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The Savage Sword of Conan: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus
The Savage Sword of Conan: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus, Vol. 4
Conan returns for another massive Omnibus collection! The barbarian wields his savage sword against a massive winged monster that guards a tower holding a weather-controlling gem - then fi nds himself surrounded by an army of Picts with their own witch-doctor protector! In THE TREASURE OF TRANICOS, Conan matches wits with a band of pirates who'd rather kill each other than share any of the loot - all while the wicked Thoth-Amon stalks them from the shadows. And the four-part epic CONAN THE LIBERATOR sees Conan realize his destiny as he raises an army to overthrow the mad king Numedides! Featuring the stories by Roy Thomas with stunning art by John Buscema, Gil Kane and more!
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN (1974) 45-60
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN (1974) 45-60
976 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
2 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Roy Thomas
4,480 books272 followersRoy 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 8, 2024
Collects The Savage Sword of Conan 45-60. This still has the A-team of Roy Thomas and John Buscema, but it's a lot weaker than the first 3 books primarily because Thomas is adapting a lot of Conan stories written by lesser writers.
So many are sequels for Robert E. Howard stories. The problem is these "sequels" are just the exact same thing happening again! In Beyond the Black River Conan slays a Pictish wizard. In the sequel Moon of Blood... yeah, spoilers, he does it again.
Taking us into the 80s.
He unfortunately adapts them pretty faithfully. I haven't read the original stories for most of these but from context I can tell because Conan often times acts contrary to how we would expect him. It makes me feel like I'm not reading the Savage Sword Conan but just an illustrated adaptation. In my opinion, Thomas should have freely adapted these stories and brought more of his own voice into it. No shame in freely taking plots and stories from other writers (with credit of course) when you're doing a full length adventure every month in addition to his other comics writing.
Stories are by Roy Thomas and drawn by John Buscema unless noted
45 The Gem in the Tower
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Inks by Tony DeZuniga
A Sequel to Red Tower (issue 21). Features another tower! Conan is with the Barachan pirates. They set up on an abandoned island that belongs to a wizard who collects a toll from all the ship nations and pirates. They start getting picked off by a creature from the tower at night. Conan gets the crew to set up a huge fire all around the tower and smoke the creature out. Perfect one-and-done adventure.
This issue also has a Red Sonja short by the same art team with writer Christy Marx.
46 Moon of Blood
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
A sequel to Beyond the Black River and basically just that story re-written. Conan gets promoted to General as he sniffs out the treasonous General Lucian and defeats another Pictish Wizard.
47+48 The Treasure of Tranicos
Adapted from Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp
Gil Kane helps out John Buscema here, it's an interesting combination. Kane's blocky characters and Buscema's sketchy messiness balance each other out. Klaus Janson does inks just on Buscema for the second part
Picks up where Moon of Blood ended, we're told Conan got thrown in jail by King Numedides and ran away across the Thunder River into the Pictish Wilderness. Meanwhile we learn about a few shady characters all interacting at a castle on the shore where Conan eventually reaches. Argossean pirate Strombanni, Zingaran buccaneer Black Zarono, and castle owner Valenso. All enemies, but strike an alliance to find this treasure. On the way Conan finds a crypt the Picts won't go to (the treasure of tranicos). He uses this knowledge to manipulate the shady characters. It's quite a convoluted story of all these characters and why they're all meeting - but it's a lot of fun. So all 5 go off in search of the treasure, which is really just a trap of Conan's. Oh yeah... Thoth-Amon is here too hunting Valenso and stirring up the Picts to attack the castle. Phew, too many things are happening, but it comes together in a satisfying way. I can't help but think the buccaneer and pirate were not needed. Just have Valenso, Conan and Thoth-Amon.
It's a small world, a ship finds Conan standing on the shore. The ship has Prospero and Trocero out trying to find Conan. They want to overthrow Numenides.
49-52 When Madness Wears the Crown
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
The epic tale of how Conan becomes king, but I wasn't really sold on it if I'm being honest. It again feels like a retread of other REH stories. It's interesting to see Conan become a leader of men. He gathers up troops and marches in on Tarantia dealing with treacherous women and wizard along the way. Lots of talking heads throughout.
53-55 Conan and the Sorcerer
Adapted from Andrew J Offutt
A sequel to The Tower of the Elephant... where, yep, Conan scales up a tower to steal a gem while others are doing the same. But he's caught by the sorcerer who demands he trail the successful thief and recover the gem The Eye of Erlik stolen by Isparana. The adventure through the desert is the strongest part of the story. But there's some odd parts where Conan isn't acting like Savage Sword Conan. One very awkward scene has Conan consider sexually assaulting Isparana bathing in an oasis. Roy Thomas should have edited this scene for his adaptation.
56-58 The Sword of Skelos
Adapted from Andrew J Offutt
Another Offutt story which is basically just a continuation of the last one. Eye of Erlik is in it, so is Isprana. Has some pretty crazy magic including a flying sword.
59 City of Skulls
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Art by Mike Vosburg with Alfredo Alcala. I love Buscema, but it this is the standout issue for art, not in the least because Alcala is amazing. I feel like Buscema must have been getting bored of Conan at this point. Vosburg brings in a fresh perspective with tons of detailed art.
This works from the same incomplete REH story Roy Thomas adapted in Conan The Barbarian 27 (The Blood of Bel-Hissar) which is quite different.
Conan and Juma are captured and brought to a magical seeming city ruled by an immortal god (some fat guy!). We get an awesome sequence of Conan and Juma being slaves on a galley eventually escaping, killing the god and rescuing the woman. A great one-and-done story.
60 The Ivory Goddess
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Sequel to Jewels of Gwahlur where, you guess it, they do the exact same thing again. Conan is with Muriela and wants to pull the same scam she did. They go to a temple and she is going to pose as the Goddess when they get attacked by a humanoid beast and an old woman. The twist here, is in the end Muriela doesn't pose as the goddess... the goddess actually possesses her body. Basically an inverse, the goddess is posing as Muriela. One big difference between REH and the other Conan writers is I feel like REH's magic and supernatural is a bit more mysterious and you could tell the same story without it. It's obvious and real in the L. Sprague de Camp and Offutt stories.
We also get storyboards for a proposed Conan movie drawn by Neal Adams! The opening scene is violently awesome. This is still a year before the first movie.
So many are sequels for Robert E. Howard stories. The problem is these "sequels" are just the exact same thing happening again! In Beyond the Black River Conan slays a Pictish wizard. In the sequel Moon of Blood... yeah, spoilers, he does it again.
Taking us into the 80s.
He unfortunately adapts them pretty faithfully. I haven't read the original stories for most of these but from context I can tell because Conan often times acts contrary to how we would expect him. It makes me feel like I'm not reading the Savage Sword Conan but just an illustrated adaptation. In my opinion, Thomas should have freely adapted these stories and brought more of his own voice into it. No shame in freely taking plots and stories from other writers (with credit of course) when you're doing a full length adventure every month in addition to his other comics writing.
Stories are by Roy Thomas and drawn by John Buscema unless noted
45 The Gem in the Tower
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Inks by Tony DeZuniga
A Sequel to Red Tower (issue 21). Features another tower! Conan is with the Barachan pirates. They set up on an abandoned island that belongs to a wizard who collects a toll from all the ship nations and pirates. They start getting picked off by a creature from the tower at night. Conan gets the crew to set up a huge fire all around the tower and smoke the creature out. Perfect one-and-done adventure.
This issue also has a Red Sonja short by the same art team with writer Christy Marx.
46 Moon of Blood
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
A sequel to Beyond the Black River and basically just that story re-written. Conan gets promoted to General as he sniffs out the treasonous General Lucian and defeats another Pictish Wizard.
47+48 The Treasure of Tranicos
Adapted from Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp
Gil Kane helps out John Buscema here, it's an interesting combination. Kane's blocky characters and Buscema's sketchy messiness balance each other out. Klaus Janson does inks just on Buscema for the second part
Picks up where Moon of Blood ended, we're told Conan got thrown in jail by King Numedides and ran away across the Thunder River into the Pictish Wilderness. Meanwhile we learn about a few shady characters all interacting at a castle on the shore where Conan eventually reaches. Argossean pirate Strombanni, Zingaran buccaneer Black Zarono, and castle owner Valenso. All enemies, but strike an alliance to find this treasure. On the way Conan finds a crypt the Picts won't go to (the treasure of tranicos). He uses this knowledge to manipulate the shady characters. It's quite a convoluted story of all these characters and why they're all meeting - but it's a lot of fun. So all 5 go off in search of the treasure, which is really just a trap of Conan's. Oh yeah... Thoth-Amon is here too hunting Valenso and stirring up the Picts to attack the castle. Phew, too many things are happening, but it comes together in a satisfying way. I can't help but think the buccaneer and pirate were not needed. Just have Valenso, Conan and Thoth-Amon.
It's a small world, a ship finds Conan standing on the shore. The ship has Prospero and Trocero out trying to find Conan. They want to overthrow Numenides.
49-52 When Madness Wears the Crown
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
The epic tale of how Conan becomes king, but I wasn't really sold on it if I'm being honest. It again feels like a retread of other REH stories. It's interesting to see Conan become a leader of men. He gathers up troops and marches in on Tarantia dealing with treacherous women and wizard along the way. Lots of talking heads throughout.
53-55 Conan and the Sorcerer
Adapted from Andrew J Offutt
A sequel to The Tower of the Elephant... where, yep, Conan scales up a tower to steal a gem while others are doing the same. But he's caught by the sorcerer who demands he trail the successful thief and recover the gem The Eye of Erlik stolen by Isparana. The adventure through the desert is the strongest part of the story. But there's some odd parts where Conan isn't acting like Savage Sword Conan. One very awkward scene has Conan consider sexually assaulting Isparana bathing in an oasis. Roy Thomas should have edited this scene for his adaptation.
56-58 The Sword of Skelos
Adapted from Andrew J Offutt
Another Offutt story which is basically just a continuation of the last one. Eye of Erlik is in it, so is Isprana. Has some pretty crazy magic including a flying sword.
59 City of Skulls
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Art by Mike Vosburg with Alfredo Alcala. I love Buscema, but it this is the standout issue for art, not in the least because Alcala is amazing. I feel like Buscema must have been getting bored of Conan at this point. Vosburg brings in a fresh perspective with tons of detailed art.
This works from the same incomplete REH story Roy Thomas adapted in Conan The Barbarian 27 (The Blood of Bel-Hissar) which is quite different.
Conan and Juma are captured and brought to a magical seeming city ruled by an immortal god (some fat guy!). We get an awesome sequence of Conan and Juma being slaves on a galley eventually escaping, killing the god and rescuing the woman. A great one-and-done story.
60 The Ivory Goddess
Adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Sequel to Jewels of Gwahlur where, you guess it, they do the exact same thing again. Conan is with Muriela and wants to pull the same scam she did. They go to a temple and she is going to pose as the Goddess when they get attacked by a humanoid beast and an old woman. The twist here, is in the end Muriela doesn't pose as the goddess... the goddess actually possesses her body. Basically an inverse, the goddess is posing as Muriela. One big difference between REH and the other Conan writers is I feel like REH's magic and supernatural is a bit more mysterious and you could tell the same story without it. It's obvious and real in the L. Sprague de Camp and Offutt stories.
We also get storyboards for a proposed Conan movie drawn by Neal Adams! The opening scene is violently awesome. This is still a year before the first movie.
November 16, 2021
At about 1000 pages these are huge volumes. That said this was some of the best comic writing and artwork (even in B&W) of the era and since. Conan is iconic as the majority of the stories are drawn from REH writings. This volume in particular had many stories from when I started reading Savage Sword including most importantly a series of stories where Conan eventually takes the crown of Aquilonia with his own hands. Awesome story telling.
March 9, 2025
(Zero spoiler review) 4.25/5
an ever so slight downgrade from the previous three collections. There are a couple of non Conan stories in here, which despite the good art, really aren't of any interest, and the opening issue (the final REH story) went on for too long and dragged the rest of the collection down. Other than that, it was more of what I love. Kick ass Conan comics with art that makes you weep. Not only at how good it is, but to how far standards have fallen, now that we exist in the age of digital sterility. Plus, the violence and nudity became even more prevalent, which is never going to be anything but a good thing. Coming up slightly short of a really high bar isn't the worst thing in the world. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
an ever so slight downgrade from the previous three collections. There are a couple of non Conan stories in here, which despite the good art, really aren't of any interest, and the opening issue (the final REH story) went on for too long and dragged the rest of the collection down. Other than that, it was more of what I love. Kick ass Conan comics with art that makes you weep. Not only at how good it is, but to how far standards have fallen, now that we exist in the age of digital sterility. Plus, the violence and nudity became even more prevalent, which is never going to be anything but a good thing. Coming up slightly short of a really high bar isn't the worst thing in the world. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews