P. Craig Russell is a legendary comics artist/creator. 

Known for his elegant style that touches upon classical drawing as well as classic cartooning techniques, Russell is not known for writing original material but as a skilled and often brilliant adapter.

He has adapted books, films and even operas into comic books and graphic novels.

In adapting stories into the comic book form, Russell proves himself a brilliant editor. 

Here, Russell adapts “The Jewels of Gwahlur,” a short story by Robert E. Howard, Conan’s creator.

Conan is caught in a story that is part adventure, part horror story and part political thriller. The plot involves factions seeking political gain and riches trying to manipulate an ancient oracle set among ruins. Though often known as “the Barbarian,” Conan proves himself the smartest political animal in this tale of intrigue.

Russell presents his own take of Howard’s character. Ever since artist Frank Frazetta on a legendary series of paperback covers and John Buscema in his famed run on the comic books, Conan has been a massively muscled barbarian that has the build of a young Arnold Schwarzenegger (which made him the perfect choice to play Conan in the 1980s movies).

But Russell’s Conan is a more tawny, lithe barbarian. No less strong but more like the character described in the Howard stories and more like what the world would produce from a character who is living a strenuous life but not one lifting weights several hours a day.

Readers aware of Russell’s style and history shouldn’t be surprised by a leaner, more graceful looking Conan. Russell worked on an early Marvel Conan comic with the equally legendary Barry Windsor-Smith back in the early 1970s. Smith was Marvel’s first Conan artist and he also drew a far leaner barbarian than the subsequent Buscema version that has since become the model for the character.

In addition to the Russell adaptation, the “Other Stories” include a couple lesser Conan tales that are enjoyable but cannot compare to Russell’s “Jewels.”