The second part of The Conquering Crown arrived in stores on December 17th. What did critics think of it? Read on and find out-

• 9 Panel Grid: “This might be crafting itself to be one of my favorite arcs within Jim Zub’s time with Conan. I can’t wait to see what next issue brings.”

• Brother Lore: “It’s very much written for a collected edition, but at the same time it works brilliantly in issues as well…Once again, I 100% recommend this comic book.”

• Comic Book Corner 2.0: “The writing is just so next level. It’s not just babble. It’s so imperative to read what Jim Zub is trying to describe and what’s going on with Conan, and it’s so good.”

• Comic Book University: “This was a really awesome issue and I’m going to argue that you probably need to have this in your collection.”

• Comic Culture: “As always, Jim Zub and team are doing an amazing job keeping this exciting. The artwork is always solid. It always puts you in that same mood….I don’t know how they’re doing it, but it’s a spectacular book.”

• Comic Patrol: “These are constantly the best written, most exciting, detailed, in-depth, fun you can possibly have. I get so much pleasure out of reading these issues…It’s so immersive and wonderful. I can praise this book all day long.”

• Comical Opinions: 8.5/10 “The writing is sharp and the art is purposeful, making every conversation feel loaded with danger…What truly earns this issue its value is the promise it plants about what comes next.”

• Cool Thunder: 10/10 “Month after month, Jim Zub continues to knock this run out of the park in classic Conan fashion!”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “I’ve been continuing with this for 27 issues and it’s been gold. Every issue has been a bombastic, action-packed Conan story…The art is fire, the story is killer. If you like sword & sorcery, this is the best sword & sorcery book out there.”

• Eternal Crusader: “I have to give it to Jim Zub with how much plot, lore and scenes he was able to cram into just 22 pages. That’s impressive on its own. Dagnino continues to soar to new heights, with some of the best pages in the whole series.”

• Fanlight Zone: “Every issue it feels like your old school Conan books you were buying off the spinner rack…You need to read this book.”

• Gaming Trend: “Overall a fantastic second chapter in that journey. While nowhere near as action-packed as the previous issue, it pushes the story forward significantly, establishing not only the antagonist Conan must face, but also the embers of the revolution that will help to secure Conan’s ascension.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “An exciting story that starts off with showing the players but seems to stay active with anticipation throughout, a fair amount of violence, with art to boost the tale well.”

• Kabooooom: 10/10 “[Conan] continues to be one of the best comics on the stands. Not merely one of the best fantasy comics or action/adventure comics. It is a great comic and well worth reading if you are any fan of the medium.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “On a monthly basis, this always feels like the most bang for your buck of any comic on the shelf…The political unrest and the action were very strongly delivered in this issue.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “Not the most violent issue we’ve had, but still some good fun action along with the intrigue. I’m really enjoying the art in this one.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “Another solid issue from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics. Zub’s doing a good job with the story arc. This issue was a little bit slower, but I’m sure he’s going to build up to an excellent finale.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Conan is the perfect comic book for old school fans and new school fans. It’s a perfect comic book for comic book fans. This is one of the best books on shelves and it has been for over two years now.”

• SciFi Pulse: 9.6/10 “Each interaction feels purposeful, quickly establishing the political tension and the sense that Conan is being pulled in multiple directions by competing interests.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Jim Zub delivers a solid mid-arc entry, succinctly depicting the world of political peacockery under the rule of a maniacal monarch. Conan especially shines here in the moments of his opposition to the opulent and supposedly civilized realm.”

• Titan Comics Corner: “The artwork is a dynamic visual experience due to versatile paneling, lighting, and coloring. Even with some layout chaos, Fernando Dagnino ensures a strong left-to-right flow.”

• Thinking Critical: “This is easily my pick of the week…The dialogue, the art, the covers, the pacing, the humor, the action, all top notch from Zub and Dagnino. Another strong recommend for Conan the Barbarian #27. Conan just continues to be one of the best books out there right now and Fernando has definitely cemented himself as a rising star.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “Conan is a book that if you love old school comics, you just want something where you can dive into the story, see excellent world building, excellent character moments, and it always delivers every single month.”

• Void City Reviews: “There’s always young Conan and older Conan and I never quite understood how he got from here to there, and this is telling me exactly how that happened, so it’s what I wanted right when I wanted it and it’s kind of mind-blowing. So awesome…The art is great.”

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #3 arrived in comic shops. What did critics think of our penultimate chapter?

• 9 Panel Grid: “I’m really enjoying Gil’s approach on the artwork here – We get different flavors of artistic choices between Conan, Savage Sword of Conan, and this event, but each one continues to be a feast for the eyes.”

• Brother Lore: “This entire venture into Conan has been my favorite thing written by Jim Zub…A very pleasing read especially for me, an old English literature major.”

• Comic Culture: “Even for somebody like me, a bit of a novice with Conan at this point, I’m having such a great time with this book…If you see anything Conan that’s come out in the last couple of years – Scourge of the Serpent, Conan proper, Savage Sword – it doesn’t matter what it is, pick it up. You’re going to love it.”

