It's Here! 'The Savage Sword of Conan' Issue #1! A Stygian Dogs review!

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

Once again, thank you for the kind words! It's amazing to have just a small part in this historic issue!

[@StygianDogs]

👍

[@corytoddmusic]

That Roberto De LaTorre illustaration for the intro... just beautiful! Likewise with the Gerardo Zaffino illustration for 'The Road of Kings'. Awesome.

[@StygianDogs]

So great! Can't wait to see De La Torre return in the next issue. ⚔️

[@Hyperguyver2]

I love that they got the legendary Joe Jusko to resurface and bust out a new Conan cover. I have probably 20 original Savage Sword issues and at least 5 of them are Jusko. And you are 100% correct about Heroic Signatures showing its love and respect for the property and its audience.

[@StygianDogs]

Hoping they keep it up. I suspect that they are most interested in making money - and they can read the lay of the land. I'd guess 'Conan' is pretty niche as far as audience goes, so if they want to make money from us they'll cater to the existing audience rather than creating stuff for an audience that doesn't exist. Hoping anyway.

[@Hyperguyver2]

​@@StygianDogsthat's kind of the secret to success though, cater to your audience and they will spread your success any way they can.

[@StygianDogs]

@@Hyperguyver2 a no brainer...at least it should be!

[@unodestosdiaz2998]

There has been a long time I stopped buying monthly comics, this will be my first in many years. The conan regular series was receiving such praise I ended buying the Mignola Cover trade, and was blown away. This is a beautiful magazine, that breed love for the characters from all of the involved. Greetings from Panamá, and thank you for a new era of great Conan and Robert E Howard properties.

[@StygianDogs]

Fantastic to hear! The series has made me fall in love with comics again. And the new Savage Sword is icing in the cake! Thanks for your thoughtful comment!

[@JordoSez]

I had never read anything Conan before, I bought this on a whim because my pickup was light that week, I was BLOWN. AWAY. now 5 issues in and it's one of my most anticipated books

[@StygianDogs]

@@JordoSez Nice! The wonderful thing about Conan is that you can jump in anywhere. ⚔️

[@johnarcudi5943]

Thanks for the excellent review. Very much appreciated!

[@StygianDogs]

👍🙏

[@ottohoulihan2743]

We always have to wait about a week extra here in the UK...but what's a week after 29 years!!? This looks as great as I could have imagined!

[@StygianDogs]

It's fantastic. Smells good to. Some pages can be dark...but it's all acceptable stuff. There is an error in the Index with regard to the page for Zircher's story. Unfortunate, but also seems kinda quaint.. 🙂

[@ottohoulihan2743]

@@StygianDogs Aahh...yes the smell. My old 70s Savage Sword have that great old smell!! As for grammatical errors, the old mags had them too. Who could forget Friends of the flame knife" on the front cover instead of "Fiends"!!

[@stewartmiddleton4527]

I've ordered this from eBay, should be here in the next day or so. Can. Not. Wait. Also - great review - your enthusiasm speaks volumes for this type of (fantastic) fiction.

[@StygianDogs]

It's great. Excited for you to get your hands on. Thanks for watching! I reserve my enthusiasm for Conan...all other times I'm quiet and reserved. 🤣🤣

[@GrammaticusBooks]

Great review of the new Savage Sword SD! I should have my issue here this weekend. Can't wait!

[@StygianDogs]

I really enjoyed it. Feels 'old school', as the kids say. 😉

[@ginoames]

This book is awesome! So happy they printed it in the large size. Amazing artwork.

[@StygianDogs]

It's great. I'm keeping one as my reading copy...just to have laying around the house for whenever I need a fix. (Maybe tuck into the small pile of 'House and Home' type magazines that my wife has on the coffee table! 😆)

[@ginoames]

@@StygianDogs yes! That's a great idea.

[@Wabin22]

We're a little behind here in Sweden, but I just finished this entire thing and man oh man is it awesome! It's so amazing that we have Savage Sword back, with Solomon Kane AND a short story by Zub!

[@MarkTallen]

Excellent overview...I'm looking forward to getting my copy...my son has ordered one too.

