CONAN AND EC NEWS

Big news for fans of Conan and EC Comics! Titan Comics has published the first issue of a new SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN series that also includes a Solomon Kane reboot.

And additional news about the EC Comics reboot that was announced here last week: Oni Press is emphasizing that their new, multi-titled series will not be an outright homage of the originals, but instead will "continue the legacy." We'll see how that turns out.

Comic Review: Savage Sword of Conan #1 Continues a Proud Legacy

By Matt Morrison | February 23, 2024 | superherohype.com

Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures set sales records and won the hearts of fans and critics with their Conan the Barbarian revival. That revival continues with their publication of the first issue of Savage Sword of Conan. Indeed, this magazine may be the single greatest work produced with the Conan license in recent memory.

The introduction by Roy Thomas sets the stage for what is to come perfectly. Thomas details the history of how the original Savage Sword of Conan came into being. The magazine, which offered more mature adaptations of the writings of Robert E. Howard than the monthly comics, was a huge hit for Marvel. It ran for a respectable 235 issues, cementing its status in the annals of Sword and Sorcery literature. (Unsurprisingly, Thomas has been asked back to write more tales of Conan in future issues.)

The lion’s share of Savage Sword of Conan #1 is devoted to a sprawling Conan tale by writer John Arcudi and artist Max Von Fafner. Here we see an older Conan, now a general leading his own mercenary company. Only the promise of gold keeps Conan and his followers following a would-be king on the road to conquest. However, Conan also takes an interest in a comely engineer who is well-protected by his employer’s twin bodyguards.

Fans of the original Savage Sword of Conan will have no complaints about this revival. The stories and artwork are both as vivid and visceral as one would expect. Max Von Fafner does not shy away from showing bare bodies and the blood flows freely in the many action sequences.

However, while the book is largely devoted to Conan, there is more to recommend it. The backup story, written and drawn by Patch Zircher, sets up a new adventure for Solomon Kane. There is also a short Conan story, where current Conan the Barbarian author Jim Zub proves as skilled at writing pure prose as he is spinning comic stories.

In short, if you are a fan of fantasy, mature comics, and high adventure, you should quest to your comic book store and procure a copy of Savage Sword of Conan #1. This is sure to be the start of something special, and you will curse the gods should you miss out on this one.

EC Comics' return isn't "a nostalgia trip" for Oni Press, it's to push boundaries here in 2024

The classic renegade publisher will rise from the crypt in summer 2024 with new life and new passion

By Graeme McMillan | February 23, 2024 | thepopverse.com

The news that EC Comics was making a comeback almost 70 years after the legendary line folded was big news when the New York Times broke the story in mid-February — but fans familiar with the history of William Gaines’ controversial upstart comics publisher shouldn’t expect a retread of former glories in its new incarnation, according to one of the figures responsible for the revival.

Talking at comics industry event ComicsPro, Hunter Gorinson — president and publisher of Oni Press, which will be publishing the new line of EC Comics starting this summer, and who has been working with the Gaines estate to build the new line for years — told retailers that he considered the opportunity to continue the EC legacy “a sacred responsibility,” adding, “The very last thing we want to do is make it be a nostalgia trip.”

Some of that was apparent in the first two titles announced as part of the revived EC line: while both Epitaphs from the Abyss, launching in July, and Cruel Universe, launching in August, sound like classic EC titles along the lines of The Vault of Horror, Tales from the Crypt, or Weird Science, they’re actually all-new titles continuing the strong tradition of anthologies focusing on specific genres — Epitaphs is a horror title, and Cruel Universe a sci-fi book, both being genres well-covered by EC in its heyday.

Moving forward, Gorinson teased, the third EC title will be another anthology, but one rooted in a genre the original EC never dealt with, while another future series will depart from EC tradition entirely by abandoning the anthology format altogether.

Creators named as being involved in the new line include Jason Aaron, Christopher Cantwell, Rodney Barnes, Corinne Bechko, Cecil Castellucci, Leomacs, Malachi Ward, Dustin Weaver, Cullen Bunn, and many more. Lee Bermejo will provide covers for Epitaphs from the Abyss, while Greg Smallwood will offer covers for Cruel Universe. Rian Hughes is the designer for the line.

