By Crom, it's Barry Windsor-Smith
Conan the Barbarian 17

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COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Conan the Barbarian 17 Universal
Grade: 9.4
Page Quality: WHITE
Certification #: 2014123010
Owner: Lee K

SET DETAILS

Custom Sets: This comic is not in any custom sets.
Sets Competing: By Crom, it's Barry Windsor-Smith  Score: 180
Conan just for RS  Score: 180
Research: See CGC's Census Report for this Comic

Owner's Description

"The Devil-God of Bal-Sagoth!" No BWS art, which is the definition of sadness. No, sadder than that. There's only four issues in this short part of the run where Gil Kane does the covers, and half of those four issues don't have BWS interior art either. This is one of those two issues. Of the Gil Kane covers, this might be the best - but that might be due to Frank Brunner. I really like his work, and I suspect - based on the details in the small places of this cover - that he did more than inks. Finish pencils & inks maybe. It definitely isn't a Brunner layout though. Too 'Marvel Way' for that. At least there's no word balloons.
Let's look at this horribly uncoordinated combat sequence - our big is wearing all the armor, which is really kind of cool although I'm not that sold on the blue gloves - but look at the position he's in his legs are turned one way and his upper torso the other, which makes sense for just having completed a blow, but instead of being in the correct amr and blade position for just having finished a blow, he's flipped his arm and is all wound up for a new blow. I know maybe it sounds silly, but that actually takes time, and the bigger the backswing the more exposed you are to counter attack.
Conan's sword is high - over his head - for fending off the blow from above and looks good. But he's also carrying a chick over his shoulder and climbing a ladder at the same time - all very barbarian stuff. But all very dumb when the bad guy could just kick him off the ladder. Conan may be strong, but armor is heavy and with a body over his shoulder and no hands on the ladder he's just ready to be tumbled to the bottom of whatever he's climbing.
You'd think with a black picture frame cover that it would be difficult to really make a mess with the coloring of the cover - but gods what a mess the coloring is: pink, yellow, blue, grey, red, green - no focus, no artistry.
Overall - well, I don't know if I'd buy this off the spinner rack for 20 cents or not - the scene looks exciting, like I'd want to read about it, but the art - meh.



 
 
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