Conan the Barbarian and Dragon Rider, two icons of fantasy comics, meet in Shadow of the Dragon, a volume published by Panini Comics

Los crossovers They have been an intrinsic part of comics almost since its inception, something especially notable when we talk about the field of superheroes. But in the world of sword and sorcery these crossovers between universes also occur, and Conan is a good example of this, since the Cimmerian even became part of a subgroup of the Avengers From Marvel Comics. On this occasion he has to share adventures with what for many is his counterpart of Italian origins, Ian Aranillin a volume published by Panini Comics under the title of Dragon Rider/Conan: Shadow of the Dragon.

Sergio Bonelli goes beyond boundaries

The publisher’s characters Sergio Bonelli They were already used to meeting world stars in their cartoons. Nathan Mai met the Justice League, Murmur ran alongside Flash, Dylan Cane he kept his gaze fixed Batman Yes Habaras had to endure Joker. But beyond DC Comics There was another American publisher willing to join forces with the Italians: Dark Horse. And this is how the idea of ​​combining them into a single comic was born Dragonero Conan has already become a reality.

From here on, it is the authors responsible for Dragonero who take the helm and begin to orchestrate a story in which we have to forget about the continuity and coherence of each character’s universes and focus on creating a fun and epic story with the fans. of these two fantasy icons will appreciate.

It’s cake time

As often happens in crossovers of this type, not much space is given to the construction of a solid background or the development of the characters, but what is sought is to find a quick way, little more than an excuse, to unite the two protagonists and make them collaborate in an adventure full of glorious moments.

This time it’s the barbarian who enters Erondarthe world of the two moons by Ian Aranill (although we will see later Iboria Also). To no one’s surprise, he goes in search of a treasure that is now in the power of a dragon, the one that gives the work its title. Soon you will meet the AlgentiAranill’s regular enemies, reason enough for both of them to join forces and embark on an adventure that will aim to recover the dragon’s treasure and prevent their respective worlds from coming to an end.

But until we reach the conclusion we will see this pair of adventurers cross paths with other warriors, with supernatural beasts, with horrible demons and, of course, with a dragon. Although perhaps what most arouses the interest of this couple’s followers are those moments in which the inevitable tension between the two leads them to the point of trying to kill each other…

Conan Italian style

It’s not that we haven’t already seen Cimmerian art several times in the hands of artists with the most diverse styles. A good proof of this is the series he is currently publishing Comic planet titled Conan the Cimmerian in which we see the barbarian more European than ever. But there is never enough of this, and the work here of Lorenzo Nuti it’s remarkable.

Nuti offers pages full of epicness and grandeur, glorious fights in which our protagonists will shine like rarely before. And all this with a color that adapts very well to the story and a composition based on large cartoons that gains a lot with a large edition like the one that Panini Comics offers us with this volume. On the negative side of the graphics, perhaps it should be noted that on many occasions the faces of the characters seem too sketchy and without distinctive features, which is particularly harmful when it comes to the protagonist duo.

Him tome published by Panini Comics in hard cover contains 192 pages A color with a page size of 23 x 30 cm and includes the translation of Sergio Bonelli’s edition of Dragonero/Conan: Shadow of the Dragon. The volume also includes all issue covers, including a large section of bonus material at the end. The recommended retail price is €35 and it went on sale in October 2024.

Dragon Rider/Conan: Shadow of the Dragon

It was inevitable that one day Conan the Barbarian and Dragon Rider, two icons of fantasy comics, would meet, or better yet, cross swords. From Erondár to the Hyborian continent, discover the incredible journey of the Cimmerian and Ian Aranill, on the trail of a terrible dragon and the gems he stole… A frenetic saga written by Luke Enoch (Lilith) yes Stefano Vietti (Black Dragon: Sinalma) and designed by Lorenzo Nuti (The Beasts of the Black City). Dragonero’s origin stories are illustrated by Giuseppe Matteoni (Nyx).

Authors: Stefano Vietti, Lorenzo Nuti, Giuseppe Matteoni and Luca Enoch