[@StygianDogs]

Hope you enjoy it! 👍🙏

[@alfonsojimenez8840]

This Magazine was so good. I’ve been wanting something like this for such a long time.

[@StygianDogs]

It did not disappoint! 👍🙏

[@nc9726]

I absolutely loved it. Even the Kane story, a character I was never too crazy about. Great art and writing all around. I got cover C in my pull list but think I’m going to get A also.

[@StygianDogs]

I really love Zircher's work. Love his inks. I feel the same about Kane. I want to love him...but he's an oddball. 😆 Though Patch's story here is exactly what I want from the character.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I just read this. Magnificent. It’s the real deal.

[@StygianDogs]

It had a great smell to it too.

[@abhilashmaddali7158]

This was an excellent issue, Zircher's Kane story and Zub's short story are the highlights.

[@StygianDogs]

Absolutely! Excited for Zircher's follow up and Jub's Conan story in the next issue. 👍

[@RawdTheFormerVirgin]

Both were amazing :). Can’t wait for more!

[@StygianDogs]

Two months suddenly feels so far away! 😆👍

[@OldManHyborian]

I was so pumped with the start of this series, cover by Joe Jusko was super. Roy Thomas write-up was good to see, the pin up by Roberto De La Torre was decent, the map had some good detail; however, way too dark. This was going to be GREAT! Then I turned the page. The art was horrendous, what the hell was that? Cut and paste art, it looks like something I did as a kid when I cut photos out of the Sears catalog and glued them on a piece of paper to make a story. If the art was not bad enough the story was an abomination; why Conan did not immediately chop the head off the two body guards because of their insolence, not once but twice, is a mystery to me. Then, during a fight having Conan concerned that his arms are trembling from fatigue and worrying about dying a fool, OMG. The absolute worst was this 5-foot woman, with Botox lips, having to save Conan several times. Conan the Savage Sissy, it should have been called the Savage Sword of Ineah. Solomon Kane story and art were good and outshined Conan by far.

[@StygianDogs]

Ineah was sexy - but overused as deus ex machina. Could've been minor tweaks that would've balanced the story. I'll disagree about Max von Fafner’s work. It was excellent. (And, in some ways, for the reasons you disliked it.) The poor print quality did it a great disservice and it rendered really well in the electronic edition.

[@Talus2k]

Origianl Savage Sword is my all time favorite,...looking forward to the new run,...as always Appreciate the cool review \m/

[@StygianDogs]

SSoC is the absolute best. Happy to see it return in this fashion. Thank you! 👍🙏

[@cronicashiborianas]

Hey dog, you got another subscriber! Always bring news about Conan! 

[@StygianDogs]

👍🙏Thank you Dog Brother! ⚔️

[@cronicashiborianas]

@@StygianDogs I will organize the subtitles of my videos to make it easier to understand

[@fortcastellan1730]

This is the first time in a loooooong time that I've actually regretted not having a comic book shop within a hundred miles of my home... As someone who has an entire shelf full of Savage Sword omnibuses, and who was viscerally angry that the Soloman Kane omnibus was so short, this looks incredibly tempting.

[@StygianDogs]

It's worth getting a copy if you can. There are mixed reviews but I enjoyed it. Eager to see what's next. And I cannot wait to see a full story in B&W from Roberto De La Torre! 👍🙏

[@frankygonzales15]

Pickedup the A cover lots of damaged copies gonna read it tonight when the grandkids go home 👍🔥🔥👍

[@StygianDogs]

It's great! The shop I go to mentioned the same thing about damaged copies. Odd shipping size?

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

Satisfying my Conan fix with a mag sized B/W is what we all needed.

[@StygianDogs]

Amen to that Dog-Brother! 👍🙏

[@Comics_And_Metal]

Awesome review, subscribed! Waiting for next week for my cover A from my local store, they ran out lol

[@StygianDogs]

Thank you, sir! I aim to spread the good word of Conan. ⚔️ It'll be interesting to see if they do another print run on this...maybe improving the print process. 👍🙏

[@jasonsantos3037]

I will get my hand on this copy Savage Sword of Conan. 💪⚔️💀🔥🐍🦖

[@StygianDogs]

And you will love it Dog Brother! ⚔️

[@Mike-h7c3e]

Conan is a icon , his fictional life was dope!!⚔️🛡️🗡️

[@BrendonJaredJacobs]

This looks so cool

[@StygianDogs]

Hoping you can get a copy!

