Conan the Barbarian #32 review

Conan is nothing if not a perpetually restless soul. Freshly recovered from his battle with the fierce assassin known as the Son of the Tooth, his mind turns to his next adventure, despite the hospitality shown to him by the people of Khoraja as thanks for defeating the murderous menace. Fortunately for him, the universe is quick to answer his restlessness, though what it delivers may not be what it appears on the surface…

*Mild spoilers ahead for Conan the Barbarian #32*

After taking time to heal from the considerable injuries dealt to him by the Son of the Tooth, Conan quickly finds himself growing restless. Yes, the people of Khoraja have graciously accepted him into their city, even going so far as to offer him positions amongst the city guard or local mercenary companies. Conan rejects all such offers, however, instead waiting for something more enticing to catch his fancy. 

Enter Roya, a mysterious noblewoman who comes seeking the Cimmerian specifically for the task of safeguarding her back to her home on the edge of the eastern desert. In exchange for his service, she promises a great reward worthy of his time and effort. It is an offer Conan finds he cannot refuse. And so at last he departs Khoraja, setting off with Roya the following morning towards parts unknown. 

Picking up immediately from the events of the previous issue, it seemed at first like issue 32 might be a continuation of that story, or perhaps a set-up for the next part of whatever Zub is planning for the Barbarian. Instead, it is largely a standalone story, with the connections to the previous issue being more to establish a reason for Conan to embark on the journey. If anything, it’s almost like an extended epilogue, though even that feels like a bit of a stretch. 

Regardless, the story here is plenty enjoyable even if you haven’t read the previous issues. It’s a typical fantasy quest, fraught with danger both ordinary and supernatural that pushes Conan to his limits. It doesn’t overstay its welcome by dragging the story out far longer than it needs to, and every promise it makes is fulfilled at the end. 

The ending itself is a touch melancholy. Without giving anything specific away. It reminded me a bit of another standalone issue Zub gave us, though perhaps in a less reflective manner. Rather, it paints a picture of the fate awaiting Conan, given his ever-wandering ways. It doesn’t directly set anything up for what’s coming as previous issues have done, nor does it hint at something specific to come. Rather, it just allows this sentiment to linger in the minds of readers. 

As much as I enjoyed the issue, a part of me was honestly hoping for more of a continuation of the story that had been building in the last three issues. Zub has been building up the Woeful Eye over the course of his run on Conan, as well as in his Howardverse mini-series crossovers Battle of the Black Stone and Scourge of the Serpent. Both of the recent storylines in the main series have dealt with the malevolent being, from King Numedides having visions of it and the Son of the Tooth serving it. Given that, I was expecting to see that plotline begin to ramp up. Of course, given the jumping timeline of the Conan books, it makes it a bit difficult to predict exactly what Zub is planning, as the next story arc could take us further into the future. Even so, it just strikes me as odd to spend two arcs building up the Woeful Eye only to then have a seemingly unrelated story. 

Time will tell what Zub has planned for the Barbarian, as well as for Titan Comics’s growing Howardverse. For the moment, though, we can simply enjoy following Conan’s latest journey while we eagerly await what comes next. 

Conan the Barbarian #32 is available now from Titan Comics.