Conan & Dragonero #5 Review

 

Conan & Dragonero #5 Review

Writers: Luca Enoch & Stefano Vietti

Artist & Colorist: Lorenzo Nuti

Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Chris Butera

Cover Artist: Stevan Subic

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99/$14.99 Foil

Release Date: August 5, 2026

 

When a dragon swept into a temple in Tarantia, it escaped with gems that protected the Hyborian Age from ancient evil. Yet as Conan and his guards battled the dragon, it transported them from the crown jewel of Aquilonia to the world of Erondár. After teaming up with Ian Aranill and his sister Myrva, Conan tracked the dragon to its lair.

 

Even without Myrva’s airship, Conan and Ian engaged in a high-flying battle with the dragon. But as the two warriors stood poised for victory, the gems swept them up in a magical storm. How have the gems affected Conan and Ian? And can the men return them to Tarantia before Conan’s world descends into chaos? Let's grab our swords, shout "Hail Crom," leap into Conan & Dragonero #5, and see!

 

Story

Once again, a hero arises in unfamiliar surroundings. But this time, Ian senses that he has traveled to another world. Still, Conan is not far away. Having recovered first, the hale Cimmerian has built a fire within a stone ring. Ian may lack a connection to this world. Yet through his connection to the dragon in its dying moments, Ian believes he can find its body.

 

In Conan & Dragoner #5, extracting the jewels proves no easy task. When the warriors discover the body, scavengers dart in and around it. Each predator steals chunks of flesh before losing part of itself to its competitors. The two adventurers must battle the animals for access to the exposed skeleton. After realizing the gems have vanished, Conan and Ian must follow clues to discover where they have been taken.

 

Luca Enoch and Stefano Vietti’s story opens from Ian’s perspective before following both men on their quest. Their differing approaches to problem-solving reveal their temperaments and why Conan is more muscular than Ian. The story also displays Conan’s hatred of sorcery and why it is well-earned. Yet as the story nears its end, the men discover that invaders from other domains are not the only threats to the Hyborian Age in Conan & Dragonero #5.

 

Art

Yucca trees and boulders rise from the sand as Ian rises to his feet and trudges toward his nearby sword. As smoke from Conan’s firepit rises into the sky, a boulder evokes the dead dragon’s skull. Then the men set off through a desert filled with boulders, mounds, and depressions. The terrain's rise and fall suggest that giants once battled in this barren land.

 

Lorenzo Nuti shows bipedal dinosaurs competing for the skeleton’s dwindling meat. After Conan and Ian avoid the snapping maws and the slashing claws, they set off toward rock faces and monuments erected by people inspired by the land’s anthropomorphic features. When they reach a settlement surrounding a lake, the inhabitants’ attire and buildings imbue the land with a historic, real-world flavor. While purple and red often signal danger, this city offers a rich tapestry of color in Conan & Dragonero #5.

 

Bubbles and clouds reveal Ian’s thoughts in an adventure seemingly told from his perspective. Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith place black uppercase letters in balloons and boxes that grow bold with intonation. Words swell, and occasionally change color, as raised voices transform balloons into stars. Yet after growls, hissing, and roars fill the air, beating drums and the sounds of battle attend the search for the gems. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Ian Aranill battled his conscience before slaying the dragon. Still, he believed it would end all the killing the dragon's return to Erondár unleashed. But when the gems transport them to Conan's world, Ian realizes the slaughter has just begun. And the Cimmerian must confront memories that still haunt him in Conan & Dragonero #5.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

For how this series began, see Conan & Dragonero #1 Review. 

Conan The Barbarian #34 Review

 

Conan The Barbarian #34 Review

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Fernando Dagnino

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Cover Artists: Esad Ribic, Jesus Merino, Nicola Scott & Juan Alberto Hernandez

Editor: Chris Butera

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 26, 2026

 

The Zingaran Navy threatened the Red Brotherhood with extinction. Instead, it gave them sport and booty. But a battle amid a raging storm took everything Conan and Valeria had and more. Despite surviving the wind-tossed seas, Conan has more on his mind than the Zingarans' new War on Piracy. During the night, the Cimmerian faced a phantom with red eyes who slew Captain Quinn's First Mate and knocked him unconscious.

 

As they drop anchor at an unknown island, will the crew find the resources they need to repair their damaged vessel? And what forces molded skeletons and stone into a haunting monument? Let’s shout, “Hail Crom,” leap into Conan The Barbarian #34, and see!

 

Story

With Conan and Valeria's help, Captain Quinn steered the Briney Wren through the raging storm. But as the ship lists and salt water invades its battered timbers, the sailors realize it has seen its last voyage. Captain Quinn is no stranger to surviving disaster. So, he organizes the crew to salvage what they can, lower the boats, and make for land.  

 

The obelisk along the shore casts a dire warning. Yet each sailor realizes that the loot they took from other vessels cannot help them on this island. Closer to nature than his city-bred companions, Conan wants to scout the land for food, water, and enemies. But after losing his First Mate and the Briney Wren, Captain Quinn wants his remaining crew to stick together. So, although he realizes it exposes everyone to more danger, the Cimmerian accompanies the party as they survey the island together in Conan The Barbarian #34.

 

Before the cataclysm that ended Kull’s Thurian Age, this island might have been charted, and its dangers known. But as Captain Quinn and his company survey this forbidding island, they witness wonders unknown in an age when knowledge is hoarded or lost instead of shared. While the fiercest fighters like Conan and Valeria seem best suited for the dangers they face, a sailor who makes light of everything demonstrates surprising survival skills in Conan The Barbarian #34.

 

Art

As their ship sinks, its masts bow toward the monolith ashore. The cargo Captain Quinn ordered his crew to batten down now floats near the wrecked vessel. As they bid farewell to the Briney Wren, Conan stands taller than all his companions save Captain Quinn. Then, as they climb the grassy slope toward ferns and trees, Conan takes the lead, while a wary Valeria follows, yet also lingers.

 

Fernando Dagnino combines eye-catching set pieces with inset panels to heighten tension and convey action. Unlike Quinn's extravagant appearance and Morley's posturing, Conan never demands the spotlight. Yet when danger threatens, Captain Quinn lurks in the background while Conan raises a hand to block the blinding light. Diego Rodriguez adorns Conan The Barbarian #34 with a loaded palette that accentuates the mystery and majesty of Jim Zub’s story. Yet when yellow and orange emphasize a character’s features, Conan remembers the wraith with glowing red eyes that he battled amid the storm.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text as the survivors seek food, water, and shelter after losing their plunder. The words grow bold for intonation, broken balloon borders suggest lowered voices, and letters swell as people die. Yellow narrative boxes accompany readers on this trek through an unknown island. A red balloon border accompanies a shouted warning. Yet, red dialogue spells doom for the crew of the Briney Wren. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When she roused him on the storm-battered deck of the Briney Wren, Valeria intended to drag Conan into the hold. But when he insisted on standing by Captain Quinn, she followed his lead, trusting Conan's instincts more than her own. Now, as they explore a forgotten island filled with danger at every turn, Valeria learns why so few of the Cimmerian's fellow thieves, mercenaries, and freebooters survive to tell tales of their adventures in Conan The Barbarian #34.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more see ConanThe Barbarian #34 Cover Preview. 

 

For what happened last time, see Conan The Barbarian #33 Review. 

 

For how this series began, see my review of Conan The Barbarian TP Vol 1.

 

For Conan's first adventure after the Battle of Venarium, see my review of Conan The Barbarian Vol 4: Frozen Faith.

 

Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2 Review

 

Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2 Review

Writer, Artist & Colorist: Patrick Zircher

Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Chris Butera

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99 US

Release Date: August 19, 2026

 

Ramih Khan is the Regent of Sidhi. Asaf Khan is the Regent of Karra. Neither holds power by right of ancestry. So, to solidify their status, their forces attack Gondwana. Durgavati, the province’s ruler, is still young and beautiful. More importantly, she has the wealth and status they seek. As a widow raising a young prince, both men view the Maharani of Gondwana as a prize.

 

Diwan Beohar Kayastha, Durgavati’s steward, has traveled to Agra, Hindustan. When the Emperor of the Mughal Empire granted him an audience, Beohar requested protection from Gondwana’s aggressors. Yet in secret, Emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar smiles on his Khans’ actions. For Gondwana to know peace, Maharani Durgavati must surrender her lands and choose Ramid or Asaf as her next husband. But what will happen to Durgavati and Prince Vir if she accepts a marriage proposal? And what sorcery or magic links a Puritan warrior with a deceased holy man? Let’s grab our swords, leap into Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2, and see!

 

Story

It is a dark and stormy night when Chandra Shah arrives at Fortress Chauragarh. Maharani Durgavati invites her brother-in-law to join them. But the Master of Scouts isn’t interested in eating dinner. He reports that Ramih Khan's army is marching west. To Chandra’s surprise, Diwan Beohar Kayastha realizes that Ramih Khan’s forces are uniting with Asaf Khan’s army to attack them. Worse, his late brother’s widow refuses to retreat deeper into Gondwana and let her Chieftains defend her.

 

In Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2, Patrick Zircher interlaces his Puritan hero’s tale with views inside Fortress Chauragarh and Asaf Khan's manor house. His slow-paced story reveals Durgavati's determination to rule. It also shows how people respond to her leadership and contrasts this with how Asaf Khan and Ramih Khan treat the people in their care. Yet as the two factions mobilize for war, Solomon Kane walks an uncertain path. Shunned by civilization, the Puritan wanders through the wilderness, led by a lion that shares its food with him.

 

Yet, as Solomon Kane insists on moving forward, even if he doesn't know where he is going, the lion eventually leads him back to civilization. Unlike Asaf Khan and Ramih Khan, the Puritan meets someone content with the power he wields. And as he receives a warm welcome, Solomon Kane regales his listeners with tales from his travels. In this land torn by the avarice of the two Khans, Solomon most fears that Fate has taken over his life. So, even if it goes against everything he's been taught to believe, the Puritan seeks counsel on how to regain control of his life in Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2.

 

Art

Rain streaks down amid the lightning as a rider drives his horse along a narrow dirt road. He enters a fortress filled with arched doorways and interior supports. As his Rani rises to greet him, her court remains seated cross-legged on the stone floor. Despite the flowers adorning her ears, her eyes bespeak determination, and a white dot on her forehead shines like the sun.

 

Like the Puritan’s black hat, cloak, and clothes, a lion sports a black mane as he strides ahead. Along with the scratches on Durgavati’s arm, the head of the Puritan’s staff links with the King of Beasts. Yet when a streak of light prompts a miniature dust storm, the lion bolts as men wearing turbans carry muskets, and Solomon Kane draws his flintlock pistol.

 

Patrick Zircher adorns his detailed art with a rich palette in Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2. Yet he retreats to a single color when portraying earlier moments from the characters’ lives. Asaf Khan’s attire links him to the characters’ lavender and brown-colored memories as he bows to Ramih Khan’s guidance. Yet a green realm links Solomon to Durgavati’s private, blue-green domain.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black uppercase letters. The letters shrink for lowered voices, enlarge for raised voices, and grow bold with intonation. Lowercase letters in black boxes introduce characters and settings, while Solomon Kane shares his thoughts and memories in beige boxes. As gunshots echo across the rocky plateau, an uninvited guest’s feasting disturbs two men filling the Mughal Empire with fear. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While Conan the Barbarian made Robert E Howard famous, one of the writer's great loves was historical epics. Patrick Zircher draws on the Puritans' original adventures to set Solomon Kane amid historical events in Africa. Then, Zircher spices his grand-scale storytelling with the supernatural à la H Rider Haggard in Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2.

 

Rating 8.6/10

 

For more, see Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2 Cover Preview. 

Conan The Barbarian #33 Review

 

Cover by Max Von Fafner

Conan The Barbarian #33 Review

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Fernando Dagnino

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Cover Artists: Roberto De La Torre, Fernando Dagnino, Max Von Fafner, Don Aguillo, Rebeca Puebla & Dan Panosian

Editor: Chris Butera

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 29, 2026

 

The Zingaran government wants to send a message: its ports are open, and its seas are safe for vessels to sail upon. As the Navy cracks down on piracy, one ship defies their reach. Commanded by Captain Quinn Corvaxis, the Briney Wren strikes terror upon the seas. But what makes this crew of pirates such an unstoppable force? And what dangers will arise to threaten Captain Quinn, Valeria, and Conan the Cimmerian’s supremacy on the high seas? Let’s shout, “Hail Crom,” leap into Conan The Barbarian #33, and see!