[@BrendonJaredJacobs]

@@StygianDogs think the Savage Sword books will be collected as TPB like the other one?

[@hariszark7396]

I hope they really capture the gore and sexy of the Conan books. They better give it an adults rating because I am tired of making things more appropriate for the young audience. Conan stories deserve to be experienced at its full greatness.

[@StygianDogs]

Oh, they definitely do!

[@hariszark7396]

@@StygianDogs That's a good thing ! 👍

[@Tusitala1967]

It's sold out. 😞 Will there be another print run?

[@StygianDogs]

That's disappointing to hear. Crossing my fingers that they do another run.

[@Tusitala1967]

@@StygianDogs It is very disappointing. Especially since your video had me salivating for this book. ;-)

[@iljagobeyn8914]

Still have to start the kane story. I hope they go deep into lovecrafting stuff for kane, it is the perfect character to go into the cosmic horror stuff.

[@StygianDogs]

I'm curious to see where it goes. Zircher has certainly set up a few things!

[@traviswilcox3472]

Is this standard comic book size or magazine size like original SSOC ?

[@StygianDogs]

Magazine sized. Just like the original! 👍🙏

[@frankjaeger9588]

Did anyone else notice the page numbers in the beginning are wrong? It says Sacrifice in the Sand is 20 pages (from 56 to 75? With Solomon Kane starting on 76) But it's only 2-4 pages long

[@StygianDogs]

Noticed that...also noticed a numbering issue with Jeff Shanks' essay in Issue 8. It's disappointing but human...I guess. I'll volunteer to be a proof reader!

[@StygianDogs]

Just double checked and the Shanks essay has been numbered as six in the past 3 episodes. Someone needs to update the template. Interesting that it coincides with the new editor...

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

Lol Don't blame me! I just turn in my drafts 🤷

[@Gonar1212]

My Canary is singing. He loves the paper. Shut the up Brak. Sing at night.

[@StygianDogs]

😂🤣

[@RavenousOne]

I’m late to the party. I hope I can find a copy

[@StygianDogs]

Hope so! Haven't heard yet if they're doing another print run. I suppose it's possible given the less than optimal first print. (It's pretty dark and muddled on some pages...more than a few complaints out there. Still, it didn't bother me too much and it's worth grabbing if you can find it.) 👍🙏

[@smackroscoe]

If we want new CONAN products we need to buy CONAN products! 2 CONAN books in 1 month? What a time to be alive! Listen to the Top Dog & buy more CONAN you Stygian Dogs!

[@StygianDogs]

Honestly...it's not an addiction. 🤣 Proud to say that I turned down one of the variant covers for Issue 8! Thanks Dog Brother! 👍🙏

[@hariszark7396]

Although it looks good overall, something feels strange in those drawings. They don't look black and white in the '80s style. They look like colored images that are photoshoped to black and white. Like when we print a color image but at the b&w output..... Or Is it just me?

[@StygianDogs]

Fafner definitely uses digital techniques/tools. In the digital version, they are beautiful and the monochromatic style works so well. The less then perfect print definitely can conjure what you are feeling. 👍🙏

[@hariszark7396]

@@StygianDogs But that monochromatic output is too dark and a lot of details are going away in many drawings... That's a bummer really...😔

[@HobbiesofaMan]

i have not had a chance to read it yet, but I will soon, I just wanted to see what you had to say about the book in general, so I skipped straight to the conclusion. I will comeback and watch your thoughts on the stories later. I gotta say though, that at first glance, I'm not very happy with this book. I understand its nostalgic and classic to have it be printed on newsprint, but the modern artists are employing modern styles, and I don't think they work in black and white without some effort, as in simplification of style, which they didn't seem to consider. The newsprint, makes the inks too dark, I can't see the pinups or details in the book, it feels muddy, the Belit pinup is barely visible, and that sucks. I looked at the digital edition and it seems better for my tastes but if I do that I don't actually own the book, and I don't want to double dip, so I'm stuck in limbo right now. Hopefully when I read the stories I like them enough that I'm willing to put up with the issue I've got for future issues. Did that make sense? Lol. Hopefully when I do my own review I can articulate what I mean better.

[@StygianDogs]

Makes total sense! I'm comfortable with the final product...I expected it to be less clear than the electronic version (which looks great!) so I'm not terribly bothered. But I hear you! 👍🙏

[@stewartmiddleton4527]

That's a good point...it will be interesting to compare/contract the print version and the digital one. But...I will still get the print version. A slightly muddy reading experience - for this issue anyway - is worth putting up with, in order to support the print version. Maybe it's a teething issue that will be resolved with later comics.

[@ragiczzz9070]

I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth with the abundance of Conan goodness on display here. And Maybe it was just my copy but I was suprised at how poor the printing was. I too read the original series and the printing here is not good. The pages look almost photocopied. The contrast seems cranked up to 11. Even the text on the back cover seems tilted. BUT!, it’s all great. I love it all! Hopefully they get all the bugs out. And if not it’s worth double the price. Love it

[@StygianDogs]

@@ragiczzz9070 My copy didn't seem so bad but the shop owner mentioned she had many damaged books in her delivery. I thought the printing in mine wasn't too bad either. I guess I tempered my expectations? 😆 Honestly though, had they tried to pull-off SSoC in any other format, it just wouldn't have worked. It needed to be this way. I'm a little more disappointed about the Table of Contents error and some of the errors in the monthly series.

[@I_am_Diogenes]

Where did you find this printed in black and white ? I looked at the distributor to order it and it said it was only available in a digital format .

[@StygianDogs]

Just my friendly neighbourhood comic shop. 👍

[@Forcemaster2000]

I would not pay for anything printed on newsprint. I understand the thought behind it, but it's stupid as, why should I pay a premium price for something that will not stand up to time? I'm also sad to see that they're (the comic industry) still doing the asinine multiple versions of covers!

[@StygianDogs]

There is the argument that newsprint lowers the price and makes it a pretty good value. Plus the argument that it's to be read and enjoyed. But I understand it not being to other's tastes. As for covers...I've never really been a variant guy. I guess it appeals to collectors... And I suppose gives something for everything. But I'd be happy if they just stuck to one and didn't worry about bolstering sales numbers. Thanks for taking the time to comment! 👍🙏

[@Mr.Digit115]

i bought the new conan mag and think its great,....maybe the best since either the current regular conan title or beyond the black river by ablaze. 1 thing i dont care for is the super excessive use of photo reference in the dinosaur story,...i know they all have or will do it from wally wood to whomever, but i always thought the trick was to use photo ref for accuracies' sake, but not as a copy and paste type tracing tool. geesh, the edges between the photo ref and regular drawn art are so hard and obvious, i think it takes away from the story... will i buy the next issue ...yes. i do like the way b/w embraces all these great halftones and shadows in the format.

[@StygianDogs]

Hoping they sort their printing issues out. I'm pretty keen on what Fafner did but I know it's not to everyone's taste. I think what came across to me was that (to me anyway) it seemed like he was having fun with it and approached it with the enthusiasm of a fan. That said, I definitely want to see more traditional black and white ink work...can't wait for future issues. As for the Ablaze version of Beyond the Black River, I agree that that was a fine adaptation indeed. Rang true to Howard. And I like the liberties taken with the look of Conan. 🙏⚔️

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Why does the panel even need to move and induce nause and vertigo?? It's comic books, man. We dont need it messing with our head, or moving around. We click because we love comic books. We don't expect it to move around. You dont need to play it up "so we don't get bored..", just trust the staying Stygian dogs to remain. By Crom!

[@StygianDogs]

🤷👍🙏

[@JarJarBinks4ever]

Unfortunate to see 'Savage Sword' with 3D models instead of hand-made art. Feels antithetical to pulp, Howard and the original Savage Sword magazine. Might as well use AI. Also, the mag appears to be grayscale instead of true black and white. The colour comic mogs this tbh.

