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Checkout FunnyFact.com | SuperHeroBooks - Conan And The Demons Of Khitai (Conan (Graphic Novels))
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List Price: $12.95
Our Price: $5.99
Your Save: $ 6.96 ( 54% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5
EAN: 9781593075439
ISBN: 159307543X
Label: Dark Horse
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 96
Publication Date: 2006-07-19
Publisher: Dark Horse
Studio: Dark Horse
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Adaptation
Comment: As the other review has stated, Dark Horse has done an excellant job with the Conan storys. They are more vibrant and real than the old Marvel comics. And I say that as a fan of the Marvel series, having grown up reading them. The Dark Horse version of Conan is just more "alive" and fresh. The only complain I have about The Demons of Khitai was that it was over way too soon.
Customer Rating:
Summary: SOLID ART BUT A FLAT, ILLOGICAL PLOT
Comment: Dark Horse has done a truly magnificent job since acquiring the rights to do Conan comics. The reprint editions of the original Marvel comics with re-mastered art and commentary by Roy Thomas have been fabulous. The adaptations of the original Robert E. Howard stories have been dead on, and their original material has largely been brilliant. Unfortunately Conan and the Demons of Khitai is a bit of a step backwards. The book reprints the four issue mini-series written by Akira Yoshida with art by Paul Lee.
The basic premise has King Conan leaving on a diplomatic mission to Khitai, the Hyborian Age's amalgam of Japan and China, to establish trade with the strange kingdom of the far east. He does this after receiving an invitation from a mysterious Khitan priestess who gives Conan a map to follow and yet somehow never gives her name. Now, Conan may be a barbarian but he's not stupid. Khitai is just about the furthest kingdom from Aquilonia, a journey that would take months to complete. Conan leaves his kingdom with only a handful of guards on a trip that will take him through many hostile and enemy lands. By this time, Conan is no stranger in the world. He's well known...he's a king after all. The idea that he would leave his kingdom, where he still has many enemies seeking to get this barbarian usurper off the throne, on a journey that will take months, and accompanied by only a half-dozen or so guards, certainly qualifies as fool-hardy. Now, perhaps this is an older King Conan and he's left his son Conn in charge but judging from his appearance, this is a youthful King Conan and I would place this story before the events in "Hour of the Dragon" where Conan first encounters the slave girl Zenobia who he would make his queen.
Conan's guards are set upon by a terrible beast and killed except for Pallantides, the Captain of Conan's Black Dragon guard who is severely wounded. Conan and Pallantides are captured by a band samurai-like warriors and taken to their city. Their ruler does not believe Conan's story, believing him to be a thief who stole the map to an ancient temple that is haunted by a demon warrior named Shinzen who stole Khitai's greatest treasure, a sword called the Blade of Balance. Forcing a blood oath from Khitai's ruler, Conan, Pallantides and a pair of hand-picked guards will now head to the ancient temple for a showdown with the Demon Warrior Shinzen.
It's not a terrible story but Yoshida erred by setting this during the time when Conan was king. Logic simply doesn't dictate Conan going on this folly of a journey himself when he could have easily sent other diplomats to foster a mere trade agreement with Khitai.
The story is saved by the art of Paul Lee whose art provides a lush, painted look with the kind of bright colors and hues one would expect from an exotic setting like Khitai. He also depicts Conan quite well---Brawny yet lithe like a lion, and full of barbaric rage when threatened. He paces the action scenes quite well. I'll give the story a 2 and the art a four a final rating of three stars.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
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Editorial Reviews:
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Set many years in the future from the award-winning ongoing series, Conan and the Demons and Khitai marks Conan's first appearance as King in Dark Horse's best-selling comics revival of the legendary fantasy hero. When King Conan receives an invitation from the Eastern kingdom of Khitai to open trade in precious jewels and spices, he decides that he will travel into this long-mysterious land. Yet to do so is perilous, as those who have requested his company may have far more devious intentions, and beasts unseen by Western eyes lurk amidst the shadows.
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