 

Story

Captain Quinn may order his sailors into battle against the Zingaran seadogs. But Conan is the first to board the military vessel. The Cimmerian orders the Red Brotherhood to seize the helm. While his zeal inspires most of his comrades, two other seasoned sailors observe the Cimmerian's bloodlust. Morley quips with Valeria as they cut a swathe across the deck. And they force the Zingaran Captain to surrender, while Conan would prefer to continue the fighting.

 

In Conan The Barbarian #33, the Cimmerian is more prone to melancholia than mirth. Morley senses a history between Conan and Valeria. But Conan says nothing, and Valeria insists they were just fellow thieves. Like Captain Quinn, Conan seems content to observe his fellow sailors following the battle. But he snaps into action when another danger arises.

 

As Jim Zub’s story follows a day in the life of Conan and Valeria, Morley is an interloper. He seems intent on sweeping Valeria off her feet. While Valeria keeps him at arm’s length, the two warriors are well-matched. Conan takes little interest in the duo's flirting. More attuned to nature's rhythms than his civilized companions, the Cimmerian remains alert for danger.

 

But while the smirking swordsman and the warrior woman spar, an unseen enemy begins a game of their own. Like Morley and Valeria, their adversary plays by their own rules. And while Morley and Valeria cut short Conan’s battle aboard the Zingaran naval vessel, the Cimmerian may get more than his fill of death in Conan the Barbarian #33.

 

Art

While Bêlit disdained restrictive clothing, Captain Quinn has a dress code. And instead of the sword he found at the Battle of Venarium, Conan wields a sabre with a crossguard. As he swings over to the Zingaran vessel in his long-sleeve shirt, pants, and boots, Valeria and the others follow wearing similar attire. A red sash at their waist is their calling card, along with the crimson they spill with their swords. After a splash page and a double-page spread, Fernando Dagnino uses rectangular panels to portray calm moments, while diagonal borders enhance the fraught battles.

 

Diego Rodriguez lavishes a loaded palette on the swashbuckling action in Conan The Barbarian #33. Red and yellow enhance the daytime battle as the pirates battle purple-clad Zingarans beneath purple sails. But the blue night turns green when Conan’s heightened senses detect danger. As sailors scramble for safety, green and white electrify the night. Yet Captain Quinn stands on the top deck, wearing his black hat and long jacket, while his long gray beard and a dagger adorning his wide leather belt mark him as an experienced captain.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text as Conan strikes terror into his enemies. Jim Zub's narration in yellow boxes guides readers through this maritime chapter of the Cimmerian’s life. The words grow bold for intonation and never shrink. Yet they swell, and balloons grow spikes, when sailors’ voices rise. And dialogue changes color when staring death in the face. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Conan and Valeria have fought together before. Then they slipped through shadows as thieves, and nighttime was their friend. Now they rob and steal in daylight. But when darkness falls, the pirates brave unknown dangers in Conan The Barbarian #33.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of Conan The Barbarian #33. 

 

For how this series began, see my review of Conan The Barbarian TP Vol 1.

 

For Conan's first adventure after the Battle of Venarium, see my review of Conan The Barbarian Vol 4: Frozen Faith.

 

Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP Review

 

Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP Review

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Sami Kivelä

Colorist: Valentina Bianconi

Letterers: Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith

Cover Artist: Nipuni

Editor: Jonathan H Wilkins

Art Director: Oz Browne

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $17.99

Release Date: July 21, 2026

 

The Doctor has worn many faces and lived many lives. In his current incarnation, he has loved and lost. Given his abilities to travel through time and his extraordinarily long life, a companion helps him remember all the people who need his help. After Earth’s sun went nova, the Doctor and his companion freed its remaining inhabitants and reunited a little, lost girl with her parents. Where will the Doctor travel next? And who will help him rescue people in need? Let’s grab our sonic screwdrivers, leap into Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP, and see!

