Added on April 2, 2014  Ryan Thomason  belit , brian wood , comic book , comics , Conan

Song of Belit wraps up an epic Sword and Sorcery love story

I was hesitant to finish this Brian Wood written run of Conan the Barbarian from Dark Horse for numerous reasons. First, that it would end. I know it’s a silly thing to make someone hold back because of it, but I genuinely really liked reading every comic in this story. For those who have not read my numerous reviews on this entire run. This is essentially the story of Conan the Barbarian’s first true love. He had two true loves, to be exact. But, Belit the Pirate-Queen of the Black Coast was his first. Conan loved her deeply, though he was but a youth.

Conan The Barbarian: Song of Belit
Writer: Brian Wood
Artist: Paul Azaceta, Riccardo Burchielli, Leandro Fernandez
Colors: Dave Stewart
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 19th, 2014

Buy all the Song of Belit comics to be delivered directly to you: Conan the Barbarian #22, Conan the Barbarian #23, Conan the Barbarian #24, Conan the Barbarian #25

Conan’s times with Belit were full of passion, cunning, savagery and extra savagery.

Did I mention savagery?

Savagery.

It’s such a fitting word, as the final three issues draw to a close. Conan pulling himself from the cloudy haze of Black Locust flowers and their nightmares. Finding the retreating footsteps of his crew, then their bodies. He ends up fighting a man he’d known for years that had his mind lost to madness. Conan can do nothing but put the wild dog of a man out of his misery. Then there is finding Belit. A woman who could not be conquered, not even by Conan. He was but her servant. Always loyal to her, always obedient. Her body hung from her cabin, supported by a half length of rope around the neck. Who could slay this woman? What would go through the savage mind of Conan when seeing all his love and desires hanging on a noose. He stood in the shadows, face only illuminated by his eyes, lost in empty thoughts.

It wasn’t a man that killed Belit, that’s for sure. Nor was it a beast. But a being from an ancient race that existed before humanity could rise out of the primordial soup. Apelike with leathery wings, they were a deeply intelligent race, then the Ice Age wiped them nearly out. Woods retelling of their story, hiding in caves, inbreeding, creating a generation after generation of further degradation in their once proud race. It’s a bit of the Robert E. Howard coming out, I could tell. The darkness in the words, the prose, it was just gripping to me.

These last three issues deal with closing on a pivotal part in Conan’s life. Losing his first love, and finding out how to move on to the man he must be. Closing his story on sea raider and Pirate King, then settling for a more adventures on land. But in a way that only Conan can do. Which is with savagery. The Song of Belit arc in this fantastic run closes one of my favorite Robert E. Howard stories. If you’re looking for a Conan comic that while delivering on all the things you know true about Conan (Savagery) but want to see a different side, maybe a little motivation on why he is who he is. You should pick up this comic run. It is well worth it for the love story, the artwork throughout, the fantastic writing of Brain Wood. But, don’t forget, the savagery.