Agree 100%, i even had to manscape😂😂 after reading the latest issue. Gave the 1st issue a shot and havent been able to stop, now is part of my pull list
They should put that in the book. Warning: Don't Manscape before reading. 😤 What if a man reads this book before going on a date, hunh? Totally unfair. Some ladies appreciate it if you mow the lawn beforehand. Yeesh!
The fact I can read the Roy Thomas, Len Wein runs from old Marvel, and the character still feels like the same guy when Zub writes him, just shows you have a writer that gets and likes the character. No stupid dissection, no stupid modernisation, no stupid correction for "problematic" character traits, no subversion. Just Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet, as intended by Robert E. Howard.
I'm so glad he's not at Marvel to be in the Avengers BC or Kang multiverse of Conans or Spider-Conan or bisexual Conan or the Hyperborean Avengers or whatever stupid BS they would do (also serious lack of TNA in recent Marvel Conan)
Barry Windsor Smith certainly did the prettiest Conan art once he stopped trying to be Jack Kirby. But I would put John Buscema as the easy choice for the artist who best suited Conan and the fact that he stayed on the book for so long only cements his as the quintessential Conan artist in my book.
Then,you should put John Buscema second, because Reberto pays Homage to him to the point of .... it's like John 's spirit is guiding his hand to drawing Conan.
We are glad you are liking our comic, we will do our best to keep up the quality that you fans want and deserve. A note on Rob, He will be stepping back from illustrating the main comic because he personally gets very tired drawing a monthly comic. But fear not, he will be doing issues of Savage Sword of Conan regularly each year 💪
Barry Windsor-Smith is second on my list for a Conan interior illustrator. Love Barry to death as he got better drawing Conan from book to book but Big John Buscema is #1 for me. I agree that Robert De La Torre is killing it on Conan. He kills it on whatever book he's on but I don't know, bruh. Doug Braithwaite might have the edge on this one. At least for me. I mean, we Conan fans are eating good with both of these guys illustrating Zub's script so you can't go wrong either way. Same with Patrick Zircher writing and drawing those Solomon Kane short stories in Savage Sword of Conan. He kills it whatever he works on, as well, but those B&W illustrations for Solomon Kane are godly.
Fantastic review. This is definitely my series of the year. When I first had money to buy 1 comic from the spinner rack at the local pharmacy that comic was usually Conan. Later on when I was older and able to buy 'adult' magazines I would get Savage Sword of Conan. I read all the books with the Frazetta covers, Frank Frazetta is THE greatest Conan artist of all time. About 10 years ago when they were restored to pre-edited versions I read all those. Wes you hit on exactly why this series is great. It's part of that tradition. These creators obviously love the great material that came before them and want to add to it, not replace it. Thank you for recognizing and recommending a tremendous version of Conan that adds to the legacy of one of the greatest characters of all time
Big John Buscema is my definitive Conan artist followed very closely by De La Torre. I'd love to see modern BWS take a crack at Conan again but his original run just wasn't his peak work for me. Also, Earl Norem was the master of Savage Sword covers.
As a Gen Xer growing up when comics were on the shelves next to Heavy Metal, Penthouse, Omni, Hustler, Scientific America, Epic Comics, Frank Frazetta series, Uncle Creepy/Cousin Eerie, Tales of Weird World War 2, Savage Sword of Conan...I'm just happy to see that SOMETHING is left.
Conan has been amazing. I’m blown away every single month that I open the new issue. The art is easily the best I’ve seen on an ongoing title in the past 5 years.
100%. You recommended the first issue over a year ago, I had never read a Conan comic before but figured I’d give it a chance given the big 2 are pumping out shit. Glad I did, this series has been excellent. So thank you Wes and thanks to Jim Zub for something to look forward to each month.
Preach it, brother. This is the best Conan I've seen in ages - as you say, the creators are not ashamed of Conan or Robert E Howard and is shines through.
Thank you for putting me on to these great books. I haven't been up to date on any comics outside of transformers but ive always loved conan and need something both new and awesome to read.
DUDE! First about time on the Conan love BUT a huge reason this book was so great out of the gate is the artwork is the spitting image of the REAL SECOND GREATEST CONAN ARTIST BIG JOHN BUSCEMA!! Admittedly after years on Conan books he eventually phoned it in but in the early days he re-defined the characters look, as a matter of fact I’d say more casual fans read Buscema’s work than Smith’s. De La Torre is absolutely fantastic but come on man he draws EXACTLY like Buscema. Every other point I wholeheartedly agree with i never miss this title.
Joke’s on you I got the whole roster Wonder Woman Catwoman Black Canary Power Girl Zatana Starfire Raven Huntress Black Widow Black Cat Marry Jane Watson Mis. Marvel (Carol Danvers) She Hulk Jessica Rabbit Princess Laia Darth Talon The Statue of Liberty Morrigan Samus Arran Cortana Princess Rosalina Widdowmaker ….Yeah I used to goon a lot. I’m proud to say I don’t anymore but I remember it like it was yesterday. I definitely had a problem 😂
I’m a HUGE fan of all things Conan, and this is already the second best run on Conan to the original first couple of years at Marvel. Everyone, EVERYONE should be reading it!! I’m hoping we can get it in 12 issue oversized hardcovers at some point. This art needs to be seen in a larger format!
My favorite Conan artist is Gary Kwapisz. He drew SSOC in the 80s. Super detailed. The new Conan comic is the first one I bought in years. That being said I think Transformers is the comic of the year.
I’m glad Robert de la Torre is doing Buscema style . It’s beautifully done and i hope he continues doing it. It’s like having Buscema back and he is so sorely missed.
I think that Barry’s best work beats John’s best work… but it took Barry a while to build up to that level of work, while John was consistently good for an enormous amount of time. Overall, I have to give it to John. There was someone that did a decent number of Savage Sword stories that were great too… maybe Pablo Marcos (I can’t remember). I just remember it as highly detailed work.
The very first comic I ever bought was a Marvel Conan book. Been a fan ever since. Really loved the John Buscema years at Marvel as well as what Dark Horse did with the character. The modern Marvel run was lackluster at best in my opinion. So I was excited, and not disappointed, when Titan got the license. I really hope they expand the REH universe with more series with his characters. The Black Stone mini is a great introduction to several of them and I’ve really been enjoying it. I would probably buy a series that featured each of those characters. Solomon Kane especially.
I've never been a huge Conan fan, and the only thing I know about Jim Zub is that Zack used to roast him as a "super talent boy," but your enthusiasm for this book has convinced me to give it a try. Just ordered the first two TPBs. Go claim your sales commission now!
Was never a Conan fan, but as it got such good reviews from you Wes, I gave it a shot and it has not disappointed. Up there with the Energon Universe, Ghost Machine books and Lady Mechanika as just good action packed story telling with some actual ACTION and mystery in it rather than eating and validation scenes strung together. Never thought I'd be buying THREE Conan books some months when Savage Sword ships! I'm curious - original Marvel run and Dark Horse runs were all well received, but what about the New Marvel / Pre-Titan run? I know there was the Jason Aaron hoo-haa over Pokahontas (allegedly), so I'm guessing most of it is best ignored. But I'm sure I saw Jim Zub's name on a few mini series or specials. Are they worth checking out at all? Or was he completely neutered by modern day Marvel "Editors"?
I was read until the local comic shop stopped carrying and missed a few issues....but I do agree it is one of the better takes on the character even the original Titan lines of Conan were very good quality when I could get a hold of them....also maybe kull's up is still tied to the last story from the barbaric creator and we are getting a part two to that.....but my favorite Conan artist is Ernie Chan but that is because I knew him....
I actually expected Titan to start hiking the cover price after the first half dozen issues, but they have held the prices and kept the schedule. While l am not totally sold on Savage Sword (the art has been real hit-and-miss) there is enough great material in prose and backups that it still manages to be a better value than most comics. Conan has never let me down. I bet there isn't even soy in the ink Titan uses - just blood, sweat and tears!
I’ve been hooked since the Titan relaunch #0 that was given out for FCBD a couple years back! The Conan the Barbarian movie poster replicated for the first issue cover was SICK! The writing, the artists, the covers! The Conan the Barbarian comic book has been consistently great! They get my money every month! The first two issues of the Black Stone mini series are equally badass. No BS, just awesome comics!
I’ve not missed anything Titan has put out on this book since issue 2. My older brother got me into Conan books back when John Buscema was doing the monthly’s for Marvel and I was hooked as a kid. And I can’t sell people enough on the Robert Jordan novels from the 90s such good stuff!
Love that Conan by Zub. Been reading it since the beginning. Also finding some great series by Titan Publishing. They print and translate a lot of books from Europe. Found some great gems so far! 👍
Absolutely loving Zub’s Conan. Big Robert E Howard fan and his Conan comics perfectly capture Howard’s writing. Plus the comic is masculine AF, which in this day and age is gold.
Man too cool. My 3 favorite series so far are Energon Universe, Conan, and Rook Oh and Fantastic Four and Incredible Hulk are knocking it out of the park
Recently read Conan - City of the Dead by John C Hocking published by Titan Books, collects two stories, one old and one new, Conan and the Emerald Lotus, and Conan and the Living Plague. Enjoyable tales, a good portrayal of the much loved Cimmerian character.
I actually just got into conan comics seriously despite being in my 30's now and they're the best comics ive read in a long time, whether its back then or current the character has been taken care of very well. I'm looking forward to the new series and plan collecting them all.
The best thing about the Titan Conan run is it’s not woke. Also the writer is loyal to Conan’s character and didn’t try to change this amazing iconic anti-hero! That’s the main reason why I jumped onto this run! Fantastic artwork and storytelling!
The current Conan run is amazing. It got me so hyped that I finally sat down to read Howard's original stories, and WOW, they're so good. Howard was such a talented writer at a young age. Such a shame that he passed when he did.
Hot take maybe, another good value in comics right now is Penthouse Comics. They are 18+, but If anybody was a fan of Heavy Metal Magazine, Penthouse fills that same niche for $10.
BWS. He has been my top artist for years, his work, it's like water flowing, it's constantly shifting, it's amazing, and once you get away from the Jim lee era and those from the mid 90s you go back and discover BWS, you get something special, let alone his wolverine work is the DEFINITIVE next step at that time for the movement and style that brought Logan to life with such pain.
I can't agree about the number 2 artist. I think John Buscema is number 1. 2 is BWS, and I will say De la Torre is definitely in the top 5 Everything else, I %100 agree with. This book kicks all asses!
There's also Silvestri, Conan has had all time great drawing. I do like De La Torre quite a bit but the 2020s inking and coloring takes it down slightly
Conan The Barbarian and it's not even close for me. I love Transformers, as well, but Conan is so damn good and consistently well-written, too! Zub is killing it!
Im still collecting the Savage Sword Omnibus that Marvel started, waiting onnthe Titan volumes soon, very few companies would do something as simple and keep the same shelf athstetic, so gotta love Titan for that. Ill wait for the new Conan Omnibus. Conan should never be censored or filtered.
Not sure i need more hair on the ol bag...but I just bought the digital copies of conan, savage sword and Blackstone. I'll give it s shot!!! You don't usually steer us wrong.
Agree 100%. For me, this is the best Conan's run since Kurt Busiek's, like 20 years ago. And probably will go beyond that one. The only exception in between might be some short series of "The Cimmerian", I think by Ablaze comics, like their adaptation of the Frost-Giant's Daughter (to this day still my favorite). Also, this "classic" Conan style (actually, just a non-DEI, non-woke, non-bullshit comicbook like most were 15 years ago) feels like a refreshing breeze of quality stories and art. Hopefully others pay attention and we get over this wasted decade. And their unapologetically true Conan doesn't only attract old fans, but it is working to attract new ones. I must be 10-15 years younger than you and I love this Conan as well, and my cousin is 10 years younger than me and also loves it. Quality doesn't really deal with "focus groups", "voices" or "modern audience": it just sells well to fans of all walks of life interested in that genre. Lastly, I hope someone can reach Titan Comics and beg for a deluxe hardcore edition of this run!!! I would pre-order it as soon as I could, if any comicbook series justify its current tag price, it is this one!n
Some of my favorites are: John buscema Barry Windsor Smith Gary Kwapisz Tomas Giorello Cary Nord Claudio Castellini Jorge Zaffino Gerardo Zaffino Greg Ruth Mahmud Asrar
hate to admit ive started buying the odd issue based on covers but there’s some really sweet b&w virgin variants of the conan books and some of the Red Sonja as well.
I still have around 100 savage sword of conan comics and even the few graphic novels I have collected since 87. I grew Up With peak testosterone flowing through my vains and still to this day hit the gym 4 days a week so I stay looking like conan :)
"Not for a modern audience, its for a Conan the Barbarian audience." I haven't read any of the new comics because of this very concern. If Zub is sticking to Howard's vision, I will have to check it out. Howard is possibly the best prose writer of all time, and bad pastiches hurt! Will check it out now. 🤘
Ok we gotta Speak on Jim Zub , Jim is one of those RARE RARE RARE Breed writers we dont speak on ... he is the Modern writer alot of people should be aspired by... i have found myself reading alot of his stuff and im not disappointed in his writing at all... he Knows how to do Comics in the traditional sense. im curious to ask of him what are his inspirations cause he has a style that fits exceptionally well in the 80's or 70's - Zub Represents the type of writing we miss in comics... comics are so dark and serious we often forget books don't need to be that way all the time.. and i see Jim a excellent person at such. i didnt even see this conan stuff yet. but it's wise to invest to keep this guy steady delivering the goods.. Jim Needs to stop by the BEST ABSOLUTE CHANNEL on you Tube & Talk to one of the best Host in this Medium - good job wes !
I like the new Savage Sword of Conan magazine better than the Conan the Barbarian comic. The magazine stories tend to be one-and-done and I enjoy that more than the continuing stories in the comic. But yeah, they are both great books.
I'm all in on the Titan comics Conan train. If you like man shit even in the slightest, you gotta read these Conan books. Oh, and sorry, Buscema is the GOAT Conan artist IMO. As much as I love De La Tor's work, it is too derivative of Buscema for me to call him better.
