The Savage Sword of Conan #12, by Titan Comics on 2/4/26, delivers three pulp tales of steely-eyed grit and action, starring Conan, El Borak, and Bran Mak Morn.
Credits:
- Writer: Chris Ryall, Fabian Nicieza, Patrick Zircher
- Artist: Gabriel Rodriguez, Mirko Colak
- Letterer: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
- Cover Artist: Adrian Smith (cover A)
- Publisher: Titan Comics
- Release Date: February 4, 2026
- Comic Rating: Mature (nudity)
- Cover Price: $6.99
- Page Count: 68
- Format: Oversized Anthology
Covers:
Analysis of THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #12:
First Impressions:
After closing the cover on The Savage Sword of Conan #12, you can’t help but sit back and relax, as if you just finished a satisfying meal. Moving the Robert E. Howard characters to Titan Comics may have been the smartest publishing move in the last five years.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):
As with all our anthology reviews, we’ll give a brief synopsis of each section, what worked, and what didn’t.
Conan: Heart of Darkness
Conan encounters an old woman named Hanna after narrowly escaping a battle with a great beast from the volcanic depths below. The battle left him infected by a darkness spawned by an ancient goddess who wished to raise her city from the lava fields below, with the help of the old woman’s enchanted daughters.
In payment for the old woman’s life-saving aid, Conan offers to find her daughters and return them home. Conan’s vow leads to a temporary partnership with a band of treasure hunters who want the goddess’s treasure. Before the adventure is done, Conan learns the value of help and the price of greed.
Chris Ryall’s tale of woe is a rock-solid entry into Robert E. Howard’s greatest creation with plenty of sword & sorcery action, mythic lore, grim determination, and strong dialogue.
As a bonus, Gabriel Rodriguez’s art lives up to the script with dynamic action, intimidating monster designs, and brisk panel progression.
That said, there are two downsides to this issue’s main story. First, the dialogue is inorganic in spots. Where characters should be conversing, it sometimes reads as characters announcing. Second, the art could use more depth and dramatic shadows in spots. Panel compositions occasionally look flat. On the whole, however, the positives outweigh the negatives by a wide margin.
Bran Mak Morn: The Precipice
The Pict King, Bran Mak Morn, recounts a mission with twin brothers to intercept and ambush a Roman messenger carrying plans that could foil future combat missions between the Picts and the Roman invaders of Briton. Bran Spots and follows the messenger, but his ambush goes awry near a rain-soaked cliff. Pict king and Roman messenger tumble into the abyss, leading to a battle of wills – man against man, and man against Nature.
In the end, both men escape Nature’s wrath, but the greatest tragedy is yet to come.
Fabian Nicieza’s survival tale ticks all the right boxes for Robert E. Howard’s style of storytelling. You get grim combatants facing impossible odds, fighting through pain with little more than grim determination and raw strength. Plus, the ending has a twist that’s both surprising and unexpectedly tragic. Bran Mak Morn is no Conan, but this is the kind of story that will entice you to seek out more tales of the character.
El Borak: Curse of the Golden Calf
Francis Xavier Gordon, aka El Borak, encounters a trio of herdsmen during his flight away from an angry tribe after he killed their chieftain during a dispute over a woman. El Borak did not wish to kill the chieftain, but the jealous husband’s ego forced his hand. Now, El Borak offers to help the unusually armed herdsmen in exchange for protection and rations.
He notices that the cattle they’re herding are too perfect for men such as this. EL Borak soon learns his instincts are right when the men are picked off, one by one, by a cursed being who knows all too well the pain of putting your faith in false idols.
Patrick Zircher’s tale of woe is a refreshing mix of Texas Western and Middle Eastern mysticism as El Borak finds himself confronted with a threat of Biblical proportions. Mirko Colak’s moody art is a pitch-perfect fit for the story, and the net combination of writing and art serves as a perfect capper to this anthology.
Positives
The Savage Sword of Conan #12 lives up to its reputation with three tales centering on gritty characters forged into steely strength through adversity, determination, and an unmistakable heart of honor. Of the three stories, Patrick Zircher’s El Borak tale is the closest to Robert E. Howard’s pulpy roots, but every story is a success.
Negatives
There’s very little to criticize in this anthology beyond the occasional nitpick. The main story starring Conan could have been stronger for reasons already mentioned, but again, the weak spots pale in comparison to the positives.
Art Samples:
The Scorecard:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3.5/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3.5/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [2/2]
Final Thoughts:
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THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #12 lives up to the title’s reputation with three tales of woe, practically guaranteed to make Robert E. Howard fans happy. Conan lovers get their fix with a satisfying main story, but Howard completionists will be happy to see the return of El Borak and Bran Mak Morn, written in Howard’s classic style.
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