The Creators – Gerry Duggan – Writer, Patrick Zircher – Artist, Java Tartaglia – Colours, Travis Lanham – Letters

The Players – Conan, Doctor Strange, Doctor Doom, Kulan Gath, Kang, Juggernaut, Daredevil, Wolverine, Black Widow, Magik, Black Knight, Ghost Rider, Shuma-Gorath

The Story – In one corner is Kulan Gath, master of all and in the other is a ragtag bunch of heroes calling themselves Avengers who might be the world’s only hope in defeating the monster.

The Take – Suffice it to say, this issue has been a long time in the coming, twenty-six to be exact and it is nice to see what everyone knew was coming, finally take place within the pages of this issue. Kulan Gath always makes for a good villain, no matter what time period he is placed into and over the course of this series, seeing Conan moved into the current day Marvel Universe has been a lot of fun but this is a book that could have been a six-issue miniseries if they had cut out all the filler. That being said, it never lacked for entertainment and seeing Conan do his thing and encounter all the various people and places he has never before encountered made for a good time. Thankfully, the creators of this book knew it was time to wrap things up and so it is that Conan along with Doctor Doom, Doctor Strange and Kang the Conqueror stand with a group of heroes and a bargain most foul made with Shuma Gorath to defeat Gath for good. Gerry Duggan does a great job at tieing things up even though this is not the last issue and Patrick Zircher continues to handle the artistic duties as only he can, making it not only come alive but painting a picture of a truly horrific Shuma Gorath. Even when it is all said and done, it is not and Doom along with Kang come up with a plan to stop Gath from ever committing another atrocity again, from ever being a threat and Strange objects quite vociferously. As it is, Conan has no such qualms at what is discussed and it makes for an interesting ending to the book, one that may or may not succeed but makes for great reading. When all is said and done, for those that stuck with the book, this ending will deliver and though it might signal the end of Conan remaining in modern times, the freshness of that idea was sure to wear thin had it continued for very much longer.

Worth It? – Yes.