THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #7, by Titan Comics on 2/26/25, delivers two savage tales of pulp adventure when Conan wages a one-man war against Nature and Breckenridge Elkins pays a steep price for a jealous outburst.
Credits:
- Writer: Roy Thomas, Patrick Zircher
- Artist: Robert De La Torre, Juan Alberto Hernández
- Letterer: Richared Starkings, Tyler Smith
- Cover Artist: Alex Horley (cover A)
- Publisher: Titan Comics
- Release Date: February 26, 2025
- Comic Rating: Mature (gore, nudity)
- Cover Price: $6.99
- Page Count: 68
- Format: Triple-Sized Anthology
Covers:
Analysis of THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #7:
Plot Analysis:
Conan: Mark of the Beast
Inspired by a Rudyard Kipling story, Mark of the Beast, we catch up with Conan as he escorts a woman who appears to be a poor slave girl back to the city of Kosala. After her rescue, the woman claimed to be the daughter of a Punjar who would pay handsomely for her safe return. Beset by thieves and distrustful guards, Conan makes good on his promise to return the woman to her less-than-grateful father. Along the way, Conan made fast friends with a fellow adventurer named Raja.
After a day or two of drunken revelry, paid for by the Punjar’s meager reward, Raja’s purse is snatched by a sprinting thief. Raja chases the thief into the Temple of the Tiger God. Conan urges Raja to forget the money, but the latter is too stubborn to let it go. Raja chases down the thief, but he finds himself surrounded by Tiger God priests and an albino leper who brands Raja with a curse for his desecration of the temple. Conan helps Raja to flee the temple and the city to avoid further trouble.
Later, Raja and Conan travel lonely roads until they reach better lodgings. That night, Raja becomes inhumanly ravenous with hunger, and he rides off. Conan tries to catch up, but he loses Raja in the dark. The chase leads Conan to an old rope bridge over a ravine. After a harrowing cross, Conan reaches the other side to find a beautiful woman who appears to have command over the animals. She sees a kindred animal spirit in Conan that suggests he would make a good mate and King to her role as Queen over the animals.
The ancient god who gives the woman, Dharhini, power urges her to form a partnership with Conan so that the two may lead the animals to destroy humanity. Conan refuses, but a suitable mate is ready to take his place – Raja the were-tiger. The issue concludes with a titanic battle between the wills of man and beast.
The Twelfth Labor Of Breckenridge Elkins
Fabled Frontiersman Breckenridge Elkins gets himself into quite the pickle when he uses his impossible strength to eject a rival to Maggie McNeil’s affections. The rival broke both his legs in a fall down a ravine, so Elkins undertakes an updated version of The Twelve Labors of Hercules to make things right with his rival’s family to prevent a blood feud.
In proper frontier fashion, Elkins chops a thousand cords of wood, widens roads, catches a thousand fish, and more. Unfortunately, one of his trials oversteps the territory of an indigenous tribe, prompting the tribe’s witch to put a curse on Elkins, which makes his remaining trials even more trying.
Eventually, Elkins completes his last trial against an inhuman bear, but the penance paid after two years of labor may not have been worth the effort.
First Impressions:
The Savage Sword of Conan #7 is darn near perfect in style, tone, entertainment value, and quality. Roy Thomas’s extended tale of man against nature is a worthy addition to Robert E. Howard canon. Patrick Zircher’s mature yet still humorous take on one of Howard’s few comedic characters is a surprise hit.
Artwork and Presentation:
As the kids these days say… “I can’t even!” Robert De La Torre is in top form with his grim, powerful take on Conan as he battles men, wild beasts, and monsters for the fate of the world. We’ve noted on more than one occasion that some artists’ styles lend themselves better to B&W over color or the opposite, but De La Torre looks magnificent in every medium.
Likewise, Juan Alberto Hernández’s rich, detailed pencils/inks for Patrick Zircher’s tall tale are shockingly good.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
Look. Roy Thomas is a legendary comic creator, and this issue underscores why that label is earned and deserved many times over. Thomas’s tale of woe for Conan hits all the right notes with wild adventure, dark threats, and high adventure. Further, Patrick Zircher shocks and delights by putting a “modern” spin on Breckenridge Elkins for a short tall tale you won’t see coming but will be glad you read it.
The Negatives:
Nothing. Normally, we try to look for at least some nitpick to show we’re putting effort into objectivity, but there’s nothing to call out in this issue. It’s a winner.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #7 takes everything you love about Robert E. Howard’s brand of adventure and gives you exactly what you’re craving. Roy Thomas’s Conan story is the quintessential pulp adventure, and Patrick Zircher’s update to Breckenridge Elkins is a surprise hit. Plus, the art team’s output is glorious. This isn’t a comic you read. It’s a comic you savor.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.