The Savage Sword Of Conan - Volume 01 Issue 01

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My Rating

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“Savage Tales Of Savage Swords (Introductions)”

Roy Thomas pens an excellent history of Marvel Comics first run of “The Savage Sword of Conan”. From its brief beginnings to the heyday when Stan Lee championed the project, there were both ups and downs. The 1970’s were truly the age of high adventure.

“Map Of The Hyborian Age”

A beautifully black and white map is presented with every detail of Hyboria during the time of Conan. It appears the map was created in full color but printed in grayscale. Prepare to use a magnifying glass as the details are quite small. Hopefully Titan releases a full size version of the map for every fan to enjoy.

“Conan And The Dragon Horde”

The warm season had arrived early to the walled city state of Ul-Dalkhana. It mattered not to the king and his subjects trapped within the gilded cage, but for Prince Zaahid and his army of mercenaries, their siege began to wane from the scorching heat outside. Each day Zaahid’s commanders called ranks like fervent taskmasters only to find less and less of their subordinates still remaining. It was only the hardened warmongers who stayed now and watched as the siege machines laid waste to domed towers and parapets in ritual progression.

Gold, a river of it for each man, was the promised reward to any who helped free it from the mines underneath Ul-Dalkhana. As the days progressed into a mired routine of those being assaulted and those awaiting a compact of surrender, one of Zaahid’s generals, Conan of Cimmeria, vowed to break the stalemate. A victory denied by complacency will shed blood from the source of its defeat.

Will Conan receive his share of the promised gold or blood from the promisor? Do dragons still exist in a world now dominated by man? Who is the strange woman that distracts Conan from his command and causes death among his ranks?

“The Road Of Kings”

Titan Comics honors the fans with a poem written by Robert E. Howard. The excellent reprint is accompanied by fresh art by Gerardo Zaffino. A great pin-up indeed.

“Sacrifice In The Sand”

Sand blew all around the horsemen, slowing their pace within the binding storm. For those unaccustomed to environments such as this would pay heed to the desert lands near the Western Sea. These riders, however, were not virgin to the red dunes in which they traveled nor the winds that suffocated them on a frequent basis. Their ancestors lived and thrived here, and through generations learned to survive, thus the five warriors of Set pushed onwards into the brume surrounding them.

At midday the Captain hastened his men as he knew precious hours had been lost in their pilgrimage. On the saddle behind him grasped a young fisherman’s daughter dressed in the ceremonial robes of matrimony. Her blood was to adorn an ancient statue, a sacrifice to the old serpent god for his favors. The dark haired beauty was destined from birth to be a bride of Set.

Will the horsemen deliver their vestige unharmed and unfouled to the altar of Set? Can the daughters of men truly satisfy a thirst for flesh when an innumerable line of sacrifices has not done so before? Is there a devil lurking within the sandstorm waiting to test his steel?

“Master Of The Hunt – Part 01”

Death stalks the grand isle amongst the sheep of men. In the darkness of All Hallow’s eve a strange traveler has arrived in the Vale of Glamorgan, a place rich with historical significance. Will the penitent warmaster, Solomon Kane, unravel a mystery cloaked within the Welsh realm of the Tylwyth Teg, and asunder by the Dark Arts of a grim Norman conqueror? Who or what is slaying the good Christians of this sleepy farming community? May God guide Solomon’s hands to the hour of truth!

“Men Shall Die For This!”

The character of Solomon Kane was never as far spanning as his successors Conan the Barbarian or Kull the Conqueror, but the Puritan warrior was Robert E. Howard’s first success in a literary world made up of such writers as H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Writer Jeffery Shanks gives us the history of Solomon Kane in a one page nutshell. From his humble beginnings to the 2009 big-budget feature film, Solomon Kane has created a lasting impression. If the colorful tale printed within this magazine is any indication, I believe the Puritan is here to stay.

Reviewer Notes

From the forgotten crypts of the 1970s returns the long running magazine series the Savage Sword of Conan. I’ve been impressed with Titan Comics ever since they began releasing new Conan the Barbarian comic books, as their interpretation of the classic character mimics wholeheartedly the feel of the pulp magazine era publications as well as Marvel Comics very popular run of Savage Sword throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. With a continuing fall in sales numbers throughout the comic book industry, independent publishers have stepped up to save lifelong fans from the “message”, poor writing, and decreasing levels of content from the giants Marvel and DC Comics.

With the February 2024 release of the Savage Sword Of Conan #01, I can confidently say that Titan Comics is killing the competition, hands down. The level of writing, artwork, and historical informatives provided by such greats as Roy Thomas, has packed this magazine with several hours of entertainment. For only $6.99, I can’t think of anything on the current new release rack that can compare. Not even the current run of Red Sonja by Dynamite Entertainment can compare to what Titan has released so far (and I do love me some Red Sonja).

Enough of me kissing Titan’s ass for now, let’s cover some highlights inside. We get two stories of Conan during his mercenary years. One reprint poem from the master himself, Robert E. Howard. Titan also gives us the return of Solomon Kane, Robert’s first literary success in magazine publishing. Each story, poem, and editorial is a masterwork from seasoned writers.

I will admit I’m more of a color guy, but within these pages is some amazing artwork printed in traditional grayscale format. The only criticism I can make is the scale of the two page map. For us older fellas, the print Is a bit hard to read. If your eyesight is dwindling from age, prepare to use a magnifying glass. It’s true, old people need bigger fonts and Jitterbug phones. If anyone from Titan reads this review, I beg you, please release this map as a poster or equivalent size.

I would like to point out that the engineer in “Conan And The Dragon Horde” looks hauntingly similar to the actress Olga Kurylenko, who starred as a savage Pict warrior in the 2010 movie “Centurion”. I’m not sure if Olga was the inspiration here, but damn, both are fantasy genre hotties. The movie is something I would also like to recommend.

I’m giving issue one of Titan’s Savage Sword Of Conan a well deserved five out of five stars. I understand correctly, this series is a limited run so race out and get your copy today. I promise you won’t regret it.

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