Artists Roberto De La Torre and Frank D'Armata are returning to the Hyborian Age for a one-night-only style affair with a newly-revealed variant cover to next month's Conan the Barbarian #24 - with Geoff Shaw drawing the main cover.
La Torre drew Conan in the past for Marvel, including the short story 'Die By the Sword' written by Chris Claremont in this past spring's King Conan #1 anthology.
This issue by writer Jim Zub and artist Cory Smith is part of the current 'The Land of the Lotus' arc, set in the country of Khitai - which is vaguely representative of Asian cultures. In Conan the Barbarian #24 he's attempting to return home from Khitai, but his journey back is being held up by a sea storm.
"Conan sails home from his adventures in Khitai...but crossing the sea will prove to be his deadliest experience yet!" reads Marvel's description of the issue. "If the crew is to survive, they'll need to pull together against the forces of nature...but is there something else at play? And who can Conan trust?"
This is all leading up to September 8's Conan the Barbarian #25 - the 300th issue of Conan the Barbarian, between the different volumes of the comic book series over the years. Zub and Smith will have the lead story in that issue, with Conan's sea adventures this summer transitioning to his storied time with the queen of the seas, Bêlit.
Conan the Barbarian #25 will also have three additional stories:
- the Amazing Spider-Man duo of Dan Slott and Marcos Martin reuniting for a Conan the thief era story
- Conan editor-turned-writer Larry Hama returns for a story about "a hotheaded young" Conan
- Hama's former assistant Conan editor Christopher Priest, who also wrote some Conan in the '80s, returns for a King Conan story pitting the aged barbarian against the returning Wraarl, Devourer of Souls
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Conan the Barbarian #24 goes on sale on August 25, with Conan The Barbarian #300 on September 8.
All of Marvel's Conan comics - including Conan the Barbarian #24 and #25 - are made available digitally the same day they do in print. For the best reading experience, check out our recommended best digital comics readers for Android and iOS devices.