• Comical Opinions: “The writing keeps character motivations clean and easy to follow, which matters when reincarnation charts and serpent cult lore start stacking up. The art backs that up with strong visual storytelling”

• Cool Thunder: 10/10 “Jim Zub continues to prove why his storytelling is unmatched…Ivan Gil’s artwork and Jao Canola’s coloring elevate everything even further, creating an enthralling and atmospheric experience from start to finish.”

• Cupcake Comic Reviews: “The artwork is amazing with Ivan Gil on the art and Jim Zub writing, so you can never go wrong. This feels like an event book in the Conan universe.”

• Fanlight Zone: 10/10 “One of the best books on the shelves every single month and it just keeps going…The art is fantastic and storyline is cool as hell. I’m loving the action across three timelines.”

• Gaming Trend: “Scourge of the Serpent #3 is exactly what I’d hoped the previous issue would be. It pushes the plot forward both for the individual storylines and the overarching threat without leaving any character’s plotline feeling like an afterthought.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 8/10 “The interweaving of these stories is fantastic. I wasn’t sure for a minute where it was going but it all connects right toward the end.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “I’m anxious to see how Jim Zub’s going to wrap up this story arc. So far, so good…If you are a Robert E. Howard fan, I would strongly recommend this.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Jim Zub working on Conan is a revelation. It’s so good, so amazing and I think that this is the best Conan’s been since the 80s. I really do.”

• Stars My Destination (Spanish): “Ivan Gil’s artwork, combined with Joao Canola’s colors, is incredibly effective, brilliantly narrating the action and the various time jumps and shifts in characters. Gil creates pages with meticulously detailed backgrounds, perfectly capturing the drama of each situation.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Ivan Gil delivers exceptional work in Conan Scourge of the Serpent #3, some of the best Conan art under Titan Comics…It’s sharp, respectful storytelling that hints at bigger things to come.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “Overall this was a really good issue. I like that the issue finally explored the stories in a different way. It didn’t just stay stuck to the narration we already know from Robert E. Howard.”

• Thinking Critical: “I think Jim Zub continues to knock it out of the park this arc with Conan…It’s a unique story and unique style of event storytelling and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “Just a great homage to all of Howard’s genius and characters. I’m loving it…A great book with great art on it that continues to be the best comic on the market.”

• 9 Panel Grid: “Conan continues to be spectacular. This issue is really setting up something that I’m really excited for because I want to see King Conan’s ascent.”

• Brother Lore: “I read through it so quickly because the pacing is so great, the writing is so engaging and there is the perfect balance between narration, exposition and action that it really doesn’t let you breathe for one minute.”

• Comic Book Corner 2.0: “The art is fantastic, very brutal, very gory…it looks so nice and I absolutely love reading this book. It’s always so detailed and Jim Zub does a wonderful job at describing the story. That’s what makes this such a solid read.”

• Comic Book University: “The art in here is beautiful, fantastic…Great book. I’d highly recommend it.”

• Comic Culture: “Another amazing issue of Conan the Barbarian. If you need more reason to get this book, this is it right here…There’s layers and layers of drama, plotting, scheming and infiltrating. It’s all really compelling and very interesting.”

• Comical Opinions: 8.5/10 “The comic’s greatest strengths lie in its measured pacing, dialogue that immediately immerses, and art that makes every battle and brooding council scene visually memorable…a sword-slash of value for the discerning reader, balancing chaos, cunning, and a glimmer of wit in a battered bronze world.”

• Comic Patrol: “Another fantastic issue. Gorgeous art, colors, story. Everything is top notch…Just perfectly Conan in all the right ways. I just love this book.”

• Cool Thunder: 10/10 “At a time when many long-running series start to wane, Conan the Barbarian just keeps getting better. If you’re not reading this run, you’re missing one of the greatest modern interpretations of the Hyborian Age.”

• Eternal Crusader: “Zub has managed to cram a lot of plot into a mere 22 pages…The battle scenes in particular are well done, and Dagnino demonstrates how creatively he can use panels to support and strengthen the impact of his art. This comic book remains a visual treat for adult readers.”

• Gaming Trend: 8/10 ” Filled with subtle-yet-powerful worldbuilding and more than enough action to please long-time Conan fans, this issue offers us a hearty taste of what is to come over the course of this arc that will lead to him becoming king of Aquilonia.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “Zub’s tale in this issue easily echoes modern attitudes by those who have nested into their pampered positions of power…Good art from Fernando Dagnino to partner Zub’s eloquence.”

• Grimdark Magazine: “The breakneck pacing of this issue leaves little space to cover multiple combats, but Dagnino manages to communicate both the desperation of the fights and Conan’s gory heroics. The storytelling economy on display is impressive.”

