Conan: Of Swordsmen and Sorcerers Comic Review (#85)

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The idea of these short reviews is to give you a quick overview of what this issue is about (or remind you if you’ve forgotten!).

I try to give as much information as possible without spoiling any plots or twists, though of course there are likely to be some mini-spoilers… so read on dog-brother!

Conan and Zula clash swords with a giant ethereal eagle blazing behind them on the cover of Conan the Barbarian #85, announcing the origin of Zula and a battle against Stygia.

Conan the Barbarian #85 – Of Swordsmen and Sorcerers

Writer/Editor: Roy Thomas
Illustrators: John Buscema and Ernie Chan
Colorist: Phil Rache
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Consulting Editor: Archie Goodwin
Cover Penciller: John Buscema
Cover Inker: Ernie Chan
Published: Marvel, April 1978

Cover

We find out from the cover that we’re going to learn the origin of Zula — and we do. This cover is really nice, even better than the last one.

There’s a wider colour range, and we see a semi-transparent eagle or bird of prey between Zula and Conan, who appear to be fighting — a surprise since they were best buddies last issue.

I absolutely love this cover. Another great Buscema and Chan collaboration.

Art

The art is absolutely fantastic. If you’re into ’70s comic art, this is peak Buscema. Wide, dramatic panels packed with detail — it’s all here.

The standout is Zula’s origin story. The colouring is fantastic and the story is gripping.

You can see shifts in art style between stories, with some backstory scenes being thin and detailed, and others much bolder — a great touch.

Bêlit recounts past events involving her mentor and uncle as she and Conan prepare for a journey toward Luxur. Flashbacks highlight political intrigue and rebellion in Stygia.

Story

This issue doesn’t move the story forward much. Instead, we get a recap of recent events, mainly Conan catching Zula up with what’s been going on.

We get to recall N’yaga’s grim fate (turned into an old lady), then Conan enters a strongman competition and finally punches a giant.

The highlight is Zula’s origin, easily the strongest part.

Given how hard it was to track down past issues in the ’70s, it makes sense that we get a recap from time to time, but it does slow the pace a bit.

You can read more from the behind the scenes in the mega-insightful books, Barbarian Life from Roy Thomas.

Conan summarizes his past exploits, including battles against giants, encounters with priests, and his promise to help Bêlit. He and Zula fly toward the city of magicians.

Howard Accuracy / Faithfulness

This one’s interesting. Conan breaks a bond — something rare for him. But he does it to honour another bond.

Which one matters more is left for the reader to decide. Also, we get a clear reminder of how much Conan hates sorcery — something very true to Howard’s original work.

Character Spotlight

Zula again takes the spotlight. His background story is intriguing.

We get to learn more about Stygia — and in particular Khemi and Kheshatta.

It’s a very interesting story, and I’m looking forward to spending more time following his adventures as well.

Zula recounts his origin as a Zamalian prince sold into slavery and led through deserts into Stygia. The final panel reveals the towering city of magicians, Khemi.

Best Panel or Scene

My favourite panel is probably the half — or a bit more than half — a page picture of Zula arriving at Kheshatta (pictured above).

It’s beautifully drawn and gives a pretty spooky feeling from the outset. The page following it absolutely follows along that path.

It looks like we’re about to meet a very nasty old wizard.

Where to Buy

It’s probably easiest to get hold of in the new Titan Conan Omnibus #4, or look for it as a single issue of Conan the Barbarian #85 – Of Swordsmen and Sorcerers on eBay or similar platform.

Final Thoughts & Rating

RATING: 7.5/10 I enjoyed the issue a lot because of Zula’s origin, but the rest of it didn’t move the main story forward enough.

It served more as a recap of recent events, which felt like a bit much all in one go.

That said, it’s got me excited to see where things go next. And the art is truly phenomenal. It honestly doesn’t get much better than this, in my humble opinion.

The epilogue returns to Bêlit and Neftha, and it feels like the storylines may soon collide.