Barbarians are a dime a dozen in fantasy. While that genre has died down since the 1980s there is some resurgence going on. One of the comics that’s trying to revitalize the genre is “Crone†by Dennis Clover with art by Justin Greenwood and it has all the trappings of the genre.
Barbarian warrior Bliss defeated the evil warlord D’kayde many decades ago. Now, her former warrior friend Gaspar has sought out her help because D’kayde has returned. Problem is, Bliss doesn’t want to go back to that way of life and just wants to die in peace as an old woman living isolated in the mountains.
It starts off as the typical “Conan the Barbarian†ripoff but then it turns into the bad guy has returned story. So far it’s Ok. Nothing but to say about the story except that Bliss doesn’t want to go back to that life and just wants to die.
Again, not that strong of a plot due to how often it’s been done, but there is room for improvement. It could be great but then again it could be terrible. There could be something to Bliss’s suicidal thoughts that can be explored later on and, if done correctly, can add a ton of personality to the character.
There’s also the fact that Bliss is an old woman. That could work, but maybe not in a serious setting. Cohen the Barbarian was a great character in ‘Discworld,†but he was a comedic character. That’s why people loved him. Bliss doesn’t come off as interesting at all so far.
The artwork is OK. The characters when they’re young look like the typical barbarian characters from the 80s with them wearing what’s essentially underwear. That’s a nice callback to the genre that many people have loved for a while. D’Kayde has that horned skull helmet and full body armor that practically every baddie this genre has. There are, however, some weird facial expressions, especially when the characters are supposed to look surprised.
“Crone†seems like a generic “Conan the Barbarian†clone but can be something more if done right. The artwork is reminiscent of the 1980s barbarian fantasy genre with some hiccups. With some work, this can be a great story, but so far it’s generic.
Rocco Sansone is a “man of many interests.†These include anime/manga, video games, tabletop RPGs, YA literature, 19th century literature, the New York Rangers, and history. Among the things and places he would like to see before he dies are Japan, half of Europe, and the New York Rangers win another Stanley Cup.
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