• Kabooooom!: 10/10 “It is rare that a comic so steeped in lore can prove to satisfy established fans yet be accessible to new readers as well. Conan The Barbarian #26 is such a rare treat. Violent and visceral, this is a perfect introduction to the world of one of most famous heroes of fantasy.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “Probably my favorite art of the whole series so far and the writing was peak, per usual. I don’t know how Zub does it book after book.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “We get pages and pages of beautiful artwork throughout. I’m telling you, every page is either a sick action scene or some really well-paced, moody stuff to draw the story forward. I don’t feel like there’s any dead weight in this story at all.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “Overall, I really enjoyed this Zub story leading up to when Conan becomes king. This is actually one of my favorite stories so far…Overall, an excellent issue.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Jim Zub has been writing the hell out of Conan. Whether it’s Conan the Barbarian or spearheading Savage Sword of Conan, these are some of the best comics out there of the modern era. I would encourage you to check them out.”

• Sci Fi Pulse: 9.6/10 “a brilliant job of setting up the new story arc. The looming war between the two kings is established cleanly, giving the conflict real weight right from the start. Conan’s rise into a position of leadership within the Westermarck Wolves is also handled really well — it feels organic, earned, and completely in character.”

• Stygian Dogs: “a strong cinematic start to this new saga. It’s a thoroughly satisfying read and an ideal jumping on point for new readers and it comes with my highest recommendation.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “This was a great issue. I really, really liked it. I think Jim Zub did a great job exploring this time in Conan’s life…I think this was a great start to year three. Quite happy with it.”

• Thinking Critical: “Pick of the week and it’s starting to feel like Conan might be the front runner for best comic book series of 2025.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “I think Fernando Dagnino’s art here is fantastic…Conan continues to be the best book on the market.”

• Void City Reviews: “Everything about it is awesome. The politics, the action, the art, even the lettering. I enjoyed all of it.”

The second part of Scourge of the Serpent, our snake-sent epic mini-series, arrived in stores last week. What did critics think of it? Let’s find out…

• 9 Panel Grid: “Gil is kind of like the next in line for the great Conan artists. I’ve been pleasantly surprised and arguably absolutely shocked at how consistent Conan has been, getting these really cool artists to take over the book, one after another…a really fun issue here. Definitely make sure you’re checking this out.”

• Amazon: 10/10 “A perfect fusion of Robert E. Howard themes, characters, eras and actual stories…in this issue in particular we have Ivan Gil demolishing my expectations by giving some of the coolest bloody action, unique angles and character poses suiting the danger of the situation.”

• Brother Lore: “It’s one of the best you can get today in the graphic novel or comic book medium…You don’t even have to be a Conan the Barbarian fan or fantasy fan. It’s just a very good action-packed read.”

• Comic Culture: “Gil’s artwork in here is extraordinary. We’ve got epic battle scenes, more modern looks and creepy crawly dungeons happening here too…Jim Zub is doing an incredible job curating the entire line at this point. I’m loving this book.”

• Comic Patrol: “It reads really well and it’s a lot of fun…It’s a really entertaining read.”

• Comical Opinions: 10/10 “Razor-sharp dialogue, sprawling action, serpentine twists, art that brawls right off the page, and a clever structure that never drops a thread. If every sword-and-sorcery comic swung with this much confidence, the genre would be king of comics.”

• Cool Thunder: 9.5/10 “Jim Zub continues to craft a phenomenal tale with endless imagination, while Ivan Gil’s art and Jao Canola’s colors make every panel burst with life.”

• Dennis Turner: “If you’re a Conan fan I really think this is going to be a must…Get it on your pull list.”

• Eternal Crusader: “Gil’s art speaks for itself. The impressive splash page of the ancient battle between Serpent Men and humankind alone justifies his place in Titan Comics’ already remarkable roster of talented artists.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “It isn’t just a simple retelling of Howard’s events…The three chosen tales make for a good intermingling adventure as they all lean into a pulpy detective’s tale, all with dark and menacing reveals.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 8/10 “Outstanding blend of three stories across time to create a mystery worth reading…I enjoyed it quite a bit.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “Fantastic artwork in this issue with wonderful action and the writing is always good…I’m really excited for the next one and it just can’t come soon enough.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “I’m enjoying this mini-series by Jim Zub and liking how he’s weaving all the characters together through a common theme. Interested to see where Zub takes it and how he wraps up the story.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Jim Zub is able to take what we expect and want from a Conan book and give us exactly that, but also make it fresh and exciting…It works so well and the art is great.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Ivan Gil continues to shine. It’s as if he’s reaching directly into my imagination, plucking imagery at will, then manifesting and augmenting it for the larger audience. It’s just great, and Jao Canola’s colors nail the nuance of setting and mood. Jim Zub’s measured yet faithful approach to Robert E. Howard’s original works build towards a crescendo, hinting that issue three will finally pull back the mask to reveal his full creative vision for this event series. And personally, I can’t wait.”

• Sword and Sorcery Book Club: “Ivan Gil’s artwork shines and it’s really phenomenal. I really like how he represents all these stories that are so classic.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “What I’m really impressed with Zub is how he’s putting these timelines together seamlessly throughout the story…There’s some really good action and art in this as well.”