[@StygianDogs]

It'll be interesting to see what they do with future artists. I suspect they wanted something to set it apart for the monthly. Fafner’s technique would seem to require that greyscale approach? (Just spit-balling.) Still, I'm happy with the monochrome. Puebla's process might feel antithetical to pulp...but I feel the end result fits. As for AI comparison...too contraversial. Haha 😆 Thanks for commenting! 👍🙏

[@BruceLee-bk8dy]

Main story has a lot of issues. Not a Conan story…saved by an engineer four times?! Conan being scared…come on. Art was too dark and technically flawed…AI? Hope future issues are better.

[@creweluc4732]

Conan was very timid in issue 1. He needed to be rescued by the girl at least 4 times. A bit beta.

[@StygianDogs]

@@creweluc4732Arcudi overused her... Almost as deus ex machina. Could've used some extra editing. I'd argue the notion of 'rescue' a bit...but I understand the criticism. I enjoyed her character but something as simple as having a henchmen fire the ballista at the beginning would have remedied so much.

[@crawdad19141]

FORMAT A+ PRINTING C- CONAN STORY D -Sorry, I cant get past the fact that Conan was the damsel in distress in his own book. Imagine REH or Jordan, or Roy Thomas writing in Conan being saved 4 times by ANYONE in a single story. STICK TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL TITAN!!! Solomon Kane story B+ Art and story were great and Kane was very much in character. Bottom line I'm fearful that Wokeism has invaded Titans Conan. Something that we can NOT allow for in a CONAN Book. Conan is the ultimate Mans Man with a level of heroism and Masculinity off the charts, something not allowed for in todays society sadly, but that's CONAN! That is how REH wrote him in the original source material, Stick to that, or create another weaker character that needs saving multiple times in his own book! I have no problem at all with a strong female characters, REH certainly did not either judging by his creations Valeria and Dark Agnes. But He would NEVER pen a Conan Story like this one, where our hero needs saving by anyone literally 4 TIMES in one story! Conan is the Hero, Conan saves himself and others, Conan may need saving on occasion but 4 TIMES IN HIS OWN STORY!!!!!?? Sorry to rant, but I love this character, I have read EVERYTHING penned by REH and I own and have read every pastiche every comic from 4 publishers over 5 decades. I'm not going to let this complete turning away from the source material slide, DO BETTER TITAN!!

[@StygianDogs]

Vigilance is definitely warranted. I thought the story was alright - I enjoyed it while noticing 'things'...I'll concede that he was clearly saved twice. The first time (via balista) at least helped to propel the story...but I think it would have been better if the weapon (while created by Ineah) was fired by someone else. And while it's not the first time we've seen Conan saved by another, to do so at the climax came across as weak deus ex machina. Perhaps ideological...but felt like lame writing. We'll keep watch on where future stories go. There is an interview with Arcudi that certainly makes some of his personal positions clear. I would hope that future authors (and editorial oversight) maintain a role in servicing the character rather than fashionable current day politics. I'm steadfast in my position that the monthly series has thus far avoided such concerns. Crossing fingers (and swords) that future SSoC stories ring true to Howard’s legacy. Thanks so much for taking the time to write. 👍🙏⚔️

[@StygianDogs]

And by all means, never stop ranting! ⚔️

[@rocketshipevan]

Ugggh, CG art and traced CG art from the first story was amateurish. Second story had great art on the other hand. If I see CG art again though, Im out. What a disappointment.

[@StygianDogs]

Gotta say, I loved it. Chacun a son gout, I guess. 😊 That said, I wouldn't want it all the time. I can't wait to see what Roberto De La Torre gives us in these pages. Thanks for commenting! 🙏👍

[@rocketshipevan]

@@StygianDogs I just saw your Fafner AI conspiracy video and it brought a smile to my face. I would love to see De La Torre in black and white. I just assumed he would be in the first issue here since he left the comiic after only a few issues.

[@StygianDogs]

@@rocketshipevan 😊 a silly video for sure! And Fafner’s a nice guy. Yup, De La Torre is back for the next 4 issues. #9 is great...but it's the next issues that I suspect will rock. But man, I just love his style. Apparently he is doing a SSoC issue. 👍