The Savage Sword Of Conan Vol.1

Savage Sword of Conan 2024 - #1-3

by John Arcudi

CONAN RETURNS, UNLEASHED, UNBRIDLED AND UNCENSORED!

The Savage Sword of Conan is back from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics! This first volume collets the first three issues of the stunning new The Savage Sword of Conan magazine.

Featuring ALL-NEW Conan comic strips from writers John Arcudi, Jiim Zub, Frank Tieri, and artists Max Von Fafner, Richard Pace, and Cary Nord. Also featuring g a brand-new Solomon Kane strip written and drawn by Patch Zircher and exclusive pin ups and more!

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #1
Conan the Promised riches beyond imagining, Conan finds himself bound for war at the head of an exiled Hyrkanian Prince’s army. But when ancient monsters are unleashed and the Prince’s recklessness imperils all, Conan will be forced to abandon wealth for safety or face danger head-on to prevent innocent blood from drenching the desert sands.

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #2
Featuring a new Conan epic from writer Jim Zub and artist Richard Pace, spectacular covers from Dave Dorman and Nick Marinkovich, jaw-dropping pin-ups, and more.

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #3
Featuring a chilling tale from writer Frank Tieri and artist Cary Nord, the exciting conclusion of writer/artist Patch Zircher’s Solomon Kane epic, a silent Conan story from writer/artist Alan Quah, a tantalizing sneak peek at John Hocking’s novel City of the Dead, jaw dropping covers from Alex Horley and Cary Nord, incredible pin-ups, and more.

Collects The Savage Sword of Conan #1-3

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics

208 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2025

About the author

John Arcudi has made a name for himself by scripting comics that manage to combine long-running subplots with impeccable characterization and action sequences, making for some of the most exciting and consistently good comics out today.

Reviews

[Jason Waltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iss #1: Great art from De La Torre and Zaffino. Ok story. Dumb Conan. Zub's short story is a good, strong upper cut of a Conan tale. The Solomon Kane story started strong in story and art. Shanks' Kane article is good. 5 stars

Iss #2: The whole reason I read this, Zub's "Leaving the Garden" - spectacular fun. Great S&S Attitude Conan. Sloppy art that worked. Greatly enjoyed. Kayanan opened things up with a cool full page piece. Kane Part 2 was fun and filled with good art. 5 stars

Iss #3: "Wolves of the Tundra" was ok. Some good human facial art. Funny denouement. Finale of Kane's tale seems to be truncated or short-shrifted, not as fun as the first 2 parts. The faux "Frost Giant's Daughter" closer was lame. 3 stars

Definitely read "Leaving the Garden" and "Sacrifice in the Sand"!

[Jim Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: Four out of five stars. This collects the first three issues of Titan’s black & white magazine sized Conan comic. Besides the stories there’s a map, an essay, and pinups.

I really enjoyed this even though I didn’t care for the art in the first story at all. I thought that it was so wildly inconsistent and so weirdly photoshop-like in places that it kept pulling me out of the story. Everything else was simply outstanding though.

Conan and the Dragon Horde, story by John Arcudi and art Max von Fafner (2/5)
I didn’t care for art but I did like the story.

Sacrifice in the Sand by Jim Zub (4/5)
A well done two-page short story.

Solomon Kane: Master of the Hunt Parts 1-3, story and art Patrick Zircher (5/5)
A highlight of this anthology. Both the story and art were fantastic.

Conan: Leaving by the Garden, story by Jim Zub and art Richard Pace (5/5)
Loved the story, the scratchy art style, and the use of panels and two-page spreads.

Conan: Wolves of the Tundra, story by Frank Tieri and art Cary Nord (5/5)
Loved the story and the art. Excellent use of shadows, blacks, greys, and whites.

Conan: Lure of the Pit Creature, story and art by Alan Quah (5/5)
A wordless story with beautifully painted artwork.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised at the quality of the art and stories in this one. Loved this.

[Adam Howells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been wanting to get into Conan for awhile, and Savage Sword seems the best way to mainline it, at least on the comics front. I've read maybe one of the Howard tales and exactly none of the comics, but background knowledge isn't necessary to approach this relaunch. It's immediately accessible, immediately engaging, and immediately impressive in its presentation. Printed on honest-to-god newsprint (breath it in) and weighing in at $6.99 an oversized issue, you're getting plenty of blood for your buck.

The art is thoughtful in its black & white presentation--gritty, sexy, and detailed. None of it is marred by too much shading, nailing the tone of each story. You get a good scope of what the Howardverse has to offer. Heads flying. Robes falling. Dinosaurs. Werewolves. Ghosts. And to top it all off, there's some stellar pulpy prose fiction and poetry on offer, as well.

Thus commences a Robert E. Howard binge.

[CASPER HILEMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compilation of the first three issues of Titan Comics "The Savage Sword of Conan." It is the best Conan pastiche material to come out in years. It far surpasses the majority of the artwork in Titan's other Conan product "Conan the Barbarian" in most ways. It, unlike some issues of Conan the barbarian, is not cartoon like and stays truer to the Howard character while still exploring new ideas and tales.

[Bryan Martin]

what can you say about conan that has not already been said. my favorite sword and fantasy hero. hands down. but there is more to him than just brute strength. there is the will to survive, to overcome, to create his own way in the world. check this out.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit, my expectations were a little too high going into this. The original Savage Sword is one of my favorite comic series of all time, and this wasn't quite on that level. However, not many comics are. That being said, this was good. The Solomon Kane story was the highlight, but it was cool to see Conan vs. werewolves as well too. A good addition to the Conan comic library.

[Ian Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fantastic artwork on display here, with only one very short story near the end looking less polished than the remainder. The stories themselves are fine and contain a lot of action and a pretty good grasp of Howard’s style, milieu and philosophy. However, I found a couple of the stories to be a little generic in content ie, they could have been written about any character, not specifically Conan. The Solomon Kane story has a climax that feels particularly guilty of this, despite being a fairly decent Kane story to begin with.

Aside from these fairly minor niggles, this is a great collection.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I find myself reading these reboots of the Conan comics franchise is a certain nostalgia for the 1980's version, which I read only occasionally. They weren't exactly great back then, and this volume of new works in the same vein stays true to the limited scope of its predecessors.

Richard Pace's rough, sketch-like artwork in "Leaving the Garden" is the highlight of this volume, even if Jim Zub's story is just "more of the same". But the inclusion of truly formulaic pieces like Frank Tieri and Cary Nord's "Wolves of the Tundra" really drags the volume down, as the contributors bring forth a tedious adventure that is so rote one can't help wonder if was actually generated by AI.

[Boyce McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I would get so excited about a collection of new black and white, magazine size Conan The Barbarian tales reprinted in a trade paperback!!
But, we’re talking about The Savage Sword Of Conan for crying out loud!

I was a big fan of the original The Savage Sword Of Conan magazine from Marvel Comics published in the 1970s. For its time is it was revolutionary in its depiction of the Cimmerian, savage warrior barbarian: Conan. There was lots of blood, gore and more.

In Titan Comics/Heroics Signatures’ The Savage Sword Of Conan Vol. 1 trade paperback book, the first three issues of the the new black and white magazine filled with new stories is collected. The square-bound, softback, magazine-sized book has beautiful full-color paintings of Conan on its front and back covers.

Inside Conan fans are treated to the most savage, bloody, sexy and action-packed Conan adventures ever seen in print.

Magic and mysticism, monsters, a werewolf, savage warriors, a dinosaur, beautiful women warriors, bloody swordplay and more-who could ask for more?

Roy Thomas provides the foreword and the Conan and Solomon Kane tales are written and drawn by the best in the business. Just look at the creator roster: writers John Arcudi, Jim Zub, Patch Zincher-also artist, Frank Tieri and Alan Quah -also artist, along with artists Max von Fafner, Joe Jusko, Richard Pace and Cary Nord.

Also look for written a short story, an essay, a character bio and cover reproductions. Writing and art styles differ but all are top-tier and perfectly capture the savagery of Conan and the deep emotional and spiritual conflict of Solomon Kane.

Pick up a copy today!

Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly what I want out of a Conan comic. Unapologetic, old school sword and sorcery action without the fuzzy filter of the "modern lens"

This is a worthy successor to the original black and white comics Marvel put out from the 70s-90s and features three Conan stories as well as a longer Solomon Kane story.

In addition, there are historical notes about Robert E. Howard and the creation of some of his iconic characters as well as some short prose fiction. The historical essays are an interesting read, but you can safely skip the prose in my opinion (the only weak point in the book).

If you are a fan of Conan in his raw and unchained form, either the original Howard stories or the worthy follow up tales from the original Savage Sword magazines, then this is for you by Crom!

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the previous incarnation of Savage Sword of Conan, but it's nice to see it return to the original format: large format, black and white illustrations, grim visage fully locked in. In this volume, we get some variety in the form of a short story and some poems as well as a Solomon Kane story to keep you on your toes. I particularly appreciated the werewolf Conan story, which is perhaps indicative of the book in general: this is a confident collection, not afraid to take swings and go big.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was a zun/conan/ Solomon Kane fan based book. Its almost unfortunate that fan bases even exist, it seems to allow corporations to put out/ sell every relatable piece of $h!t they can find. And fanatics (who are not of rightful mind) eat it up like hot buttered popcorn.

Having fans should not allow for crap product.

2.5✨ rounded up for nostalgia. Honest review based on product offered.

[Robert Mound · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conan is back, and Soloman Kane. If you liked the best of the old comic book series this is that good.

[Al Capwned · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so unexpectedly epic! Hope this awesomeness continues in the next volumes too.

[alejandro galvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.

