Groo Vs. Conan (Fantasy) (Graphic Novel)

by Sergio Aragones, Mark Evanier, & Thomas Yeats

Publisher: Dark Horse Books (April 14, 2015)

Softcover, 104 pages

Groo versus Conan an impossibility that had to happen. From the pencils of Sergio Aragones of Mad Magazine fame.  Here we have the two unconquerable barbarians of comics fame. Well sort of famous. This book ranks up there with other great vs comics such as: Archie vs. Predator, RoboCop vs Terminator, Stormwatch vs. Aliens, and Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula (called Scarlet in Gaslight).  

I'm sure Conan the Barbarian needs no introduction here. The creation of Robert E. Howard in the 1920s and first published in pulp magazines like Weird Tales, Conan has been a part if the American zeitgeist ever since conquering many mediums. From print, then to the comics (Marvel brought him back in the 70s to great success), then to films with Arnold Swartzenegger, cartoons, games, and so on. 

Groo on the other hand never made it past the comic page. He began as a backup feature in one of my favorite old comics Destroyer Duck. Then moved onto his own title first published by Pacific Comics before that company went under, then went to Epic (a Marvel imprint), then Image, and most recently Dark Horse- who put out this volume.  

Groo is an idiot who never stops causing trouble, is ridiculously violent, kills hundreds of people, and never quite understands what's going on. He’s less a protagonist than a force of nature personified. And as he was created to be a parody of comic barbarians like Conan. Naturally the two had to meet. 

The story is framed in an odd manner as it all exists in the drug addled head of Sergio Aragones after he is beaten up a drugged in the hospital. As such there is a strong Don Quixote aspect to the story. As parts of Groo’s saga mirror me check of what the artist is experiencing.  

As you might expect a tale such as this is surreal beyond the norm. The parts of Conan are drawn by Yeats in an entirely different style. It creates an Alice in Wonderland mixture of delusion and seriousness. 

The books is a fun ride, riddled with self effacing comments on the comic and industry as a whole. A homeless bum mentions that his company published Groo before going under. Aragones loses his portfolio and his partner states that it would take him a whole hour to redraw all the pages. Plus everyone confuses him with the Hispanic who created Spy Vs Spy. 

For more readings, try books by Rex Hurst.