 

Story

After robots abducted her, the Doctor was trying to help Belinda Chandra return home. But something was shielding the Earth from his TARDIS’ navigational computers. Then, amid their search for Earth, Shadow Proclamation agents abducted the Human nurse. While Earth hides, the Doctor tracks his abducted companion to the Panoptopolis, a space station that orbits a black hole. No one who arrives there ever leaves. Still, that won’t deter the Doctor from rescuing his companion.

 

Yet in Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP, Belinda isn’t his companion. The Doctor arrives on a prison shuttle with a cyborg, a Tentaculon, an Adipose, and a member of the Slitheen family. And when Security drags the new arrivals to Interrogation because of an irregular energy reading, H-8 the Living Gun, Methelough, Annie, and Felik decide they’re better off with the Doctor than going it alone in the Prison’s Gen Pop.

 

Dan Watters’ story contrasts the Doctor with the Warden of Panoptopolis. While the Doctor has lived for centuries, the Warden has ruled the maximum-security establishment for 800 years. Due to the Black Hole's gravity, uncrewed shuttles bring new inmates and supplies. The Warden can always shoot troublesome prisoners into the singularity. But the inhabitants, the Gravelyte guards, and the Warden can never leave.

 

As the Doctor and his new companions set off to find the Warden’s office, they must brave inmates who prey on their fellow captives. The Doctor points out that he and H-8 have slightly different life philosophies. But as his new companions aid him in his search for the Human nurse, the Doctor’s words and actions prompt them to reflect on their past. Yet while his new companions ponder how they might live differently, Belinda Chandra sits in the Warden’s office. And the only thing that keeps her breathing is her ability to entertain the bored ruler of his forever home in Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP.

 

Art

Sami Kivelä surrounds the ringed space station with inset panels of the arriving shuttle and a view inside. The Doctor sits on a bench, his hands chained to the floor, beside a tooth-like Adipose and gassy, green Sliveen. Seated nearer the hatch, a purple cephalopod and a multi-armed cyborg frame the trio. Rock-creatures with horns direct them inside with their cattle prods. Before mingling with the rest of the prison population in the dining hall, the Doctor gazes up at an eyeball security camera. Then, he demands they release one of their prisoners to him.

 

Valentina Bianconi links the Doctor's orange-brown coat with the orange-tan rocky guards. With a purple Tentaculon and a green Sliveen for company, the fashion-conscious Doctor stands out among the prisoners and guards in Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP. Yellow makes its presence felt in this lavishly colored story. The latest visitors enter beneath a yellow-and-black warning line. They pass through a brownish-yellow hall. The rock guards scan a white card adorned with yellow. As they enter a cafeteria filled with inmates wearing yellow coveralls, a yellow-eyed security camera watches them. Yet red will fill the air and make its presence felt, all too soon.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons with uppercase black dialogue. The narrator speaks into light-yellow boxes, while the rocky guards use cloudy, light-yellow balloons. The words grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Sound effects enhance battles and put would-be rescuers at ease. Yet a lowly character speaks the loudest, even if it is a squeak. The tightly bound trade paperback features glossy paper and doesn’t obscure the art near the gutter. A cover gallery and pages from Sami Kivelä’s notebook fill out this trade paperback. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a physical review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The Panoptopolis holds many dangerous prisoners. But none of them are as dangerous as the guards or as ruthless as the Warden. In this story about the temptations and abuses of power, the Doctor inspires the imprisoned to ignore their fears in Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP.

 

Rating 9.8/10

Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1 Review

 

Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1 Review

Writers: Dulce M Montoya & Dan Watters

Artist: Robert Ingranata

Colorist: Valentina Bianconi

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Jonathan H Wilkins

Cover Artists: Jay Anacleto, Photo, Robert Sienicki & Flops

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $6.99

Release Date: July 8, 2026

 

Time Travel is a tricky business. Forget stepping on a Butterfly. You can change someone’s life with a harsh word or a smile. And then there are the things we touch or take with us when we leave. Thankfully, there is an organization that keeps track of all these ripples in spacetime. The Unified Intelligence Taskforce safeguards the people of Earth from alien invasions, scheming mad scientists, and interference in the timestream. But how is UNIT watching over us? And who helps them prevent reality-shattering paradoxes? Let’s leap into Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1 and see!

 

Story

Osgood and Andrew were looking forward to working with the Doctor. But they didn't realize that the Fugitive Doctor would assist them. Unlike the others the Doctors have met, the Fugitive Doctor doesn't know about her other incarnations. Nor does she care what Osgood and Andrew think of her. She has a job to do, and she's doing it her way.

 

UNIT has amassed a storehouse of items from other planets and time periods. In Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1, the Fugitive Doctor must assess where they belong. When she takes each item to her TARDIS, it transports her to the general area where the item belongs. But the Doctor doesn't know who to return it to.

 

Dulce M Montoya and Dan Watters' story transports the Fugitive Doctor to ancient Greece. Instead of arriving amid the Trojan War, she finds a land at peace. The local town has a bustling marketplace. And the locals bring their offerings to Zeus' temple, even if it leaves them with little to eat themselves. Unfortunately, no one there recognizes the item the Fugitive Doctor is trying to return. And after seeing a man faint with hunger, she cannot help but hike up to Mount Olympus to discuss the gods' reliance on the locals' generosity.

 

The Fugitive Doctor arrived in Greece under a cloud, as Osgood and Andrew worried that her last mission might initiate a civil war. But the Doctor can't help their worries. They cannot blame her for other people's irrational actions. As the Doctor attempts to rectify the problems threatening peace in ancient Greece, she tries to help people work together to better their lives. But while an unseen party observes, the Doctor fails to recognize that not everyone shares her definition of reasonable behavior in Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1.

 

Art

After a view from space of other planets, the Doctor, Osgood, and Andrew walk between tall rows of open shelving. The Doctor plucks a pair of alien glasses and tries them on. Osgood rips them away from her. The Doctor frowns and looks away, her body language defensive. Then, the Doctor’s eyes fix on an item crackling with energy set on a high shelf. She runs outside, past the trees rising above a fence, and into her blue police box. The shape of the ceiling and the double-hexagon shadow on the floor evoke the First Doctor’s TARDIS. Then, as she sets the Dalek gun on the console, the Doctor sets her coordinates and pulls a lever as the weapon crackles with energy.

 

As Robert Ingranata portrays the Doctor amid pastoral splendor, Valentina Bianconi adorns Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1 with vibrant colors. The surrounding hills and trees recall the greenery beyond the UNIT base. The white-robed people in the fields seem as innocent as the grazing sheep. Villagers wear browns and pastels, while some in the market dress in more vibrant colors. She may be the Fugitive Doctor. Yet the Time Lord's bright purple hat and suit, accentuated with a multicolored blouse and hatband, command people's attention.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white and green balloons and boxes with black uppercase dialogue. Raised voices enlarge words and turn balloons spiky. Giant white letters warn the Doctor of approaching danger, while giant red letters accompany its arrival. She faced down a red apple with certainty. But the Fugitive Doctor finds another red menace more difficult to reason with, even if it speaks in a font befitting the birthplace of modern philosophy. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The Fugitive Doctor recognizes she needs to work on her people skills. Yet she doesn’t understand why people can’t get along. As she goes about her job, trying to prevent world-threatening paradoxes, she struggles to see things from other people’s perspectives. Still, she tries to help, even if success seems unlikely, in Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversary of the Daleks #1.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Doctor Who Circuit Breaker: Adversaryof the Daleks #1. 

 

Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2 Review

 

Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2 Review

Writers: Luca Enoch & Stefano Vietti

Artist & Colorist: Lorenzo Nuti

Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Chris Butera

Cover Artists: Roberto De La Torre, Lorenzo Nuti

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99/$14.99 Foil

Release Date: June 10, 2026

 

When Conan landed in a plain of ash, one glance at the sky told him that he had traveled to another world. One of his soldiers spotted a distant wall aglow with lights. But then the white-skinned savages arrived. The silent throng forced Conan and his troops back. And although they extracted a heavy toll, one by one, Conan’s soldiers fell.

 

Then a rain of arrows, unlike anything Conan had ever seen, ended the battle in an instant. Who are the troops who rushed out of the wall and imprisoned Conan? And what happened to the dragon that the Cimmerian and his men were chasing? Let's grab our swords, shout "Hail Crom," leap into Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2, and see!

