Conan the Barbarian #10:The Death

Navigating love from infatuation to a mature devotion reveals itself trickier than plundering the port-side docks of Argos.

Conan the Barbarian issue 10 begins a new story arc beneath the pen (or keyboard, depending on how the author composes) and kinder arms than Crom’s welcome the artwork of Declan Shalvey. This story, entitled "The Death," takes place after Bêlit and Conan’s return from Cimmeria. A terse overview is provided of life aboard ship, a deck party is thrown, an oracle consulted, fornication transpires, a ship with a lone sailor spotted, and the issue ends with the aforementioned lone sailor dead and bloody upon the deck of his ship. Despite slaughter, pirating, and sailing, all tehse factors seem McGuffins to stronger pulse of the story, an exploration of the evolving love between Conan and Bêlit. Issue #5 exposed readers to the concerns and worry of Conan with his regards to Bêlit. Now, issue #10 lets readers peek upon Bêlit’s concerns regarding Conan.

“Devotion” is the first word the narrator casts to the reader. A concept explored, at least in some part…or actively ignored, by those even brushing love marginally. At the outskirts of ennui Bêlit gives a partial response upon her devotion to the sea and Conan: “N’Yaga, I am bored. And, I fear Conan grows restless.” This prompt, this unappreciated contentment, leads Bêlit to consult the counsel of whatever forces N’Yaga congresses, and churns up The Death.

Bêlit’s boredom involves a reputation so fierce that most ships, spying the Tigress, surrender without a fight. She has a fit sailing vessel, a loyal crew, a strong and sympathetic lover, and she’s not in Cimmeria (always a cause for joy), but atop the waves of tropical climates. In a certain aspect she has a piratical life of piratical heaven, perfection. But anyone who has ever read Book 3 of Paradise Lost, knows that perfection, heaven, is rather dull, and starts longing for a return to the flames that cast darkness and the fiery revolutionary defiant liberty-laden speeches of Satan in Book 2. Bêlit, like Milton (if Blake is to be believed) is also of the Devil’s party. Boredom burgeons her longing for strife, conflict, for something interesting to happen.

“And, I fear Conan grows restless.”

While longing for action, Bêlit also still longs for Conan and tries, inaccurately, to read the mind of her lover (how many of us, oh dear readers, have acted in a similar manner?). It’s not only her boredom she fears, but Conan’s boredom as well. Why would Bêlit, who has been so strong and confident and fatalistic ever since she first appeared, suddenly begin to concern herself with such the restlessness of Conan? And if so, why wouldn’t she just ask Conan if he is restless? Such straightforward questions doesn’t always provide truthful answers, whether from deceit or a fear of harming feelings. The narrator notes “Bêlit’s fears were largely unfounded. Conan the Cimmerian was a happy man. The novelty of a seafarer’s life had not left him, and neither had the repetition—both of action and of diet—worn him down.”

Bêlit, as she has been for most of the story arc, is a ship’s length ahead of Conan. Novelty turns to familiarity, and a diet, no matter how tasty, eventually becomes ashen. Bêlit knows what is coming Conan, for she herself has reached it, and she seeks to push beyond that place where all of one’s dreams have come true. For while seductive, Bêlit knows that such stasis slays one’s soul.

Thus The Death is stirred.

The Death.

Perhaps Wood’s story isn’t just applicable to human love, but the love readers possess for Conan tales. How many times can one read an adaptation of a REH story before becoming bored? How many extrapolations can one read about a reaver, a slayer full of gigantic mirth and gigantic melancholy before becoming restless? Why does almost every interpretation of Conan seem the same as each previous interpretation?

The Death?

In his series, Wood seems to be attempting to give readers some different focus on Conan (certainly Wood isn’t unique in this attempt). Conan, like his franchise, is strong, and primal and can carry multiple interpretation and variations and contradiction is his legends. And what if the Conan continuity should contradict itself? Very well then, it contradicts itself. And still, the character survives.

Bêlit and Conan face a new challenge, one unwelcome, even though sought. It is a challenge of plague and trust and command and survival. It will grow and strengthen their relation, give them another plateau from which to launch their love to a different place in order to preserve it. As for the ultimate success of this series...well, readers are encouraged to consult the seer N'Yaga....