Conan #38
	Story Title: 'The Maze' Writer: Timothy Truman Artist: Cary Nord Colorist: Richard Isanove Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft Cover by: Cary Nord & Richard Isanove Editor: Scott Allie Published by: Dark Horse Comics
	Reviewed by: Bruce Logan

Ever since the writer change (starting issue #33); I have felt that there is something missing, not with the main character or even the supporting ones, or for that matter with the whole dynamic of their travels/stories…that is until this issue. Not only does this installment of Conan have a major occurrence in it, it also, for the first time the last half dozen issues came across as finally catching up with the pace and story style/mood set by the previous creative team.

As for what that major occurrence is I won’t reveal here. What I will say is that even though there were (minor) hints of something like this happening after the last issue, I did not expect it to actually happen or at least happen so soon.

Since I am not touching the main spoiler event of Conan #38 there isn’t much that I can reveal here. Nevertheless, let’s see what I can mention within the limits of safety (i.e. no major spoilage). For starters Conan and Nestor break into the lair of one of the high officials of the Maze’s Guild of Thieves. Talk about robbing the robbers. While Nestor is on lookout duty Conan does the actually breaking and entry. All goes well that is until, thanks to Conan’s knack for stirring up trouble, the duo has a fight on their hands out of which they barely make it out alive of. They reach their hideout just in time to be ambushed once again, this time because of the (forced?) betrayal of one of their closest. As for what follows next falls into the aforementioned ‘not spoiling’ category, go read the issue for that.

Artist Cary Nord has been on Conan for quite some time and it shows in his drawing. He is comfortable with his characters and draws out (punny, eh?) their reactions, emotional as well as physical, quite well. Regarding the colors even though Dave Stewart is my favorite Conan colorist (i.e. on this series); I like Richard Isanove’s style too. The only noticeable difference that I find between the two is that slightly crispier finish that Stewart gives. Then again I could be wrong and that crispier finish could be because of Nord and not because of either colorist. Nevertheless, at the end of the day the visuals are more than a match for the gripping and fast paced writing, and that too without being overly grim and gritty.

Conclusion: One of the better issues of recent months, disheartening plot development notwithstanding.

RATING: 8/10