“I can’t tell you too much about what we’re going to do yet, but rest assured over the next four and five months, we’re going to keep our foot on the gas,” Gorinson promised retailers, adding, “we have a lot of stuff planned” for EC Comics moving forward

CONAN #0 FREE ISSUE AND MORE NEWS

One of the comics given away this year during the annual Free Comics Day was Titan's first look at their new title, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, shown below in its entirety. Following is a newsflash announcing Titan's new SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, as well as news of print-run sellouts of CONAN.

Conan the Barbarian Sets All-Time Record as Savage Sword Spin-Off Announced

Conan the Barbarian has set an all time sales record for Titan Comics, just in time for the launch of his second title, Savage Sword of Conan.

By Shaun Corley | July 24, 2023 | screenrant.com

Conan the Barbarian has set an all-time sales record, just in time for the premiere of Savage Sword of Conan! Titan Books, best known for their line of Doctor Who comics, acquired the rights to produce comic books based on Conan last year. The publisher has hit the ground running, launching not only a flagship Conan title, but resurrecting Savage Sword of Conan in its original format - and if that was not enough, the former book has hit a sales record.

Titan Books unveiled more information about the forthcoming titles at San Diego Comic Con. Titan’s Conan the Barbarian will be written by Jim Zub and drawn by Roberto De La Torre, following Zub chronicling Conan’s adventures over at Marvel. In addition to the regular Conan the Barbarian title, Titan has announced a spin-off, titled Savage Sword of Conan. Savage Sword, unlike its companion book, will be magazine-sized, featuring stories in black and white, and will feature what Titan describes as a "murderer’s row" of artists, including Howard Chaykin, Patch Zircher, John Arcudi and Richard Pace. Finally, Titan announced that Conan the Barbarian #1’s first printing was the publisher’s biggest book to date, with confirmed sales over 80,000; in addition, Titan has already commissioned a second printing, and a third printing is a possibility. These multiple printings will push Conan the Barbarian’s print run over 100,000, making it one of the best-selling titles of the decade.

Titan’s new line of Conan comics is the latest chapter in the Cimmerian’s long history. Conan’s creator, Robert E. Howard, wrote for the classic pulp magazines of his day, and created Conan in 1932. The character became popular with fans, and after Howard’s untimely death at the age of 30, other writers picked up the thread and continued the character’s adventures. In the early 1970s, Marvel licensed the rights to produce comics based on Conan. The book was a hit and inaugurated a line of titles, including the black and white Savage Sword of Conan. Sold as a magazine to help skirt the oppressive Comics Code Authority, Savage Sword featured more adult-oriented storylines, keeping it more in line with Howard’s original vision.

And now, this groundbreaking publication has returned - in its original format. Fans fondly remember the classic Savage Sword of Conan, and Titan Editor Mike Murray revealed that many have asked for its return. When Marvel reacquired the Conan license in 2019, they did relaunch Savage Sword - but as a regular-sized, color comic book. Fans had been clamoring for a return to its classic format and now Titan has given them their wish. The original Savage Sword featured some of the top artists of the day, including Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema, and the new incarnation will keep that tradition alive, with Patch Zircher confirming a huge array of talent on Twitter. Jim Zub likewise celebrated the move, revealing that fans at SDCC were raving about the new series.

Titan has generated a great deal of excitement over its new line of Conan the Barbarian books. The first issue of the flagship title will become one of the best-selling comics of the decade, showing that fan interest in this book is at an all-time high. Titan will also honor the classic Conan comics by continuing to reprint them in gorgeous new editions. With Savage Sword of Conan returning in its classic format, and the regular book breaking Titan's sales records, now is a great time to be a Conan fan.

BIG NEWS FOR CONAN FANS!

When I spotted the first issue of Marvel's CONAN THE BARBARIAN on the comic rack, I about peed my pants! By 1970, I was a hardcore fan of the Lancer series of paperbacks and was learning more about Conan's creator, Robert E. Howard. Needless to say, I snatched a copy up and shelled out my hard-earned 15 cents, went home and was immediately enthralled in its visual majesty.

The longevity of Conan has surprised me (see history below). With the exception of a ten-year absence, the character is still with us today.

The newest incarnation of our Hyborian Age Hero is coming August 2 from Titan Comics (see below) and it just might be one of the better series ever. With what looks to be a solid story from Jim Zub and excellent artwork from Buscema-inspired Rob De La Torre, the sample pages shown here bear this out. I anxiously await the release of this title. The biggest problem will be picking out one of the multiple cover versions!

The History Of Conan The Barbarian in Comics

By Matt Morrison | July 18, 2023 | yahoo.com

While most think of Arnold Schwarzenegger when they hear the name of Conan the Barbarian, the character’s history is more closely tied to the world of comics than cinema.

Pulp Fiction and The Origins Of Conan

Created by sword-and-sorcery pioneer Robert E. Howard, Conan was originally a product of the pulps. Howard sold 18 novellas and novelettes featuring Conan to the magazines Weird Tales and Fantasy Fan between 1932 and 1936. Howard also wrote one Conan novel, The Hour of the Dragon, and had three Conan stories published after his death.

While Howard was a prolific writer who wrote historical fiction as well as fantasy, Conan was easily his most popular creation. Howard’s stories were reprinted continually throughout the 1950s and 1960s, finding an audience among the same readers that enjoyed comic books. It was these readers who introduced Conan to the management of Marvel Comics.

The First Marvel Age (1970-1993)

According to comics legend Roy Thomas, who was serving as an associate editor under Stan Lee at the time, Marvel Comics first began exploring the idea of publishing adaptations of classic pulp characters in the late 1960s. This decision came after receiving letters from fans suggesting they might do well with comics based on Tarzan, Doc Savage, and John Carter.

Thomas reached out to the literary agent of Robert E. Howard’s estate, Glenn Lord. To his surprise, Lord was agreeable to Thomas’ proposed sum of $200 per issue. Unfortunately, this was more than Thomas had budgeted for Marvel’s first foray into fantasy comics. Thomas addressed the shortfall by writing the comics himself and hiring a relatively unknown Barry Windsor-Smith to handle the art.

Rather than only adapting the Conan stories, Thomas secured permission to adapt Howard’s other stories into Conan tales while writing his own stories, filling in the gaps between the classic Conan tales. This led to the creation of another famous hero, with Thomas inventing the amazon Red Sonja by adapting Robert E. Howard’s historical heroine Red Sonya of Rogatino.

Conan The Barbarian proved to be a smash hit, quickly becoming one of Marvel Comics most popular series and the winner of multiple Shazam awards. It is highly unlikely the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film would ever have been made, had it not been for the popularity of the Conan comics.

The Dark Horse Years (2003-2018)

Ironically, despite American comics becoming more violent during in the late 1980s and 1990s, fantasy as a genre fell out of favor and the Conan license lay dormant for a decade. Dark Horse Comics picked up the license in 2003, hiring Kurt Busiek to handle the writing duties and Cary Nord to provide the artwork.

For 15 years and through a number of rotating creative teams and titles, Dark Horse presented a darker, more visceral take on Robert E. Howard’s hero. The monthly Conan series largely unfolded in chronological order, using the timeline presented by P. Schuyler Miller and John D. Clark in their 1936 essay A Probable Outline of Conan’s Career.

Like the Marvel series before it, the Dark Horse Conan comics adapted Howard’s original stories, filling in the gaps with original tales. There was also a collection of spin-off miniseries, published under the King Conan title, in which writer Tim Truman and artist Tomás Giorello adapted the Robert E. Howard stories set during Conan’s reign as King of Aquilonia.

The Second Marvel Age (2019-2022)

Marvel Comics briefly reacquired the license to publish Conan comics in the United States in 2018. A new monthly Conan the Barbarian comic began running in January 2019, with scripts by Jason Aaron and art by Mahmud Asrar. There were also several one-shots and mini-series devoted to supporting Conan characters, such as the pirate queen Belit.

Unfortunately, these comics were not well-received by the majority of Conan fans, who preferred the darker aesthetic of the Dark Horse comics. It did not help matters that a time-displaced Conan interacted with the mainstream Marvel Universe and was briefly a part of the Savage Avengers. The series failed to find an audience with Marvel fans as well and were quietly brought to a close.

Ablaze Comics and The Cimmerian (2020-2022)

At the same time Marvel was trying to revitalize Conan in their own universe, Ablaze Comics was leaving their own mark upon the Conan legacy. After a brief legal battle, Ablaze was allowed to publish English translations of a series of comic book adaptations of Robert E. Howard’s stories published in Europe (where they were in the public domain) under the title The Cimmerian. While some of the adaptations were praised for capturing the primal spirit of Robert E. Howard’s prose, the Ablaze Comics printings were criticized for compressing the larger page size of European comics to fit the American standard.

The Titan Age And Today (2023)

A new Conan the Barbarian series, published by Titan Comics, is poised to premiere at San Diego Comic Con 2023. The new book received a soft premiere during Free Comic Book Day, with a #0 issue scripted by Jim Zub and art by Roberto De La Torre fueling fan expectations, and foretelling a new age of high adventure for Conan the Barbarian.

Comic Review: Conan the Barbarian #1

By Matt Morrison | July 19, 2023 | yahoo.com

The name of Conan the Barbarian is rightly synonymous with action and adventure. Originally created by Texan pulp fiction author Robert E. Howard, Conan found a new life in the world of Marvel Comics in the 1970s. Much like the wandering adventurer himself, the Conan license has traveled from one publisher to the next, now falling into the hands of Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures.

The first issue of Titans’ Conan the Barbarian opens eight years into Conan’s adventuring career, long after he left his native Cimmeria in search of adventure. After having a falling-out with his current employer, Conan ponders his past and whether he should return home or continue to walk the path of blood and slaughter he has trod for nearly a decade. It spoils little to reveal that Conan has little chance to ponder this question before some supernatural menace drags him back into adventure.

The script by writer Jim Zub provides a perfect pastiche of Robert E. Howard’s prose, capturing the soul of Conan as a character. A flashback to Conan’s first battle as a lad of sixteen summers establishes what little history need be explained. Avoiding expository dialogue, Zub wisely conveys Conan’s backstory through an action sequence.

Zub shows who Conan is through the action, revealing him as a practical man and a survivor, rather than a hero. Despite this, Conan is ethical in his own way, living by a chaotic code of honor that drives him to refuse to follow a cowardly commander yet pushes him to save a stranger whose bravery in the face of certain death appeals to him. Zub’s Conan is as much a man of wisdom as he is a man of action who shows great cleverness in battle. This is true to Howard’s original character and a far cry from the cliché dumb muscle most imagine when picturing barbarian heroes.

The artwork of Conan The Barbarian #1 is of equal caliber to the writing. Rob De La Torre boasts a dynamic, visceral style that is vividly detailed and as dark and brooding as the Cimmerian highlands in a thunderstorm. The characters are uniquely designed, with little details like a barmaid with an eye patch catching the eye in the progression from panel to panel. The action flows as smoothly as the blood that flows freely from those who stand against Conan.

Talking of blood, it should be noted that those Conan fans who feared that Titan Comics would present a bloodless, sanitized take on Conan the Barbarian similar to the recent Marvel revival can rest easy. With a topless bar wench on the title page and literal hordes of blood-thirsty zombies, this book is rightly recommended “For Mature Readers.”

The rest of Conan the Barbarian #1’s art team deserve praise as well. De La Torre’s inks and pencils are well-matched by the colors of José Villarrubia. The colors of this book are largely muted, which only serves to make the crimson colors of combat stand out all the more. Villarrubia also punctuates certain panels with strong tints that dominate the backgrounds to subtly highlight the foreground figures. The lettering by Richard Starkings is crisp and clear, with sound effect balloons used sparingly to present a more grim and realistic aesthetic.

Those who have never read a Conan comic could not ask for a better introduction to the first son of sword-and-sorcery than Conan the Barbarian #1, and those who are already fans of Conan will find this first chapter to be everything they could have hoped for. As the barbarian himself might say, “By Crom, this is an fine tale!”

Rating: 10/10

First issue cover gallery:

Come back this afternoon for a free look at Titan's CONAN THE BARBARIAN #0!

CONAN THE RELAUNCH

Promising news for fans of Conan and the Sword and Sorcery genre: Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics will be publishing a new Conan comic book series in July. They sound serious in the endeavor to restore the character to his former glory. With some nice looking Buscema-inspired artwork by Roberto De La Torre, the key will be in the writing. Scripter Jim Zub will have big shoes to fill that were originally worn by the great Roy Thomas.

A trailer:

Also of note from the frozen wastes of Cimmeria is this new figure:

Conan the Cimmerian by Sanjulian 1/10 Scale Figure :

Retail price: $99.99

Mythological warrior created by Robert Howard, Conan is one of the icons of heroic fantasy, the main character of numerous novels, comics and movies. Sanjulián is considered one of the best illustrators of fantasy and science fiction, and his Conan's series work has been widely acclaimed by fans and critics in the comics industry. This amazing accurate reproduction at 1:10 scale is made of plastic and stands about 9-inches tall. Conan the Cimmerian stands atop a base of skulls with his sword in his right hand, and shield guarding him from arrows.

Estimated shipping date: May, 2023