Writer Jason Aaron, artist Mahmud Asrar, and colorist Matt Wilson will finally return to Conan the Barbarian for a six-issue limited series titled King Conan, which was initially announced by the creators for release in 2020.
Now the story, which functions as a sequel to Aaron, Asrar, and Wilson's previous 2019 Conan the Barbarian run, is scheduled to debut December 22.
In the story, Conan becomes restless sitting on the throne of Aquilonia, deciding to venture out by ship in search of new adventures which Marvel states will "take the story of Conan further than has ever been revealed in any media to date!"
Along the way, old evils will rear their heads and new challenges will arise, all building toward the conclusion of Aaron's personal Conan saga.
"I knew as soon as Mahmud, Matt, and I finished 'The Life and Death of Conan' in Conan the Barbarian, one of the absolute personal highlights from my career as a comic book writer, that I wasn't done hanging out with everyone's favorite Cimmerian," Aaron says in the announcement. "As King Conan rode into the sunset at the end of that story, with his son, Prince Conn, by his side, I always knew where I wanted that story to take us next."
Interestingly, Aaron took a similar path with his long Thor run, ending it with a limited series titled King Thor that flashed forward to Thor's future for a final tale set in Aaron's continuity.
Check out this unlettered preview of King Conan #1 by Aaron, Asrar, and Wilson:
"Now at last comes that next chapter, as Mahmud, Matt and I reunite to reveal a pivotal moment in Conan's life as a king, as a father, as a mortal enemy of snake-worshipping Stygian wizards and as a barbarian who was born to chase the wind, even to the ends of the earth," Aaron concludes.
"By Crom, we're finally bringing the barbarian-turned-king to the readers,” Asrar adds. "It's criminal how much I'm enjoying drawing each panel in this book considering what we're putting him through."
??? has drawn the primary cover to King Conan #1, with variant covers planned from Stephanie Hans, Stan Sakai/Dave Strewart, Marguerite Sauvage, Mr. Garcin, James Stokoe, the late John Buscema (a rare piece recolored), and Alex Maleev. Check them all out here:
King Conan #1 (of 6) goes on sale on December 22.
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