The Savage Sword of Conan #10, by Titan Comics on 9/3/25, delivers three tales of supernatural spectacle when Conan seeks to settle a score, a primitive tribe sets their sights on revenge, and Sailor Steve Costigan sets sail for unexpected adventure.
Credits:
- Writer: Jim Zub
- Artist: Doug Braithwaite, Mike Rooth, Roberto De La Torre
- Letterer: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
- Cover Artist: Mike Mignola (cover A)
- Publisher: Titan Comics
- Release Date: September 3, 2025
- Comic Rating: Mature (violence, nudity)
- Cover Price: $6.99
- Page Count: 68
- Format: Triple-Sized Anthology
Covers:
Analysis of THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #10:
First Impressions:
Wowee, wow, wow. If you’re a fan of Titan’s work on Robert E. Howard characters, including Conan, this issue is an unqualified treat. Give us more of this, please.
Plot Analysis:
Conan: Twice Paid Debts
Ten years after the events of Conan the Barbarian #17-20, Conan enjoys life as a mercenary for hire. One night, he spots Tarnasha, the thief who betrayed him and Belit all those years ago. Eager for revenge, he follows the thief into the night, but his revenge is cut short when the thief and her twin surprise him around a blind corner.
When Conan wakes up in the back of a moving wagon, he’s greeted by a woman named Amari. The woman is a shapeshifter acolyte of Set, and she occasionally wears Tarnasha’s face to besmirch the treacherous thief’s reputation. The wagon is driven by Amari’s twin sister, Imara. The sisters noticed the bite mark of Set on Conan’s belly and chose to take him to a temple occupied by other Set followers to assess Conan’s worthiness.
At the occupied temple, Conan’s allegiance to Set is made plain, so he’s thrown into a dungeon to await sacrifice. Soon, Amari secretly visits Conan and frees him in response to a prayerful message she received from Set. Conan knocks her unconscious out of a sense of honor instead of killing her. He then leads a revolt of the prisoners to overthrow the cult and reclaim the temple. During the battle, Imara is killed.
The issue ends with Conan achieving a sense of closure over Tarnasha’s betrayal, while making a new enemy of Amari.
Jim Zub’s tale of woe is as rich, powerful, and full of pulpy goodness as you could ever want. Zub’s “Author’s Letter” at the beginning of the issue explains that these Set-centric stories set the stage for the Year of the Snake, so it’s a sure bet we’ll be seeing more of Set in the future. Plus, Doug Braithwaite’s art is a can’t-miss joy to behold. Truly, Jim Zub was a perfect choice to lead Conan at Titan.
Fang & Spear: A Prehistoric Tale
Travel back in time to a small tribe in the Prehistoric Age. A-Aea returns to the village after gathering water from the nearby river to find her lover, Ga-Nar, drawing strange, snakelike murals on a cave wall. Ga-Nar speaks strangely about the beauty of the beast, and he becomes aggressive towards A-Aea. Suddenly, the real Ga-Nar, bloody and beaten, emerges from the shadows and kills the imposter, who transforms back into a snake man upon death.
Ga-Nar explains the village was invaded by the shapeshifting snakemen while A-Aea was away, replacing everyone in the village with doppelgangers who pray to a strange god (Set). Armed with the element of surprise, Ga-Nar and A-Aea enact a plan to destroy the snake cult before their evil can spread.
Jim Zub’s command of Robert E. Howard’s material is matched only by his ability to tell an effective, well-paced, gripping story in a small space. With very little setup or background, you learn everything you need to know about these characters and their world, while the use of Set as the centerpiece conflict creates a setup that spans millennia. As a bonus, Mike Rooth’s gritty art hits the bullseye for a primal tale.
Sailor Steve Costigan: The Snakeskin Shuffle
Sailor Steve Costigan comes ashore in Singapore in 1930 to enjoy some hard drinking and fun. Unfortunately, his trusty bulldog, Mike, smells trouble and races off to confront three gangsters accosting a woman in an alley. Steve sends the gangsters packing, but the woman explains they got away with her purse, which contained a valuable family ring.
Always a sucker for a pretty face, Mike busts into the gangsters’ hideout and demands to get the ring back. What Mike doesn’t know is that the ring is actually Thoth-Amon’s Ring of Set and that getting the ring back will take more than a fancy fistfight.
Jim Zub’s choice to bring Steve Costigan to the spotlight may sound like an odd one, but it works to showcase the variety of Robert E. Howard’s characters and Zub’s flexibility in capturing unique voices. The short story is an entertaining mix of pulp and noir to give readers a classic Hollywood B&W film feel.
Further, Roberto De La Torre returns to the Howard-verse with some truly remarkable character designs. This short is a hoot.
Positives
The Savage Sword of Conan #10 gives you great stories, with great art, great pacing, and memorable moments. If you’re a Robert E. Howard fan, or a fan of pulp in general, you’ll love this issue.
Negatives
There are no negatives. Not a blessed one.
Art Samples:
Final Thoughts:
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THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #10 is a mesmerizing accomplishment in Robert E. Howard reverence and a demonstration of joy for the pulp era of storytelling. Every short is a winner, from the writing to the art, that showcases why those who follow Howard’s example will reap the rewards.
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