By the Power of Greysk-...I mean, CROM!

[OdinAshcroft]

Welcome to this weeks edition of Odin's Comic Editorials (I think I need a catchier name, but I digress ;3) This edition's focus is based on the second half of our boss hoss's request, focusing on

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN!!!!!!



....Not that Conan. This one



Anyway, to begin, this title revolves around Conan the Barbarian, a character a lot of people should know from the series of stories written by Robert E. Howard or by the series of movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as memorable side characters like the flame headed female fighter Red Sonja, or Thulsa Doom, one of Conan’s many nemesis (Nemesi?). Anyway, The Savage Sword of Conan was a black and white magazine styled comic book published originally by an imprint of Marvel Comics, called Curtis Magazines. This imprint was a way for Marvel to produce more “mature” types of comics, ducking past the Comic Code Authority given that it doesn’t apply to magazines. So, they could get away with violence, sex, language etc.

Anyway, back to the main subject. It officially became part of the Marvel Magazine Group at Issue 60, where it continued to run until issue 235. That’s right, 235 straight consecutive issues. That’s from 1974 to 1995. THAT…is pretty impressive, especially in this day and age where a new series nowadays is lucky to get past 23 issues, much less 235. But anyway, it was one of the most popular comic book series of the 70s AND is still considered a cult classic.

It was also a title that had such famous artists grace both covers and illustrations inside, including big names like Neal Adams (known to being one of THE big Batman artists, known for bringing the Dark back to the Dark Knight at this time), John Buscema (a Marvel Icon, doing work from Avengers to Silver Surfer), to Walter Simonson (Memorable for his work on Thor).

Now, something worth noting, as opposed to most comics, this title covers stories that range from all over Conan’s life, not following stories in proper, continuous order, going in all directions. For example, the very first issue was based on one of Howard’s shortest but most well known stories “The Frost Giant’s Daughter”, taking place when Conan was still a teenager, while the following issue featured the story “Black Colossus”, taking much later in his life. The next three years would have numerous adaptations to Howard’s works, as well as original tales.

Now, Marvel no longer has the rights to publish Conan the Barbarian comics, as they now belong to one of its rivals, Dark Horse Comics, which can and is now releasing a series of trade paperbacks collecting early issues of the series

The Savage Sword of Conan
Volume 1 — Collects issues 1-10.
Volume 2 — Collects issues 11-24.
Volume 3 — Collects issues 25-36.
Volume 4 — Collects issues 37-48.
Volume 5 — Collects issues 49-60.
Volume 6 — Collects issues 61-71.

As for the remaining issues, it would probably be best seeking through online shops such as MileHighComics, or checking through local comic shops. Might strike it lucky.

Now, I’m not as big a expert on this subject as I am on other comics, but I have enough to know why this is such a big fan/cult favorite, as it pretty established a resurgence of interest in sword/sorcery based comics, from things like Kull the Conqueror,



to DC Comics Claw the Unconquered.



Well, that’s all I have to say about, and hope this helps you and answer your questions Canaan…oh wait…one more thing…I think this image ties both your topic choices QUITE nicely…



And would you believe there were MORE Conan What Ifs? Until next week, I'm your Comic Book Wolf, and I read them so you can too,...yeah, still working on a good exit line too...

[Rick Canaan]

That was excellent, Odin. I think, too, that I am going to be grabbing those reprints by Dark Horse comics. It will be like, wow, all of my old favorite Savage Sword of Conan comics on my bookshelf again!

That.... that would be almost as good as home made apple pie, even!

Well, almost! *whicker!*

Thanks for the great editorial, my man. I found it informative and very useful!

Now, if I actually get a bit more of a break, I'll have to read your "What If" editorial of last week!

BUSY Stallion!

Thanks, Odin!

[OdinAshcroft]

That was excellent, Odin. I think, too, that I am going to be grabbing those reprints by Dark Horse comics. It will be like, wow, all of my old favorite Savage Sword of Conan comics on my bookshelf again!

That.... that would be almost as good as home made apple pie, even!

Well, almost! *whicker!*

Thanks for the great editorial, my man. I found it informative and very useful!

Now, if I actually get a bit more of a break, I'll have to read your "What If" editorial of last week!

BUSY Stallion!

Thanks, Odin!

Not a problem Canaan =3 I'm happy I could help! Good luck with your work, too! Now, time to check my backlogs to prepare my next editorial topic...who knows...It might be YOU!...or You!...Or even you! Yes you!...the one in the bunny slippers, yes you!

And that instance of Fourth Wall Breaking has been brought to you by Caffiene Free Mornings. One heck of a way to wake up X-x

[Fenryx]

Conan is merely one of the more famous figures in terms of Sword and Sorcery stories that have told through the comics. Green Ronin has a book in its Mutants and Masterminds line dedicated to this sort of thing called Warriors and Warlocks. It should also be mention that one of the more recent incarnation of this format was Battle Chasers which was quite good till the artist and/or writer got seriously distracted or bored with the series.

[OdinAshcroft]

Conan is merely one of the more famous figures in terms of Sword and Sorcery stories that have told through the comics. Green Ronin has a book in its Mutants and Masterminds line dedicated to this sort of thing called Warriors and Warlocks. It should also be mention that one of the more recent incarnation of this format was Battle Chasers which was quite good till the artist and/or writer got seriously distracted or bored with the series.

Ah...Battle Chasers. God how much I heard about this series back in the late 90s/Early 2000s. I was going to save this for a look on one of my personal favorite little imprints Wildstorm, but yeah, it is a good example of Sword and sorcery fiction in comics, as well as Mike Wieringo's Telios or Kurt Busiek's The Wizard's Tale (You'll hear more about Kurt Busiek from me in the future for his other big hit with this imprint ;3). As for the artist leaving the book, it was not he lost interest in it, its just he became MORE interested in developing a video game company with friends...and seeing how he came back to comics only a few years later (after the game company he helped form sank like a lead balloon) to such "fantastic" (note the quotations) comics such as Ultimates 3 (do NOT get me started on the seven kinds of wrong this book had), while also still being in the game industry, being the creative director on the game Darksiders for Virgil games.

[Fenryx]

I think you mean Tellos which was also good, I enjoyed reading that series quite a bit. Unfortunately, unlike Battle Chasers, that one was brought to an end point. I'd have to look back on what I have but I think it the "twist" ending of a dream the kid had. Which means the kid and the tiger in some ways were a fantasy interpretation of Calvin and Hobbes. I do wish Battle Chasers would return but right now from when I get comics from Image it's primarily Bad Dog and the Astounding Wolf Man.