SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #220

“Death’s Dark Tower Part II of Death’s Dark Riders”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Colin Macneil

Conan and Solomon Kane have been teleported through time to the early days of Negari. They manage to fight their way to safety. The two figure out where they are just as the high priest Nakura launches his rebellion of the black slaves against the Atlantean rulers. They massacre the Atlanteans except for the priests and their families. Then the black ruler has Nakura assassinated. Solomon manages to grab his skull talismen and this allows Conan and Kane to return to the present.

Here the two then have to fight the skull of Nakura and his followers. Fortunately, they have the talismen and use it to destroy the skull of Nakura. After this Conan is returned to his time as Kane finds himself back in Africa.

“Solomon Kane A Publishing History”

by Glen Lord

An article on the character Solomon Kane and his appearances in print.

“Talons of Nergal”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artists: Mike Docherty and E.R. Cruz

Conan takes some of his Kozaki to the Kezankian mountains to make an alliance of the hillmen against the Turanians. He meets an old acquaintance who leads the hillmen and they are threatened by the Hand of Nergal, a giant demon hand that comes through portals to crush men. Conan and the group head to the city of Yaralet. Conan had some adventures here in the past and meets with the real ruler a philosopher named Atali. Atali has another former comrade Fafnir in his control and has him attack Conan.

The team up of Conan and Solomon Kane comes to an exciting conclusion. Really a great idea to have these two characters meet and Roy manages this with an excellent story. It gives us a look at the early days of Negari which was told in a Howard story. He gives us a young Conan with a much older Kane. In spite of the difference with Conan, Kane forms a friendship with the brash pagan.

The article on Kane was informative. The ongoing Conan the Barbarian also goes back with some memberberrys from the early days. Introduces characters that I can’t quite remember but the story handles it well. Also returns an old favorite in Fafnir. This is what I love about Roy Thomas is his ability to keep a consistency with the long history of the character, even stuff he didn’t write.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #4

“The Life & Death of Conan Part Four: The King in the Cage”

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Gerado Zaffino

Conan has just become king of Aquilonia. Now he has brought peace and that is the problem. He feels like a caged animal having to deal with all the petty problems. He gets sick from his new life. He decides to go out at night in a mask and fight various criminal gangs. He is joined by a lion that was given to him as a gift from the king of Kush. The two make the city streets safe and become a legend. Conan gets better and takes his lion friend back to Kush and releases him in the wild.

“Black Starlight part 4”

by John C. Hocking

Conan and his companions try to figure out who was behind the zombie attack. Zelandra uses her magic but can’t find the source. Then a figure taunts and attacks them.

This was an interesting idea. Having Conan soon after acquiring his throne to already get tired of the constraints of civilization. He befriends a lion and goes off becoming a masked vigilante. A good solid King Conan story. The backup prose also continues to intrigue me. It ends with some horrible creature attacking but we have no idea what it is. A good cliffhanger ending to make the reader anticipate the next chapter.

THE CIMMERIAN #2 BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER

“Beyond the Black River”

Writer: Mathieu Gabella adapted from story by Robert E. Howard

Artist: Anthony Jean

Conan and Balthus make their way to Fort Tuscalan. Only they arrive too late for the fort is about ready to fall. Instead, they go to warn the settlers. They find a dog named Slasher along the way. Balthus goes with Slasher to warn the settlers. Conan goes to warn the men who have gone to the salt lick. Balthus gets the settlers to pack up and go to Fort Velitrium. Balthus and Slasher stay behind to fight the Picts to give the settlers time to escape.

Conan manages to find the men and herd them in a safe direction. He hears the voice of Balthus and goes to find him. Instead, it is a demon mimicking his friend. Conan manages to kill the demon. Later at Fort Velitrium he meets the last survivor of Fort Tuscalan. He says Zogar Sag died suddenly which disheartened the Picts. He also tells Conan that Balthus and Slasher died fighting the Picts. Conan drinks to their memory and promises 17 Pict heads to pay back their deaths.

“Beyond the Black River”

by Robert E. Howard

The second part of his story.

