Roy Thomas returns to Conan with “Road of Kings”

Roy Thomas is instrumental in the success of Conan in comic books — and by extension in movies — so it’s only appropriate that Dark Horse has turned to Thomas as the current writer of their ongoing “Conan” saga.  The arc in “Road of Kings” 1-6, available as issues now, and set for hardcover collection in January, follows Conan on his journey west along the Road of Kings.

Artist Mike Hawthorne (Fear Agent) draws the series, which begins with Conan as a pirate on the Vilayet Sea.  Over the course of the first six of a planned 12 issues, Conan attempts to deliver the princess Olivia back to her homeland, fighting intrigue and malevolence along the way.  

Hawthorne’s art may come off a little cartoony than what fans of  Cary Nord and Tomas Giorello are used to on “Conan,” but Hawthorne’s storytelling is top-notch.  The Eisner-nominated Hawthorne works well with Thomas, as the information and expressions are conveyed with aplomb.  And Thomas certainly knows this character.  The voice and tone are perfect.  Thomas may have shaded his style slightly to fit into the Busiek and Truman run — if so, he did so seamlessly.  The package is topped off by classic, “Savage Sword of Conan”-style covers by Doug Wheatley.

Overall, a very enjoyable “Conan” arc by a longtime comics master and a talented artist.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,269.  Still to go: 742.