Conan the Barbarian is a title many recognize as the classic barbarian who appears throughout media. For comics the epic of Conan wanders throughout publishers from Marvel, Dark Horse, to publishers where he’s public domain. From his return to Marvel some of the House of Ideas best alumni take their shots with the Cimmerian. From Jason Aaron, Roy Thomas, and many artists who try to capture the pure essence of the character. During a small miniseries celebrating 25 years of an imprint about a cyberpunk future, Gerry Duggan and Roge Antonia bring in the Cimmerian to this bleak future. This is Conan 2099; needless to say spoilers ahead.
The New 2099
Marvel 2099 details one or more possible futures in a cyberpunk setting. The original setting from 1992 satirizes corporate takeovers, greed, and corruption. So in order to bring levity, heroes inspired by their late 20th century counterparts come into the fray. Some like Spider-Man 2099 Miguel O’Hara are huge successes appearing semi-regularly in other media. This along with Doom 2099 proves popular enough to get an imprint in dedication to the setting. However trying to include every Marvel character into this setting proves to be a challenge. Punisher 2099 is just a cut-and-paste carbon copy of Frank Castle and Stan Lee-original Ravage is rather one-sided in its message of corporate pollution. So how does Conan 2099 flourish in a revisited setting that recycles the latter theme?
Conan 2099 Is A Constant
Conan 2099 follows not a successor or a Conan-in-name-only but the Cimmerian himself; unlike all of the other characters who are less interesting reboots of the classic Marvel alumni. So how does Conan fit into a future world full of corporate/political corruption? That’s just it, he doesn’t. Conan is many things: a warrior, a thief, a king, and to some a hero; but one thing he’s not is a sell-out. Gerry Duggan knows that while Conan is iconic, he doesn’t want the character to become a commodity. This one-shot could easily have been a piece about naturalists resisting political conflicts with Doctor Doom. But portraying that would just be endorsing naturalism like it’s some kind of lifestyle trend. Instead this story is about the legend of Conan the Barbarian.
In this future world Conan has become a king again. No one really knows or cares how because it’s Conan. While he is a king, he’s not a politician so when Morgan Le Fay wants his land for protection from Dr. Doom, Conan rebukes her. Only to be cursed by Le Fay to be haunted by her spirit. Eventually she would even have Conan’s body with time or he lets go of his sanity. And Le Fay has nothing but time since she gives Conan eternal life. As the climate change crisis goes on, Conan decides to let his people decide their own fates. After killing off any usurpers to his throne he goes back to wandering the world.
Bashing The Critics
A number of readers find that Conan sticks out like a sore thumb in Marvel 2099; yet that’s kind of the point. While the creatives at Marvel are trying to make the future setting relevant with a political affair, it just feels uninspired. What readers get is uninteresting and somewhat preachy commentary on a climate crisis and the politics involved. Gerry Duggan’s Conan 2099 meanwhile are about retaining an identity. As Le Fay tries to get Conan to give in, the Cimmerian perseveres refusing to bow to anyone. Neither does Conan force his way on others, refusing to accept scraps from his some of his former subjects. The Cimmerian wants them to live by their own ends not give into something he turned away.
What makes Conan legendary however is not just how he doesn’t compromise his simple life but how. Talking to a ghost might make him look mad but Conan knows how to outsmart his enemies. With how Le Fay’s curse acts, Conan takes a risk to end the curse that could’ve cost his life. Through a Nova helmet and ship that flies him close to the sun as well as some dirt, Conan manages to exorcise Le Fay. For it, Conan is rewarded with the power to wander the cosmos. With this the legend of Conan cements itself in this version of 2099.
The Legend of Conan 2099 Begins As It Ends
Conan 2099 is where renditions of properties are meant to be. With a name as notable as Conan, creators like Gerry Duggan have to capture the spirit of that title. Conan is the spirit of dissatisfaction with civilization as it hides man’s inner barbarism. In civilization, people in power have traded bloodlust for deception which is what caused the rise of megacorporations and dirty politics in 2099. Morgan Le Fay is trying to get Conan to submit to this status quo in order to elevate herself at Conan’s expense; and the Cimmerian will have none of that. Conan fighting against civilization actually makes perfect sense for 2099. However, him joining a battle against corporate greed would be a waste of time.
Conan is by no means a civilized person, neither does he fight in battles he has no chance in winning. For the Cimmerian, what makes him notable here is his willingness to accept the world as what it is. This allows him awareness of what goes on around him without falling into its pitfalls. Unlike the rest of the 2099 Marvel characters.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels