The Savage Sword of Conan (2024-) #13

The Savage Sword of Conan (2024) (Single Issues)

by Roy Thomas, Roberto De La Torre (Artist), James Castillo (Artist)

Featuring the return of the new-classic team of Roy Thomas and Roberto de la Torre for a mesmerizing Conan tale, a silent Solomon Kane story from writer Enrique Dueñas González and artist James Castillo, dynamic covers by Alex Horley and James Castillo, plus pin-ups and more!

Genres: Comic Book, Fantasy, Comics, Horror, Sword and Sorcery

Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2026

About the author

Roy Thomas was the FIRST Editor-in-Chief at Marvel--After Stan Lee stepped down from the position. Roy is a longtime comic book writer and editor. Thomas has written comics for Archie, Charlton, DC, Heroic Publishing, Marvel, and Topps over the years. Thomas currently edits the fanzine Alter Ego for Twomorrow's Publishing. He was Editor for Marvel comics from 1972-1974. He wrote for several titles at Marvel, such as Avengers, Thor, Invaders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and notably Conan the Barbarian. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes — particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America — and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.

Also a legendary creator. Creations include Wolverine, Carol Danvers, Ghost Rider, Vision, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Valkyrie, Morbius, Doc Samson, and Ultron. Roy has also worked for Archie, Charlton, and DC among others over the years.

Reviews

[Jim Kuenzli]

This felt like a blast from the past. Roy Thomas delivers an excellent sword and sorcery Conan story. Each page feels like the Savage Sword of Old! De la Torre’s artwork is perfect. A solid Kane short followed, but I didn’t much care for the art style. There was also a Chainmail section where readers asked questions and received answers from the publisher.

[Mark]

When a young Conan attempts larceny he finds the competion in thievery ready to fight him, when they then get discovered. They both jump from the castle in a water. But they get chased some more and take a woman with them on their flight. Who then robs them in turn from their horses. So both rogues then enter a Mountain range to escape from their pursuers human and wolf. They end up in some Mountain town were Conan's fortune changes.
An excellent story where the b/w art really shines like in the classic SSoC series.
The second story is a moody b/w Solomon Kane tale that is brutal.
So in short another excellent SSoC which leaves you wanting more. This is truthfully one of the better titles on the market these days. And this title offers you the chance of truly enjoying Conan at his best.

[Machiavelli]

The Savage Sword of Conan #13 is everything I want from a Conan story—brutal, grounded, and dripping with atmosphere. This feels like a lost chapter from the classic magazine era, with Roy Thomas delivering a tight, no-nonsense tale of greed, betrayal, and survival.

The heist setup pulls you in immediately, but it’s the tone that really sells it. There’s weight to every decision, and the story never loses sight of what makes Conan compelling: he’s not a hero, he’s a force navigating a dangerous world on instinct and willpower.

Roberto De La Torre’s art is phenomenal. Gritty, shadow-heavy, and full of texture—it captures the raw, physical nature of Conan perfectly. Every panel feels lived-in and dangerous, elevating even the quieter moments.

This isn’t trying to reinvent Conan, and that’s exactly why it works. It’s classic sword-and-sorcery storytelling done at a very high level.

Absolutely loved it.

[Will]

4.5 rounded up to a 5

A return to top form, and one of my favourites out of all 13 issues so far.

Only two stories in this one, the main only being the Conan story, and the second being a short Solomon Kane story.

Roy Thomas being the writer for the Conan story truly shows his experience of writing about the character. He truly captures the spirit of Robert E Howard, and this could easily have been an adaptation of an original story - classic Conan.

De La Tore being the artist as well for this issue, and probably my favourite Conan illustrator is always reassuring going into a Conan comic.

The Solomon Kane story by Enrique Dueñas was also enjoyable, and also captured the spirit of REH. The art style by James Castillo was unique, modern but felt appropriate.

Issue 13 sets the bar - and this is the first time I’m up to date with the series since it started. Something I hope to do going forward, and I now have the other Conan the Barbarian comics to catch up with in the meantime!

[NOLA Bert]

I read the print edition of the comic.

Two comics and the Chainmail letters section. In addition, there are two Solomon Kane art pin-ups by Luke Eidenschink and Ace Continuado.

Conan: The Blue Orchid
Roberto De La Torre, plot & artist. Roy Thomas, text. Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Tyler Smith, letters.

This comic makes up most of the book. An excellent tale of Conan as a thief on a heist that goes wrong right away. De La Torre’s art is awesome as usual. My biggest complaint is that the last part of the story didn’t make much sense to me. The plot seemed to have some holes that left me scratching my head.

Solomon Kane: The Wolves of Dundalk
Enrique Dueñas, writer. James A. Castillo, artist. Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Tyler Smith, letters.

A short monster-hunter rescue story. Not a bad story, but I’m not really a fan of the cartoony style for the material. And in places it was too dark to make out clearly what was going on in a panel.

Alex Horley’s cover art is great and depicts a scene from The Blue Orchid.

[Richard Radgoski]

After a few subpar issues, this one is outstanding. This is an original story that flows from one episode to the next smoothly while propelling Conan from location to location. The artwork is outstanding, reckoning back to the years of Buscema and Chan. This is what I want in a Savage Sword, and - as an adult, I appreciate the nudity without being graphic. Conan's world is raw and unfiltered and it needs art that matches it.

[Scott]

A great original story by the original author of the Marvel Conan series in the 70s.

[Michael Daines]

(4.5)

“The Savage Sword of Conan #13” includes two solid stories. The Roy Thomas one feels classic, starting with a tale of thievery, but shifting on to a supernatural encounter that challenges Conan’s ability to survive. The Enrique Dueñas tale is short, a Solomon Kane story light on words but crafted quite well. Both are worthy renditions for Howard fans.

[Andrew Hale]

In short, I like the art of both tales and enjoyed the tales as a whole.

For a longer spiel:
Luke Eidenschink's Solomon pin-up has a kind of Aliens meet vampire hunter vibe going. Or is it aura these days? Ace Continuado's pin-up echoes Gothic horror with a slight focal point of interest that rivals Medusa's stoney glare. You'll know what I mean. In fact, the majority of this issue kinda ensorcells the viewer but be like Conan and keep your wits about you.

The Blue Orchid
Plotted and drawn by Roberto de la Torre with Roy Thomas lettering
"Perhaps Conan should have kept his own senses clear of numbing liquids... But he is still Conan!"
Cimmerian Conan and Zamorian Atta have the same solo idea: skirt the Hyrkanian shadows of Prince Yezdigerd's recently conquered castle where lies the fabled blue orchid diamond, the key to Shukhan. But can they team together against Turanian horse-archers, fierce Hyrkanian steppe wolves, Shukhan wine, muted Darfar guards of Skol Abdhur, hanging gardens, seasonal cells, a swamp of death, grim guardians, and the decadent curves of Roberto de la Torre's Zaria? The irony of the antagonist's focus of her own body seems poetic in the end. I think a lil' head is the least of Conan's concerns, respectfully. Torre gave us an immersive and macabre story with great art. I can see a part 2 but I cannot say it is intended.
"I read men like books, Conan of Cimmeria. And your fealty to oaths is written large on your pages."

The Wolves of Dundalk
Written by Enrique Dueñas
Art by James A. Castillo
Dundalk doesn't seem to hold much love for Puritans. Or the English. Probably the Queen too. Dundalk does hold something sinister. A quick, dark tale of menace in the shadows, Dueñas' minimal dialogue still tells enough to be intrigued with. Castillo's art was a little hard to make out in some dark areas but I loved it none-the-less.

[Nick LeBlanc]

De La Torre and Thomas' tale is a solid example of story as an excuse for art. Sure, it's compelling enough but there's nothing special or dynamic there narratively that you haven't seen before. That being said, the art is fantastic and could almost stand on its own without the words. This feels very much like classic Conan, from look to story beats to the ending which might be a cliffhanger/Part 1.

The Kane story is fine, almost personality-less though, it could have been an EC Comics story with different characters. It's a good concept and a has a strong storybeat with the title and repeated line of dialogue.

Read as a a single issue.

[Dave]

Thomas & De La Torre deliver what this long time Conan fan feels is the best issue of the run so far in a tale taking place on the border of Khatai and a younger thief Conan gets entangled in an adventure alongside another thief in search of the elusive blue orchid gem. Their hunt takes them far and wide befriending a woman who escaped slavery and sets the duo on a road to a desolate village city. Just classic SSOC goodness and the return of a letters page! Crom! The Solomon Kane story looked like something from Adult Swim with cartoonish art and akin more to Samurai Jack. It was short and okay, but that first story was magnificent!

[Riccardo Ball]

Rob De La Torre as artist and “plotter” with Roy Thomas listed as “scripter” - interesting! Blue Orchid is a very Conan tale as you’d expect - great twist, fantastic action, art is on point as always with Rob.

The Solomon Kane story felt a little rushed and some of the art was a little dark so hard to follow but otherwise another great issue

[Bertazzo]

It's a bliss having in the same issue Roberto Dela Torre showing off his Buscema style and Castillo drawing like a Pixar animator.

[Tobin Elliott]

Gotta say, for a guy who's been writing Conan on and off for fifty-odd years, Roy Thomas still kicks butt. And Roberto De La Torres, I swear, is the living embodiment of John Buscema. Fully enjoyed the Conan main story, and the Solomon Kane back up story was fantastic as well.