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.
