Scourge of the Serpent part 3 (of 4): Behind the Mask. The epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics is almost over.
The Thurian Age of Kull of Atlantis (from Robert E. Howard's The Shadow Kingdom).
Gonar the Seeker (from Kings of the Night) reminds the reader once again that the impossible to comprehend verity is that time and space do not exist, that EVERYTHING is transpiring NOW.
The Hall of Society, King Kull sits upon his throne and gazes upon the courtiers, the ladies, the lords and the statesmen. The King of Valusia wonders... are they all shape-changers plotting his demise?
Chief councilor Tu alerts his King that the hour of the council is at hand.
Kull and his Pict ally, Brule follow the councilors to the council room.
The door of the council chamber is now closed, all seventeen councilors place themselves in the order of their rank before Kull's dais. Brule remains by Kull's side.
The councilors begin moving toward Kull. Brule utters the words: "Ka nama kaa lajerama!". All the councilors become serpent-men!
Kull the Conqueror and Brule the Spear-Slayer start slaying.
The Hyborian Age of Conan (from Robert E. Howard's The God in the Bowl).
Conan modifies his grip on his sword and marches into the adjacent room to face Kallian Publico's murderer.
Over a heavy gilded screen, the Cimmerian spots a gigantic serpent with a cold inhumanly beautiful face, it attacks him, Conan starts slashing.
Boston, Massachusetts 1934 (from Robert E. Howard's The Haunter of the Ring).
Evelyn Gordon is now a Serpent-Woman... she fires point-blank at her husband and grazes occult investigator/professor John Kirowan in the shoulder.
James Gordon goes down, Kirowan senses a hidden vile presence from his past and tries to communicate with it.
Evelyn reverts back to herself and realizes that she has maimed her mate.
Kirowan reaches Joseph Roelocke's spirit... who is actually Kirowan's old nemesis: the Hungarian, Yosef Vrolok (a Dracula (Bram Stoker) homage)!
Years ago in Budapest, Kirowan and Vrolok dabbled in the supernatural.
Vrolok descended to the foul depths of forbidden occultism and diabolism, Kirowan refused to do the same.
Vrolok robbed Kirowan of the only woman he ever loved. Kirowan tried, but wasn't able to kill Vrolok.
Vrolok thinks that with the ancient and accursed ring of Thoth-amon, he will be able to prevent Kirowan from reincarnating. Vrolok and Kirowan start fighting.
The mysterious Set siren first seen in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #24 appears before Kirowan, Kull and Conan as their realities are dematerializing.
To be concluded.
What I did like:
The new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics has been announced: Conan the Barbarian: Tides of the Tyrant-King (Thulsa Doom). #0 will be completely free and in stores May 2, 2026.
Thoth-Amon, Kalanthes' deadly foe, is seen!
Women appear on two of the variant covers!
Nice covers by Gerardo Zaffino, Ashleigh Izienicki, Stuart Sayger & Max von Fafner!
Ivan Gil pays homage to Roberto de la Torre's cover for Scourge of the Serpent #1 (which were Kull the Conqueror (1983) #9 & #10 cover homages).
Kirowan resembles actor Peter Cushing.
A "bande dessinée franco-belge" version of Conan the Barbarian.
Archaeologist Jeffrey Shanks talks The Haunter of the Ring, Algernon Blackwood, William Hope Hodgson, Seabury Quinn and The Phoenix on the Sword.
What I did not like:
THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN: REFORGED will end with issue #4. Color me disappointed!
Robert E. Howard's name is still not on the cover! IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST NAME ON THE COVER!
The God in the Bowl Man-Serpent does not speak a single word!
Still no Ishiti (Snake Goddess of Set from Conan the Barbarian (1970) #134 & #139).
Roelocke/Vrolok in his dressing gown of Chinese silk worked with dragons is never seen.
The transcosmic evil/the black elemental spirit/the nameless shape that roams the gulfs of Darkness/the godless sprite from outside the human universe... does not appear.
The editor is not doing his job.
Jim Gordon should have gotten hit in the scalp not in the thorax.
Donnelly is a Doctor, Kirowan is not.
I give it an 8/10. Zub is finally adding his own twists and turns to his three adaptations. It's the penultimate issue and we still do not know what the serpent god is planning for humanity. Who is the mysterious Set siren? Will our heroes ever team up? Is there light at the end of the maze or only darkness? Will the final issue give us some answers? Let's hope so.