 

Story

After chaining Conan in a cell, Commander Deymar regards the Cimmerian and wonders what trouble the stranger has brought to his border outpost. His sorcerer placed a spell on the Cimmerian, but it has done little to subdue him. At least the amulet he placed around the stranger's neck allows the men to understand each other. But Conan has lost the men under his command. He’s angry at being imprisoned. And he insists that they let him pursue the dragon.

 

Then, in Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2, another stranger enters his cell. Ian Aranill tells Conan that he will dispatch the dragon. His legendary dragon slayer feats have earned him the title Dragonero. Ian also mentions that his flying ship will enable him to pursue the creature that sent many soldiers to their deaths. Then he turns his back on Conan and walks away.

 

In Luca Enoch & Stefano Vietti’s story, Conan and Dragonero don't know each other. Nor do they have any reason to trust each other. Conan has brought danger to Ian's land. Yet this "Dragonero" seems as full of himself as most "civilized" warriors. Still, Conan knows how dangerous the dragon can be. And he refuses to let anything get in the way of fulfilling his responsibility.

 

Although he inhabits another world, Conan’s predicament evokes Robert E Howard’s classic tale, Queen of the Black Coast. And although he meets a beautiful female warrior, she seems unlikely to rival his beloved Bêlit. Still, Conan demonstrates his worth, and both heroes recognize they stand a better chance together than apart in Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2.

 

Art

A scar runs down his face as Ian Aranill smiles. Yet his eyes narrow as Conan yanks at his chains. As the stranger yells at him, determination overtakes Ian’s features as he turns and leaves. Ian climbs atop the wide stone wall, where soldiers prepare the armaments that let them slay the Algent horde. More soldiers pull on ropes, restraining the vessel beneath an enormous balloon.

 

As Lorenzo Nuti enlivens this gray world with bright colors, Myrva urges Ian to hurry aboard in Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2. Then the blonde replaces her goggles, as she grips the wooden steering wheel beneath a purple-pink sky. In the cells below, Conan strains at the gray chains tethering him to the gray stone wall. Soldiers stand by the bars to his cell, clad in silver helmets. Silver chainmail coifs protect their necks. The red heraldic flags draped on the walls link with each soldier’s Coat of Plates, and the blood flying through the air.  

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler fill white balloons with uppercase black dialogue. Letters grow bold for intonation and occasionally turn red. Raised voices swell words and turn balloons into stars. As air currents scream past the airship, the clang of chains, the shouts of the guards, and the sounds of fighting and death echo through the jail. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Conan didn’t ask to leave Tarantia. But when a dragon appeared, he fought to defend the Aquilonian capital. Now he's in a land where people regard him as a savage. And as Ian and Myrva yearn to pursue the dragon endangering their land, their unwanted visitor insists his world also hangs in the balance in Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

 

For how this series started, see my review of Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #1. 

Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2 Cover Preview

 

COVER A: FERNANDO DAGNINO

When Conan landed in a plain of ash, one glance at the sky told him that he had traveled to another world. One of his soldiers spotted a distant wall aglow with lights. But then the white-skinned savages arrived. The silent throng forced Conan and his troops back. And although they extracted a heavy toll, one by one, Conan's soldiers fell. 

Then a rain of arrows, unlike anything Conan had ever seen, ended the battle in an instant. Who are the troops who rushed out of the wall and imprisoned Conan? And what happened to the dragon that the Cimmerian and his men were chasing? 

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #2 
Writers: Luca Enoch & Stefano Vietti
Artist & Colorist: Lorenzo Nuti
Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith
Editor: Chris Butera
Cover Artists: Fernando Dagnino & Lorenzo Nuti
Publisher: Titan Comics
Price: $4.99/$14.99 Foil
Release Date: June 10, 2026 

 

Pulled to the mysterious land of Erondár by dark forces, Conan comes face to face with the famed dragon slayer, Dragonero, and the two warriors must set aside suspicion to stand back-to-back against a supernatural force poised to doom both their worlds. 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

 

 

COVER B: LORENZO NUTI VARIANT

 

COVER C: FERNANDO DAGNINO FOIL VARIANT ($14.99)

COVER D: FERNANDO DAGNINO VIRGIN VARIANT

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this cover preview with us.

