My Rating
“The Coils Tighten”
The returning sensation that is The Savage Sword Of Conan has reached the ten issue mark. Jim Zub is here with an elevator-pitch update on things to come. If you haven’t guessed already, it deals with the lands of Stygia. I’m very pleased to find the sword in all of our futures.
“Twice Paid Debts”
Conan woke from a poison-induced nightmare to a face he did not recognize. The woman Tarnasha, a bandit who betrayed his trust in the port city of Kyros, had resurfaced in a Shemite tavern as Conan celebrated with his friends. A chase ensued! Then after a brief exchange of steel, Conan was brought to his knees by a well-placed dart. Then blackness.
The next thing he would remember was lying at the back of a covered wagon, bound in ropes; incarcerated by two women of Stygian ilk. Their interest in Conan revolved around an odd scar on his chest, placed there ten years ago by the Stygian Fangs of the Serpent, a relic dagger welded by a conniving priest posing as a man. In their minds, Conan had been blessed by the Serpent Mother, and in return would be faithful to the Sisters of Set. Unknown to the women, Conan despised everything to do with snakes and their worshipers.
“Fang & Spear: A Prehistoric Tale”
Why did Ga-Nor say such things? A-Aea had been gone for less than a day gathering holy water from the river, but her mate seemed so different. And where was his matting tattoo?
A dark shadow has overtaken the prehistoric village in which Ga-Nor and A-Aea lived. Now a strange obsession with snakes and dark rituals consumes their people. Was the dark-haired beauty, A-Aea, the only gatherer who had noticed the change?
“The Snakeskin Shuffle”
What another fine mess Sailor Costigan got himself into. If it weren’t for the skirt and that damnable serpent ring, O’ Steve would be getting pie-eyed in Singapore’s finest dives. But even Mike, Costigan’s favorite bulldog, couldn’t stand a woman getting her purse snatched.
Now Sailor Steve Costigan is in the bout of his life, as he faces off against a Mandarin giant with supernatural-like strength. Where did that lumox learn to punch like that? No matter, cuz Costigan is the boxing champ aboard the merchant ship Sea Girl. They don’t make um any tougher than that lot.
Review
See kids, there is amazing artwork and storytelling on the store shelves besides those boring old Manga. One Piece, who? Step aside wimp, Sailor Steve Costigan is back, and his pages are awesome-sauce in this latest issue of Savage Sword Of Conan.
Robert E. Howard had several lesser known characters in print during the age of pulp magazines. I’m glad to see Jim Zub and Titan Comics are breathing new life into Costigan, A-Aea, and Ga-Nor. Let their reign last as long as Conan, Kull, and Red Sonja. I give issue #10 a solid four out of five stars.
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