Zub Tales

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #3 arrived in stores this week. What did critics think of our penultimate issue? Let’s find out-

• 9 Panel Grid: “It’s really cool. I really like what Jim Zub is doing here…It’s a worthwhile trip to be taking and a really fun book.”

• Comic Culture: “I love the pacing in this series. We have a lot of characters, we have very high stakes, and things just keep getting more stressful because the ranks get smaller and smaller…It’s everything you can want and more!”

• Comical Opinions: 8.8/10 “A super solid issue that starts at a leisurely pace, but picks up steam for a hammer-blow of an ending…Jonas Scharf brings the heat in an issue filled with lush jungle landscapes, striking figure work, fantastic use of dramatic shadows to present an air of dread in broad daylight, and gritty action.”

• Cool Thunder: 9.4/10 “The art by Jonas Scharf is nothing short of mesmerizing. Scharf’s detailed, atmospheric visuals perfectly capture the dark, tense atmosphere of the story, with each panel drawing you deeper into the narrative. His depiction of the black stone beast, lurking in the shadows and picking off Conan’s companions, is particularly haunting, making the stakes feel more visceral.”

• DC Patrol: “This comic is phenomenal. I really love the colors and the art style…This is is probably the best one yet.”

• Good Reads: 5/5 “Epic, jam-packed with action and swirling with weird mystery…Battle of the Black Stone is really building up steam. The fire is stoked and ready to burst in a fireball of kaleidoscopic miasma.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “This is such a good story – well written, beautifully illustrated, tons of action but still giving us moments of character build up and emotional drama and pathos. It’s wonderful!”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “I was really surprised at how quick everything was moving in issue two and even more surprised how quick everything is moving in issue three! I’m just going to tell you this – ‘No One Is Safe’…Really cool stuff.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Jim Zub, Jonas Scharf, and Jao Canola continue to reward readers with something distinct from the monthly series, marked by its own unique style and panel flow. It’s not a Conan comic, it’s a Howard comic and that’s a great thing for fans and the author’s legacy.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “This issue is great…I think the writing is great, and Jonas Scharf’s artwork is awesome and Jao Canola does a really great job here.”

• Thinking Critical: “I highly recommend this one. It’s a fun read.”