“Beyond the Black River”
Writer: Mathieu Gabella adapted from story by Robert E. Howard
Artist: Anthony Jean
Balthus has arrived in the province of Conajohara which was recently conquered and settled by the Aquilonians. He is rescued from a Pict by Conan who is a scout at Ft. Tuscalan. They find a merchant killed by a demon of Zogar Sag. Zogar has managed to unite the various Pict clans to attack the province. Conan is assigned to go across the Black River and kill him. He takes Balthus and eleven other men. They are ambushed and Balthus is captured. He is to be eaten by a giant snake that Zogar calls but is rescued by Conan.
“Beyond the Black River”
by Robert E. Howard
The first part of Howard’s story.
This is the first part of an adaptation of a Howard story that was clearly influenced by James Fenimore Cooper. The author who wrote about the early American frontier of colonial times. This is one of my favorites. It was the first story I read in the black and white Savage Sword. I love the frontier vibe mixed in with tribal sorcery and savage animals. The adaptation is good and true to the source material. The only problem I have is the artist’s interpretation of Conan. He gives him this half-shaved head and a man bun. Conan is not some hipster. He looks nothing like I would image him to look.
Comic book cave of awesome 
I had high hopes for these European-flavoured adaptations as some kind of antidote to the conventional Marvel/Dark Horse Conan, but I don’t think they really work, do they? Maybe I’m too attached to Buscema’s version after all, but there’s something just off with how these artists tackle the Cimmerian.
LikeLiked by 1 person