’m really enjoying the mutual respect that’s forming between the monarch of Latveria and our Cimmerian. It’s awesome to see this clash of kings and Doctor Strange there to set the record straight. Strange begs Doom not to pursue the amulet but to no avail. Doom may respect the Savage from Hyboria, but he will not let him, or anyone get in the way of his quest for power, but the age-old adage rings true “Be careful what you ask for…” Great stuff includes Dr. Strange’s drive to see the amulet put back in its proper place and what happens to Doom at the end of this issue.
Java Zircher proves himself to be every inch a competent Conan artist, that’s what I gage this title’s success on. Comparing his Conan to previous artists, he’s no Barry Windsor Smith but his Conan matches Big John Buscema’s take on the character almost perfectly. Zircher has the dark tone of this story down. His panels resonate with the feeling of desperation that the characters exhibit as they are unsure of the power that this amulet wields. Highlights include Dr. Strange’s arrival to Larveria and the final splash with the fate of Dr. Doom.
In Conclusion:
This is an enjoyable read as we see a surprise meeting between Victor and Conan. It certainly isn’t the meeting we thought would happen, though when you think about the whole ordeal, it’s probably what we should have expected. A diplomatic rendezvous between two icons of royalty. No one is more surprised at this than Stephen Strange. But just when you think you know what’s going to happen, well, let’s just say that Dr. Doom is always full of surprises, and it’s never more clear here than when he…to be continued. (rating: 8.9)
SCORE: 3.5/5
Writer – Gerry Duggan
Art – Patch Zircher
Colors – Java Tartaglia
Letters – VC’s Travis Lanham
Publisher – Marvel
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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