Jim Zub's Twisting Loyalties part 1: Fangs & Foolish Thieves begins.
The coastal city-state of Kyros in Shem. Bêlit's ship The Tigress secretly pulls into port for repairs and to restock.
Bêlit brings corsair/boyfriend Amra the Lion aka Conan of Cimmeria to the Hidden Haven for some "quiet time". BÊLIT pays for pints of ale and a luxurious, private room.
In flashback we see the mating-dance of Bêlit, whose fathers were kings of Askalon!
Back to the Hidden Haven. Bêlit dances once again for Conan. They make love. Conan compliments Bêlit.
Four brigands: Cass, Norl, a Gunderman mercenary and their leaderess attempt to murder and rob the Queen & King of the Black Coast.
Only the leaderess survives the wrath of the pirates and to save her skin she mentions a precious artifact that can easily be stolen: The Fangs of The Serpent.
Conan is not interested in running off with Stygian antiques... but Bêlit is.
À suivre.
What I did like:
A new arc begins with a new artist: Danica Brine!
Women appear on all of the variant covers. Bravo!
Archaeologist Jeffrey Shanks talks Queen of the Black Coast, The Zarkheba River, Amra the Lion, The Scarlet Citadel, Drums of Tombalku, The Hour of the Dragon, Roy Thomas, The Lost Valley of Iskander, Black Canaan, At the Mountains of Madness, Conan the Rebel by Poul Anderson and The Song of Bêlit by Brian Wood.
An advert for the upcoming Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone special edition action figure based on the art of Rob De La Torre!
3 female characters actually speak! Three!
Denis Medri's cover is something else.
Tarim mentioned.
What I did not like:
Another heist? It's just too soon. Is Zub getting bored with the Barbarian?
Tobacco use portrayed multiple times for no reason whatsoever.
No humour. The guys do not stop fighting when the catfight commences.
Conan never looked so handsome and more immaculate.
The Cimmerian is silly putty in Bêlit's hands.
Conan terminates a tiny thief that is absolutely no threat to him.
Zub's Conan remains an unlikable boorish killer.
No Shuma-Gorath! Not even one tentacle.
No advert for Tim Waggoner's upcoming novel: Conan: Spawn of the Serpent God!
No advert for Tim Lebbon's upcoming novel: Conan: Songs of the Slain!
No advert for Shaun Hamill's upcoming novel: Solomon Kane: Suffer The Witch!
Still NO letters page!
I give it a 6/10. This is Zub in Harlequin Romance mode. Danica Brine does an exceptional job with the uninspired script. Conan as a love sick puppy? Not my cup of tea, dawg.