 

For how this series started, see my review of Conan The Barbarian & Dragonero #1. 

 

 

 

 

 

Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1 Review

 

Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1 Review

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Ivan Gil

Colorist: Jão Canola

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Cover Artists: Roberto De La Torre

Publisher: Titan Comics & Heroic Signatures

Price: $17.99

Release Date: May 27, 2026

 

After leaving his native Cimmeria and exploring the civilized world, Conan reaches the second-largest city in Nemedia. Traveling alone, the Cimmerian always needs money to fill his purse. If he can't find work as a mercenary, there are other ways to make a living.

 

As he visits cities, towns, or villages, Conan often finds people who lord their status over others. So when he sees a finely-dressed man treating others like dirt in Numalia, Conan decides this "civilized" man needs a lesson. What riches will he find when he sneaks into the man's home? And how will it launch Conan on a journey through space and time? Let's grab our swords, cry "Hail Crom," leap into Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1, and see!

 

Story

Aztrias Petanius may be the governor’s nephew. But despite his fine clothes and house, Conan soon realizes burgling the man’s belongings will net him little. So, when Aztrias points him toward richer pickings, Conan heads off to find Kallian Publico’s antiques house. But when Conan slips inside, the watchman Dionus finds him. And instead of spotting a jeweled goblet, Conan sees Kallian Publico sprawled before an ancient, bowl-shaped sarcophagus.

 

Yet Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1 is not bound by time. While Demetrio the Inquisitor arrives to question Conan’s involvement in Kallian’s death, Professor John Kirowan meets with his friends Michael O’Donnel and James Gordon in Boston in 1934. And when Michael shows a recent purchase, an antique knife, James reacts with undue fright.

 

As Jim Zub's narration links these disparate events together, our guide also travels to the distant past. When Brule the Spear-Slayer approaches him, Gonar the Seeker advises the Pict to seek out King Kull in Valusia. While treachery threatens the newly crowned monarch, Gonar advises Brule of Kull's importance.

 

As Brule meets Kull and uncovers the palace's secrets, Professor John Kirowan and Michael O'Donnel help James Gordon determine why Evelyn attacked him. And while Conan investigates Kallian’s death, words of power unite them. Time cannot separate them. Yet time, and how it affects the rise and fall of civilizations, lies at the heart of Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1.

 

Art

Conan crouches in the shadows as the guards ride past on the dry and cracking dirt road. Stone walls and barred windows guard the houses on each side. As the sun sinks in the sky, Conan creeps across the rounded top of a wall, avoiding the spikes rising from the epicenter. Behind him, towers and temples rise to greet the approaching night.

 

Close-ups of Conan and a portrait of Aztrias compare the men’s health and sophistication. Fire from the braziers illuminates the stone walls and wainscotting. Waning light from the windows also creeps in. Yet as Conan searches the grand house, armored guards and a dog with a spiked collar approach.

 

As Jão Canola lavishes a rich palette of colors and textures on Ivan Gil’s detailed art, green and gold dominate Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1. The aristocracy and high-ranking officials wear green and gold, while a merchant clad in green attempts to open a golden bowl. In an earlier era, green images of Conan, Kull, and Kirowan inhabit light-green smoke. As Gonar counsels Brule, a golden serpent dragon adorns the Pict warrior's wrist. And far in the future, green drapes line the windows in John Kirowan’s book-filled study, as James Gordon shrinks from Michael O’Donnel’s gold-handled knife.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith place black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons, while the narrator's words fill green-white boxes. The dialogue grows bold with intonation. Words enlarge with volume, while broken balloon borders attend lowered voices. And while John Kirowan consults his friend’s wife, black words in green balloons fill her mind. Yet at key moments, when the danger rises to unprecedented heights, giant-colored words fill the air. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While we would like to believe that the future will be better than the past, that's not always the case. People come and go in our lives. Failure may follow success. And while we may gain knowledge and wisdom as we age, our bodies gradually lose the strength and vitality of our youth. So too is it for the Earth. Jim Zub traces the descent of civilization from its majestic beginnings, from times when men knew the gods, to an era when they are barely remembered, in Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Conan The Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent Vol 1. 

 

 

For Conan, Kull, and Kirowan's previous team-up, see my review of Conan The Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone #1.