This ends one of Howard’s greatest stories. I loved this frontier story of Conan as a scout fighting the savage Picts and Zogar Sag. The writer did a good job of adapting the story. Not a big fan of the artist’s rendition of Conan but otherwise the art was good. This was one of the first Conan comic stories I read and the Marvel one is still the best. Plus, it had the original story and gave me an excuse to read it again.

SAVAGE RED SONJA #1

Devil in the Sand Part One”

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Alessio Petillo

Red Sonja has come to the Red Dun Wastelands in search of the Blood Ruby. It is supposed to be guarded by its former owner the ghost of Mad King Gresh in the old keep. The wastelands are overrun with cannibal bandits and sand squids. Sonja runs into a young couple fleeing these bandits and rescues them. The two are Lucian and his bride Celia. Lucian is the son of King Gresh and has come to reclaim his heritage. The group later is attacked by a giant sand squid and Lucian manages to kill it. They come on the old keep just as a horde of cannibal bandits find them.

This new Sonja story starts out strong. It has an interesting premise with this treasure in some wastelands. Sonja meets two young people also looking for the treasure and they join forces. I am already interested in where this story is going. Panosian is a good writer and has scripted a first-class story.

LOGAN’S WORLD #6

“Untitled”

Writers: Barry Blair, Tom Mason and Chris Ulm adapted from novel by William F. Nolan

Artist: Barry Blair

Logan and Jessica have managed to escape with the help of Mary-Mary. Now they have to destroy the Thinker before Gant can reactivate it and control the world. They manage to steal some technician’s suits and infiltrate the compound. They get discovered and Mary-Mary is caught. Logan manages to lure Gant to him. They have a big fight where Logan wins. Then they free the captive workers and cause a rockslide to kill the other sandmen. They blow up the whole Crazy Horse Mountain and with it the Thinker.

The final to this series ends quite satisfactory. Logan defeats the evil Gant in his plan to rule the world. He is reunited with Jessica, and they can start to rebuild the world. Nolan wrote a good follow up to the first novel. This one was surprisingly darker with Logan losing his son. We see a Logan who uses his sandman skills quite ruthlessly. I believe that Adventure planned to adapt all three books, but the company didn’t last long enough. Too bad as I think Adventure was very skilled at adapting properties.

SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #219

“Death’s Dark Riders”

Writer: Roy Thomas inspired by fragment from Robert E. Howard

Artist: Colin MacNeil

Conan is in the black kingdoms making his way back to the Hyborian lands. He is hunted by the Matamba tribe. They catch him on a stone bridge, and he falls into the chasm. Meanwhile Solomon Kane is ambushed by mysterious riders in England and knocked out. Both men find themselves in Negari. Conan is his time and Kane also in his time. The one in Kane’s time used his supernatural riders to bring Kane who has the final piece of the Skull of Nakura to bring it back to life. Later both men find themselves in a dark cavern. After a brief sword fight the two realize they are both prisoners. They find themselves inside a huge skull.

“Kane…The Avenger: The Life and Times of Solomon Kane”

by Fred Blosser

An article on Solomon Kane’s adventures as told by Howard.

“The Black Hound of Death”

Writer: Roy Thomas adapted from story by Robert E. Howard

Artists: Mike Docherty and E.R. Cruz

Conan now leader of the Kozaki reminisces about his first meeting with Grimm. It was as a youth in Cimmeria. He was going to warn of an impending Pict attack when he comes on a man who was mauled by a beast. Later another man escorting his niece to her uncle. The uncle is terrified of his kinsman Grimm. The two of them had traveled to Turan and tried to steal from a holy sect. They were ambushed and the man abandoned Grimm. Now Grimm is back for revenge. The holy men gave Grimm his smiling fanged mouth. Conan fights him and rescues the niece from a burning cabin thinking Grimm died in the fire. Only now he is back commanding the forces of Turan.

This issue we get a meeting of two of Howard’s most famous creations, Conan and Solomon Kane. The story is a sequel of sorts to a Howard Kane story. It is handled in a believable way for these two to somehow unite. Both have their unique personalities that clash. With Kane in disdain for Conan’s casual use of pagan deities. This was good set up and can’t wait for the final conclusion.

