THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #1, by Titan Comics on 2/28/24, presents a full-length Conan adventure, essays, short prose, and the start of a Solomon Kane tale for Robert E. Howard fans everywhere.
The Details
- Written by: John Arcudi, Jim Zub, Patch Zircher
- Art by: Max von Fafner, Joe Jusko, Patch Zircher
- Letters by: Richard Starkings
- Cover art by: Joe Jusko (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $6.99
- Release date: February 28, 2024
Is THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #1 Good?
“Conan and the Dragon Horde.” Conan takes on a new role – general for a mercenary army led by Prince Zaahid. What’s unusual about this band of hired muscle? Their top engineer is a woman named Ineah, skilled in building massive siege weapons like trebuchets and catapults. Their mission: to attack a city supposedly built on a giant gold mine. Sounds suspicious, right? But the promise of riches is all Conan needs.
As they trek through the wilderness towards the city, they manage to breach the outer gates with the help of their war elephants. However, their victory is short-lived. A monstrous lizard-dinosaur creature attacks, and though they eventually slay it with Ineah’s powerful weapons, a significant portion of the mercenary army is lost. Prince Zaahid seems unconcerned about the casualties – these hired blades knew the risks. But Conan is immediately suspicious. Something fishy is going on, and he can smell it a mile away.
Of course, being the charming barbarian he is, Conan strikes up a convenient romance with Ineah. Once inside the city walls, they lay siege for weeks, then months. As time passes, the soldiers dwindle. Some die in battle, others desert, leaving only a handful of weary squads under Conan’s command. The city remains stubbornly unyielding.
Finally confronting Prince Zaahid, Conan learns the shocking truth. The prince doesn’t care about conquering the city; he’s content to let the siege drag on. His real goal is to overthrow the king and steal his bride. The gold mine? Forget about it. Zaahid offers Conan the gold as a consolation prize. Typical Conan – he dives headfirst into the situation despite his doubts.
Reaching the supposed gold mine, Conan discovers a horrifying truth: it’s not brimming with gold, but crawling with a horde of smaller, offspring dinosaurs! He eliminates the creatures but unleashes his fury on the lying prince. This is a classic Conan story – gritty action, brutal violence, and a touch of nudity. It’s definitely mature content, but perfectly in line with the Robert E. Howard Conan experience.
Overall, the writing for this oversized Conan adventure by John Arcudi hits the mark. The art by Max von Fafner complements the story well, capturing the essence of the world and characters. It’s a true-blue Conan tale, and fans will be pleased.
Moving on, we have a short story penned by Jim Zub, the current writer for Titan Comics’ main Conan series. We won’t spoil the details – you’ll have to discover them for yourself – but it’s a fantastic read heavily inspired by the spectacular artwork of Joe Jusko. If you’re a fan of Jusko’s art, you won’t be disappointed.
Next up is the first part of a Solomon Kane adventure. For those unfamiliar, Solomon Kane is a 16th/17th-century wanderer – a soldier fighting for good, not glory. He’s a Puritan at heart, but a heavily armed one, grappling with the conflicting forces of faith and violence. Kane encounters a desperate family and village terrorized by a monstrous Glower (think Bigfoot meets bear). This vicious creature has been killing livestock and villagers, and Kane sets out to rescue a young boy and his father who have gone hunting the beast.
The main Conan story delivers what you expect from a Conan adventure. The pacing is a bit slow at times, but it maintains a steady rhythm. The dialogue is sharp, and Conan’s characterization is spot-on. His conflict with the manipulative Prince Zaahid, who harbors hidden motives, feels natural for the kind of characters Conan encounters. The violence, gore, and nudity are all on par for the course in a Conan story.
Jim Zub’s short story also lives up to the Conan standard, showcasing his deep understanding of the character, evident in his work on the main Conan series.
As for the Solomon Kane story, I might even be enjoying it more than the Conan story so far. This is partly due to the art by Patch Zircher, which perfectly captures the dark and brooding atmosphere of the tale. The story itself is intriguing, and I’m eager to see where it goes.
Overall, this is a fantastic anthology for Robert E. Howard fans. It’s a treasure trove of Conan content, from the main story to the bonus prose and pinups. While the story pacing in the main Conan adventure could be tighter in some spots, the art is generally good, aside from some inconsistencies in the backgrounds and dinosaur textures. These minor drawbacks are overshadowed by the strengths of the other stories and the overall quality of the package.
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Final Thoughts
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THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #1 is a must-have. Even if you’re not deeply familiar with the world of Robert E. Howard, the quality storytelling and diverse content in this issue make it worth checking out.
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