Konnichiwa minna-san! I wanted to post a link to my latest review on YouTube. This is an update to a blog review I did in July 2019. (Here’s a link to the original review.) The video is just 8 minutes long. I recorded this on my phone and added an audio voiceover later. The microphone on my phone is not great for loudness. If you have any suggestions for improvements or would like to see a video review of something else, please let me know in the comments. Arigatou!
My Thoughts
Groo vs. Conan is a funny, entertaining story and a great crossover. Two seemingly indestructible warriors–one without a clue–go head-to-head. Who will emerge victorious? I really liked the Rashomon-style in which this epic battle was reported by various characters in the narrative–who is telling the “true” story? It was also nice to see Sergio Aragones and co-writer Mark Evanier appearing as themselves in the story, acting as a framing narrative as well as a comedy duo. Some of their scenes had me laughing out loud.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the titular characters. Also to those who enjoy a funny story with meta-themes and some great artwork. Aragones’s drawing is as good as ever and Thomas Yeates offers an excellent depiction of Conan’s world. When these two worlds collide, the results are very entertaining.
Recommended!
Thanks for reading.
-Wakizashi, *recovering from an awesome cycle to the sea and back in 30-degree heat with 75% humidity. Yonago is very moist at the moment.*
Wakizashi's Reviews 
You could add a cup of tea to your videos. After all, it’s a teahouse.
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Great idea! 🙂 Thanks Jeroen.
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What possessed you to take a bike ride in that kind of weather?
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Do you know that saying about Mad Dogs and Englishmen?…
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Beyond that it is expressing that it’s hot out, not really.
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We like to “go out in the midday sun,” or so they say. Today was the first time it wasn’t raining in almost 2 weeks, so I was bonkers enough to go cycling. 😉
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Ahhh, that explains it then. Yeah, being forced indoors is a toughie…
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Groo and Conan were two of my favorite characters back when I was actively collecting. This came out after that, though, so it’s new to me. Too funny, such completely different styles of artwork and story blended together. I may have to go look for this one. Sergio Aragones is such a genius.
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Groo was the first comic I bought with my own money, back when you could buy a comic book almost anywhere. I loved its bonkers humour and, of course, Sergio Aragones’ mind-blowing detail in his art.
My brother used to collect the old Savage Sword of Conan from Marvel Comics, do you remember that one, Todd? Brilliant black-and-white art. I wish we still had them!
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The humor in Groo is just fantastic, and like you said, so is the art. So much to look at and so many little details that do factor into the story or humor. I’d love to reread those.
I just took a quick look through my collection and found a single issue of Savage Sword and another of Conan Saga, both the slightly over sized black-and-white ones. I do love that artwork and wish I’d collected more than the single issues. Looks like most of my earlier collecting had been the Marvel runs of King Conan and Conan the King in the early to mid-80’s. But I also started collecting again in the early 2000’s so I have some of the run of Conan the Cimmerian from Dark Horse and some of their limited series. That was a period when I didn’t have the time to read but couldn’t stop buying the issues so I have lots of comics I’ve yet to read. I think there’s some Groo from that period, too. This has me getting nostalgic about it and thinking maybe it’s time to start going through what I have, getting it all sorted into series, and start reading some of them. 🙂
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I’ve heard that the Dark Horse Conan series is really good. I’d love to know your thoughts after you read it.
Nostalgia is kicking in, right? Tell me about it! I’ve found myself returning to some of my old favourites such as Groo and Usagi Yojimbo–which is still going, by the way. The recent output from the “Big 2” comics publishers has left me unimpressed. There are some good indie titles still out there, but the current pricing policy seems to have finally extinguished my collector’s fire. Besides, there is still a plethora of quality back-issues and classic collections that I have never read, just waiting for me…
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