A must own comic. A great collection of short stories. Good from start to finish. A fine book. Buy it!

[Fernando · Rating 2 out of 5]

La renovada Espada salvaje de Conan, que Panini trae a las estanterías españolas con el respaldo de Titan Comics, es mucho más que un retorno: es un homenaje, un acto de resurrección casi tan osado como las aventuras del propio Conan. ¿Por qué? Porque recuperar hoy una obra así —tras décadas donde los héroes bárbaros y el pulp de espada y brujería parecían dormidos en el rincón del olvido— implica una valentía editorial y una celebración para quienes crecieron entre aventuras, monstruos y mitologías de tiempos remotos.

Este primer número abre con una historia de Conan que, sin pretender más de lo que es, logra capturar ese espíritu primigenio de la acción directa y de las fuerzas arcanas que Howard supo conjurar en sus escritos. El héroe cimmerio se nos presenta con esa intensidad que no busca otro objetivo que sobrevivir y superar los obstáculos a golpe de acero, con la furia de quien se ha criado en una tierra salvaje. La historia es autoconclusiva y, al mismo tiempo, un guiño que abre la puerta a futuras incursiones en este mundo, como si Conan reclamara su lugar en las nuevas generaciones.

La segunda historia cambia radicalmente de tono y nos presenta a Solomon Kane, un cazador de brujas puritano, taciturno y siniestro. Kane, un hombre de fe y violencia, recuerda a aquellos héroes oscuros que vagan por paisajes sombríos, persiguiendo horrores que desafían la lógica y la moral. A diferencia del relato de Conan, su historia es solo el principio, una especie de promesa sombría que continuará en próximos números. Kane encarna la lucha contra las sombras, el dilema de aquel que combate lo impío en un mundo que también parece retarle. Y su inclusión en esta nueva "Espada salvaje" aporta esa nota de horror sobrenatural que contrasta con la fiereza de Conan, permitiendo que la revista tome un ritmo rico y diverso, hecho de contrastes y de fidelidad a los mundos creados por Howard.

No podemos ignorar la herencia detrás de esta publicación, su ADN original de pulp, de violencia, de hechicería y misterio. En los años setenta, "La espada salvaje de Conan" supo ser una revista pionera, alcanzando un estatus mítico entre los lectores que buscaban algo más allá de los héroes en mallas y la ciencia ficción espacial. Fue la puerta a un mundo donde lo épico y lo oscuro se mezclaban con el horror, un umbral a otro tipo de heroísmo. Titan y Panini asumen el reto de devolvernos esa mezcla, y lo hacen de un modo que, sin buscar la sofisticación ni la grandilocuencia, invita a la aventura en su sentido más puro. Y sí, aún en esta época digital, abre un espacio donde el lector puede reencontrarse con la fascinación de una espada que corta tanto carne como magia, en una edición económica y asequible, pensada para los tiempos de ahora y para manos de hoy.

Esta nueva etapa no busca ser el Olimpo de la literatura de fantasía. Con una edición cuidada y asequible, con el arte de sus autores resonando a los trazos y estilos originales, nos entrega espectáculo, emoción, y una dosis del horror arcano que Howard destiló en sus escritos. Como un buen relato de taberna o una leyenda contada al calor de una hoguera, 'La espada salvaje de Conan" nos arrastra a un rincón mítico y primitivo, un espacio de lo desconocido, lo salvaje y lo eterno. Una pieza digna de sumarse a cualquier biblioteca de quien aún cree en las leyendas.

[Michael Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a keen fan of the original Savage Sword black & white comics, so was happy to see the recent Conan revival, and the subsequent release of this collection containing the first three issues. Unfortunately, while the storytelling is quite good, the artwork of these four Conan stories doesn’t meet my expectations; I can appreciate some aspects of the included styles, but none of this art truly excites me, and it doesn’t meet the high standards of the original series. Notably, Patch Zircher’s art for the three-part Solomon Kane strip is excellent – it represents the character well, is artistically attractive, and many panels feature nice details. I’ll take a look at the forthcoming collected volumes, but they’re no longer an instant purchase for me.

[Brandon Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a really mixed bag in every regard. The art and stories were hit or miss, but overall it was enjoyable. The Soloman Kane story was the best of the lot surprisingly, given the book title!

[Carl Grider · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really more like 3.5. I love the potential of this return of the Savage Sword of Conan. The main story felt just off too me. The art too. The style could grow on me. One unfortunate item is the muddiest of some of the printing. What looks to be an amazing map of Hyboria is basically illegible. I am in for the ride and enjoyed the format of main story with a backup filled im with a short story and an essay plus pinup art.

[Zach Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slake your thirst on the blood of Conan's enemies. Oh and Solomon Kane's too. This has a ton of variety. Sequential art, prose, poems, and essays. Conan as a barbarian, Conan as a cunning war general, Conan as a werewolf. This is sick.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it, thank you very much.