By d. emerson eddy — Since Marvel regained the Conan license last year, they have done wonders with it. Month in and month out, there are fantastic stories of sword and sorcery being told in comics like Conan the Barbarian, Savage Sword of Conan, Age of Conan, and Savage Avengers, all of which expand on the lore and adventures of Robert E. Howard's barbarian son. The creators have woven tales throughout Conan's history, showing new and old aspects, while also fleshing out many of his well-known supporting characters. Conan the Barbarian: Exodus #1 continues all of this, delving into the previously untold tale of Conan's first time leaving Cimmeria.

Esad Ribić is one of my favourite artists currently working in comics. He's got a visceral, painted style that calls to mind the fantasy art of Frank Frazetta or the comics art of John Buscema. It's worked very well paired with Jason Aaron's pen on Thor: God of Thunder, as well as with the brutal sci-fi arena battles with Ivan Brandon on Vs. Ribić is a master of showing grace and beauty in graphic violence. Something that comes together very well with Conan.

Ribić writes and illustrates this one, and in doing so, he takes a fascinating risk. This is largely a silent issue. The dialogue that does appear in the issue (lettered by Travis Lanham) is all in runes and largely unintelligible. That means that almost the entirety of the storytelling is done through the artwork. In a silent issue, if not careful, a story like this could be incomprehensible, making it impossible to discern what's going on. If too simple, readers could breeze right through it and end up feeling unfulfilled. Ribić falls into neither of these traps. Instead, he presents a story rich in detail as Conan fights his way through the elements, through packs of animals, and finally through his first confrontation with the peoples of the south.

The action, landscapes, and animals throughout the story are gorgeous. They invite you to go back and linger on each page, soaking in the beauty of the tale as you progress. Conan's battle with a bear, in particular, is hilarious, and it gives an explanation for where he got one of the necklaces he regularly wears. An interesting facet of this story is that even simple things help lay the groundwork for more elements that come throughout the character's history.

You need not have previously read any of Conan's comics to understand and appreciate this one. Esad Ribić and Travis Lanham present a story of man versus nature that becomes man versus man, and it can be enjoyed simply on its own. Just as this serves as an introduction of the south to Conan, it can serve as an introduction to Conan for new readers.

Conan the Barbarian: Exodus #1
Writer & Artist: Esad Ribić
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.