The article on Kane was interesting and helpful to refresh our memories of the character since it was so long since anything was done with him. The Conan the Barbarian story was also excellent. Adapting a non-Conan Howard story, it fits nicely into Conan. This new villain Grimm a fellow Cimmerian has great potential. It effectively introduces him gives us a hint that Conan genuinely fears him.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3

“The Life & Death of Conan Part Three: Cimmerians Don’t Prey”

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Mahmud Asrar

Conan has been captured in the mining village of Red Tree Hill in Nemedia. He is sentenced to hang on the red tree. Only his weight breaks the branch. He is then thrown into jail to await their next try at executing him. He tries to break out by taking a priest of Mitra hostage, but the inquisitor kills the hostage. Conan is taken and tied to the fallen red tree. The inquisitor is about to cut off Conan’s limbs when lightning strikes him dead. This scares the inhabitants and Conan is allowed to go free.

“Black Starlight Part 3”

by John C. Hocking

Conan goes after the thief that stole the Green Lotus. He catches him and finds that he is an undead zombie. Conan has to literally crush the zombie into the ground to defeat him.

This was another enjoyable issue. Conan is a young seventeen-year-old. He is also a real badass who fights to the end. The story was very Howardesque. Also still ends with the creepy witch and her kids taking an old King Conan to be sacrificed to their god. I like the idea of linking this story to various periods in Conan’s life.

The backup story was also good. Conan fights a zombie, and we have another mystery that needs to be solved.

THE CIMMERIAN #1 BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER

“Beyond the Black River”

Writer: Mathieu Gabella adapted from story by Robert E. Howard

Artist: Anthony Jean

Balthus has arrived in the province of Conajohara which was recently conquered and settled by the Aquilonians. He is rescued from a Pict by Conan who is a scout at Ft. Tuscalan. They find a merchant killed by a demon of Zogar Sag. Zogar has managed to unite the various Pict clans to attack the province. Conan is assigned to go across the Black River and kill him. He takes Balthus and eleven other men. They are ambushed and Balthus is captured. He is to be eaten by a giant snake that Zogar calls but is rescued by Conan.

“Beyond the Black River”

by Robert E. Howard

The first part of Howard’s story.

This is the first part of an adaptation of a Howard story that was clearly influenced by James Fenimore Cooper. The author who wrote about the early American frontier of colonial times. This is one of my favorites. It was the first story I read in the black and white Savage Sword. I love the frontier vibe mixed in with tribal sorcery and savage animals. The adaptation is good and true to the source material. The only problem I have is the artist’s interpretation of Conan. He gives him this half-shaved head and a man bun. Conan is not some hipster. He looks nothing like I would image him to look.

SHEENA QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE #5

“Fatal Exams”

Writers: Steven E. de Souza & Wes Clark

Artist: Ediano Silva

Sheena and her friend continue to investigate why the mercenaries are digging around the jungle. Researching for the school anniversary they find out that the governor a cruel man was killed by being bitten by something. This leads to them discovering that the governor was hiding the treasure under the school. Also, that the mercenaries are using subliminal broadcasts of this goddess to brainwash the girls at the school to dig up the treasure. Naturally Sheena defeats them and kills the leader.

The ending was very satisfying. Everything was explained and tied out neatly. The only complaint about this issue is it was a bit too heavy with exposition. The writers really needed to cram in the resolution to this story in the last issue. I am glad Dynamite brought back de Souza to write Sheena. He created this original version for comics, and I love the setting of Val Verde. I hope he continues with more down the line.

LOGAN’S WORLD #5

“Untitled”

Writers: Barry Blair, Tom Mason and Chris Ulm adopted from novel by William F. Nolan

Artist: Barry Blair

Logan has tracked Gant to the Thinker. The former computer complex under the Crazy Horse Mountain in South Dakota. Only Gant was waiting for him and captures Logan. He takes him and tortures him in a simulated storm room. Then he gives him to Jessica. Only Logan’s mind is completely gone. Gant also has Jessica whip Logan for his own sick amusement. Fortunately, Mary-Mary 2 comes to rescue them. Mary-Mary 2 was a young girl the couple helped while on their run in Los Angeles.

This issue has Logan finally find Jessica. Only to be captured by the sadistic Gant and tortured into insanity. Gant is a very effective villain and seems to be rebuilding the Thinker. Possibly to gain control of the world. A fun story that gets more interesting as it goes.