This issue marks the end of 'The Damned Horde' arc. It starts slow, due to Conan being enfeebled by the black disease. The middle of the issue gives us the showdown, some returned characters and their resolution. Then the end sets us up for the next stage of the journey. Making Conan weak for a whole issue was never gonna fly, he's Conan for Crom's sake. So they quickly remove the impediment in a way that seems a little too convenient. There's a lot in this issue and a lot of it feels rushed. The flash-forward to see where some characters end up feels cheap.

Unlike previous issues that end with a bang and a cliffhanger that leaves you begging for more, this one just sort of peters out. I really enjoyed this arc (way more than I thought I would) and every time I got to the end I wanted the next issue. With the way this one ends I could quite easily put the book down and not worry about unresolved story.

The writing is still strong but they try to cram in too much. The team uses various styles of dialogue lettering and boxes to denote who is speaking/narrating. Usually there are only one or two variations in an issue. This one uses all of them and as such feels messy. There's a line on one-page that gives too much information about Conan’s future, effectively preventing certain story-lines.

The artwork is still top-notch, I love the full page art and double page spreads. The color palette is great. The action is well choreographed and depicted. I really like the way this book looks.

Score: 3/5

Conan The Avenger #12 Writer: Fred Van Lente Artist: Brian Ching Colorist: Michael Atiyeh Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 3/25/15 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital