Savage Sword Of Conan - Volume 01 Issue 01

My Rating

“Curse Of The Undead-Man”

The cut-purse thugs had swarmed Conan in a darkened alleyway by chance, but what the Cimmerian had found on the cobblestone moments ago was worth killing for. The Maul district of Zamora had never been safe to traverse at any hour of the day, but at night, only seasoned brawlers stood a chance when facing the gutter-life who wished to gain notoriety and spare coin.

Conan was no mark. He knew how to handle himself here in the City of Thieves as if it were any other battlefield in the eastern kingdoms. These men were dangerous, but his prowess exceeded even when the numbers were stacked against him. The cutthroat Zamorians sprinted forward, lashing out with their rusty knives and short scimitar blades. In minutes, Conan had slaughtered most with his hefty longsword, but good fortune was not on his side. The barbarian slipped on something cold and slimy beneath his feet. The culprit of his folly, he would soon discover, was a severed human finger donning a golden ring.

As the last thief stood above Conan preparing to lay a final death-blow, Conan’s eyes darted over the man looking for any signs of weakness. It mattered little. The thug’s voice suddenly burst into a blood-filled gurgle. A broadsword had burst through the man, leaving a sickly wound where his upper chest used to be. The would-be killer slumped onto the cold stone below, his sword clanging off to the right of him. Conan’s eyes narrowed in frustration as he soon recognized his savior. It was the red-haired she-devil with a sword. Red Sonja stood in front of him with a mocking smile.

“A Hyperborean Oath”

This is a brief editorial from Roy Thomas, who covers his past work on the Marvel Comics adaptations of Conan, as well as how the new Savage Sword Of Conan magazine will differ from the comic book content. Roy drops the names of several future contributing artists and what original stories will be included. This page is mostly informational in nature.

“Red Sonja”

Note: I previously reviewed this story- see Marvel Feature – Volume 02 Issue 01 (1975). The pages are exactly the same except colorized in that edition.

A war has come to the ally of Pah-Dishah, a city-state ruled by a deceitful king who plots against his own daughter. As the Prince of Taran lays siege to Makkalet all who dwell within Hyrkania society suffers under the brash invasion. A treaty is born of wedlock but as King Ghannif lusts for his daughter’s dowry the young woman may foul the alliance with her primal desires for debauchery inside a royal Makkaletian bedchamber.

In all of this, Red Sonja – the crimson haired war-maiden oathed to celibacy, has been tasked with reclaiming a relic coveted by all that understands its true origins. The Serpent-tiara of Melissandra Ghannif has a dark history spanning an age where Set once dominated the worship halls of men. Red Sonja has been given an ultimatum, return the jewel of Pah-Dishah or face death by the hand of her benefactor.

Can Red Sonja successfully retrieve the artifact sought by both man and gods alike? Who is the sullen barbarian betrayed under a trusted accord? What secrets are held within the gold serpentine crest forged for a sorcerer long dead but does not rest?

“Conan’s Woman Warrior”

This is the second editorial featured in Savage Sword of Conan. Written by Fred Blosser, considered at the time to be one of the most well-studied historians of Robert E Howard and his works, Blosser’s article covers in detail the various women who fought beside Conan in his adventures. From Bêlit to Valeria, and the most well-known female character of the Hyborian Age, Red Sonja, this is one article Conan fans do not want to miss.

“The Birth Of Blackmark”

In the days of old, nonstop war and fading resources led to the downfall of society. With the destruction of the Earth through nuclear Armageddon, centuries will pass before the landscape becomes livable once more. In this time, animals mutated into innumerable new species of beasts and monsters. While humanity spiraled closer to certain extinction.

Then the warlords came, dragging what was left of mankind with them in the form of slaves and bloodthirsty marauders. In the background, the resurgence of Old Earth science and technology would blend with New Earth sorcery. This was the age in which Blackmark, son of Zeph and Marnie, was born. It was a time of great struggle. But it was also a new beginning!

Note: This story was originally published by Bantam Books and was an early example of a graphic novel. Written by Archie Goodwin in 1971, with art by Gil Kane, Blackmark is set in the post-apocalyptic world of New Earth. It is very similar to Gold Key Comics’ “Mighty Samson” and the later Saturday morning television series “Thundarr the Barbarian”.

“An Atlantean In Aquilonia”

Writer Glenn Lord delivers another outstanding expose on Kull of Atlantis. From the original treatise, to the first occurrences of Kull, and the initial sketches by artist Ross Andru, this article has everything the fans need to learn the origins of the Tiger King himself. It’s an interesting story.

“The Frost Giant’s Daughter”

The daughter of Ymir traipsed around the icy field as the Vanir gave battle to Conan and his Aesir allies. One by one, they all fell, each by the other’s hand. However, it would be Conan the Cimmerian, the black-haired disciple of Crom, who would peak the interest in the red-headed beauty. For she had never seen the likes of a mortal such as this.

His fire for life was equal to his skill with a blade. For even the mighty Heimdul, favored champion to the gods, lay slaughtered at Conan’s feet. The Cimmerian’s prowess had drawn the daughter of Ymir into a powerful aphrodisiac. Now the resolve of both man and god will be tested like never before.

Faith is fleeting. As one travels through life and masters the battlefield, even the most devout followers of Crom may have their beliefs tested like the steel they wield in hand. For Conan, the stories and devotionals which flowed from his ancestors’ lips so freely, seemed more a kind of madness than anything else. His stubborn belief in nothingness would only be shaken when his own hands touched the ivory-skinned daughter of Ymir.

Spirits, sorcery, and the gods themselves were truly real. Even the haggard old Aesir warrior had attested. He, too, had seen Atali on a battlefield in his teens. Her beauty and youth had been unchanged over time, as the man had described her. What was Conan to think now? Her taste. Her smell. It was still fresh in his mind. Could Crom be as his father and tribesmen had spoken him to be? Were they all born from Crom’s stone soul?

Reviewer Notes

At a time before Marvel Comics began accumulating every literary and entertainment IP license available, Conan the Barbarian was one of the company’s most popular comic book series through the 1970s. In 1974, Conan’s world of Hyboria would gain a second outlet in Curtis Magazines’ Savage Sword Of Conan. In this format, writers and artists became unrestricted by the Comic Book Code – letting Marvel publish stories in the tradition of the original Robert E Howard material.

Savage Sword of Conan #1 is a landmark book for Marvel Comics. Not only does it contain original material by Howard himself, but highly detailed background information on the characters which make up some of the classic stories. With amazing work by industry legends Archie Goodwin, Gil Kane, Roy Thomas, and Neal Adams, this series would go on to legendary status for many years to come.

I truly enjoyed this first issue, and was surprised by the additional story taken from the Bantam Books “Blackmark” series. This was one of the first works to be considered a “Graphic Novel”. I will definitely seek out these paperback books at some point for my collection. Savage Sword of Conan #1, to me, is an excellent example of a five-star publication. If you can find a copy for a reasonable price, buy, baby, buy!