My Thoughts on Titan Comics Conan

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

Just wanted to make another minor correction on "O" vs "Oh." You are right that "O" is more grammatically correct as it's being used in the vocative case, however, Howard uses "Oh" in the final draft of his typescript and that's what was used in the original publication in Weird Tales. The correction to "O" what is likely made by de Camp. Since the publication of the authoritative Howard versions of the texts in the Del Rey/Wandering Star editions it has been changed back to Howard's original "Oh." There is still inconsistency, but this is why there is confusion.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Thanks! That is very helpful!

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 and this is getting pretty far in the weeds, but I think you'll appreciate it. I suspect Howard got the construction from William Lane's translation of the Thousand and One Nights, which uses it quite a bit - Know O Prince, Know O King, Know O Efreet, etc. - and it correctly uses "O" instead of "Oh."

[@hylandian626]

My copy of Savage Sword of Conan is coming in the mail. I am very thrilled with the job Heroic Signatures is doing with Titan Comics in honoring Howard’s memory by keeping his characters alive in today’s overtly politicized time we are facing in Western culture. Great video!

[@Vicshade]

I’m looking forward to Savage Sword as well. What I’ve seen online looks great.

[@Tusitala1967]

I'm jealous because they're sold out!

[@PeculiarNotions]

Thank you for keeping up with this latest run of Conan comics.

[@hyperguyver2]

The good news then is that Titan comics is a subsidiary of Heroic Signatures, who owns the rights to ALL of REH's works, hence the new Solomon Kane story. Fredrick Malmberg is keeping a very tight hold on the characters and how he is presented in all future projects.

[@dragonrealmer4851]

They dont own anything except trademarks to the names. REH is public domain. Heroic Signatures are copyright hogs, it's a disgusting practise. Roy Thomas could write 800 Conan novels with no problem at all and make a billion dollars on em, but he can't call the books "Conan The Barbarian" or "Conan The Cimmerian", because then Fredrik Malmberg would bring his lawyers and sue Roy Thomas into oblivion, because Fredrik Malmberg and Heroic Signatures are copyright hogs holding public domain property hostage through trademark law.

[@Tim_with_Tomes_and_Tales]

Hello, Michael. I enjoy your comic reviews (and your book reviews). Please keep them coming. Stay safe, and happy reading.

[@thewestisthebest]

Thanks for the mention! I'm amazed at our clear those pages look on your tablet!

[@user-zd9yn5mz1f]

Thanks for the review, Mr. Vaughan. My brother and l very much enjoy the monthly title and are now pouring through the new Savage Sword. I appreciate your commentary and will make your site a return habit. P.S. thanks for wearing a pressed shirt and tie. You clearly respect the material you discuss, as well as your viewers! Class act!

[@0mcparty145]

I love hearing the music into to "The Robert E. Howard Show". Great video as usual.

[@ABT212]

Getting into Conan in a big way. Writing my own pastiche for added enjoyment.

[@ZizouZico]

I was reassured when I saw that Titan picked this up. They’ve done great work with Philippe Druillet’s comics. There’s no holding back with his work and Titan does great with it.

[@HobbiesofaMan]

Rob comes back for arc 3 in issue 9, and then Doug comes back in issue 13. After the second Doug arc is concluded things are still up in the air, based on what Jim Zub has said on twitter. They are starting an even in May if I remember correctly too, so it's pretty exciting stuff all with Jim Zub at the helm because Heroic Signatures love him. I made a review for SSoC and spent about 10minutes complaining about the newsprint myself lol, its the only miss so far in my opinion.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

So many artists bring out their best when they draw REH stories.

[@SleepyBookReader-666]

Completely agree with all you thoughts on this comic series. I picked up the physical copy of SSoC and found the greyscale a bit horrific- but then also read it again on my ipad via Hoopla where it looked very nice. One of the things about Conan even more than other comics characters is it needs the right artists who can evoke the imaginary world and mood of Howard's creations.

[@smackroscoe]

Look it’s Damian! Hi Damian!

[@SleepyBookReader-666]

@@smackroscoe Hello hello!

[@jdredd8152]

I too, am enjoying the color Conan comic. I think it's great. My copy of The Savage Sword of Conan should be in the mail and am eagerly awaiting to read it once I get it. Glad to see it has gotten a positive review from you.

[@smackroscoe]

We got 2 CONAN books in 1 month? What a time to be alive! Praise be to CROM!

[@danieltenney1896]

I just read issues 4-7 today. I am really enjoying it so far. The art is amazing and the story has been good. I like how they are including a lot of REH's mythos by including little nods to Kull and Bran through the long history of the Picts. The violence and adult themes are very much not watered down, which is nice. But im a little concerned that Conan is a little too brutish in the second arc. He is still down from the death of Belit so its slightly understandable, but I hope we see more of Conan's fierce intelligence in future issues. He is not a dumb brute. The first arc did show his wilderness skills and strategy, so im hopeful. All in all though im loving this run though! Im very much looking forward to more! And I cant wait to pick up SSoC as well! Thanks for the review Michael!

[@stephennootens916]

I feel like Conan is one of those characters that since the readers are rooting for him it doesn't matter who he is killing.

[@GholaMuadDib]

Great review. Got my copy yesterday. I’ll be reading it tonight after work. I’m enjoying the Titan run so far. I like that they’re putting a basic not comic short story. I wonder if they’ll put together a paperback of the Savage Sword short stories, if they continue.

[@Toracube]

As you are the expert on all things Howard I was looking forward to your take on this.

[@bizarrebraincomics7819]

Oh that looks good. I got a few issues of CtB but I didn't know that they were doing Savage Sword so I'll have to look for it.

[@tonygriego6382]

I am cautiously optimistic.

[@bobbehers1625]

Conan has once again returned! Jim Zub is up there with Roy Thomas. I still find Darkhorse's Conan to be my favorite retelling, but I see hope from Titan for the future!

[@theblueidiot5536]

More Conan baby yeah!

[@StygianDogs]

We'll see De La Torre return next month 👍

[@StygianDogs]

And I believe he's doing one of the Savage Sword issues. Can't wait for that!

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

​@@StygianDogs Yep he is!

[@Miki-xq3hr]

Si, de la torre es impresionante , esperemos que el blanco y negro sea fantástico, en el primer número kane es realmente bueno muy a lo weeis de la antigua espada de marvel, una grata sorpresa, esperemos algo parecido en los demás personajes howard

[@lancem6363]

I like the Titan run so far, great art, good storytelling. I'll gladly keep buying if the quality is maintained. I consider the original Marvel years kind of the be all end all for Conan but this is good as it gets otherwise!

[@davezenz]

I also loved Solomon Kane. Thank you for the review.

[@GrammaticusBooks]

Great review Michael! And I am now officially the last one to get his copy of Savage Sword...sigh. And what a difference between the digital and printed copy on 'Dragon Horde'!

[@lordoflek]

there will be a ten pager Solomon Kane in all six slated issues of SSoC, all two parter at three different locations and times in Kane's life, all done by Patch Zircher.

[@99Michael]

Solomon Kane is a wonderful character and, under the right writer, would be a dynamic figure exploring both the natural and supernatural world, I see GOT geography as Kane moves across the lands.

[@ottohoulihan2743]

Robert de la torre back for issues 9-12 of Conan the barbarian! Jonas Scharf to draw the free comic book day copy in May then Doug Braithwaite to return for issues 13-16. Conan's future at Titan comics looks very rosy indeed! Jim Zub and team are doing a fantastic job.

[@Eyrrll]

I can confirm that the physical edition is a bit muddy (but still fine overall). It looks to me like they tried to use more shading than black and white on newsprint will allow for. The art itself is actually beautiful… it’s just a bit darker than it probably should be.

[@pulsarstargrave256]

Love the intro by "Rocky"!

[@jamesholland8057]

I only had one Savage Sword book, Shadows in the Moonlight, great book. Art and original Howard story which is all I like.

[@tennesseefats]

Those Titan issues are definitely high quality. Great Vid!

[@davidcarty7584]

Conan comics for The most part have always held true to it's source material thats Why their awesome

[@LeadPaint1]

Really enjoyed the episode!

[@Elsupermayan8870]

I can't help but notice that Solomon Kane looks like Vampire Hunter D. Maybe that's where they got the idea of how D should look, a rip off of Kane.

[@karlhaikara1629]

I believe I have heard that they were influenced by Kane for Vampire Hunter D

[@Elsupermayan8870]

@@karlhaikara1629 They do look very similar, Solomon Kane even fought Vampires in Africa in one of his stories.

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

Yep, I talk about that in my Solomon Kane essay in this issue.

[@Elsupermayan8870]

@@AnAgeUndreamedOf You got a cool channel. I subbed. Good content. 👍

[@AnAgeUndreamedOf]

@@Elsupermayan8870 I appreciate that! I need to start putting up some new content though. It's been awhile!

[@DDB168]

Glad to hear they haven't watered down Conan. A Zub novel would be good as would a Marvel Conan movie.

[@srpyle]

Fafner interiors were ok, but the weird collage elements were off putting. Zircher’s Kane story was amazing. The paper and the format are a winner!

[@BooklessPete]

I have a Chromebook that folds all the way back to become a tablet, and comics do look really great that way.

[@glockensig]

Word!

[@atigerforever1]

From Zub interview...Artist's will leapfrog...First artist ( I believe) is doing the third arc...Then Braithwait next arc ,and so forth. I'm good with that.

[@conanthebarbarianofficial]

We are pleased to hear you are enjoying our comics so far! We hope to keep the quality high and true.

[@jojo6028]

It's like the seventies and eighties all over again. The age undreamed LIVES AGAIN!!!!!!

[@abhilashmaddali7158]

I've yet to read issue 8 which wraps up the second story arc and Savage Sword

[@philipmsearle1399]

While there appears to be some hope, at least the magazine size and black and white art are back, i also watched Steve's review and i have to say that technical problems aside, there do seem to be real issues with how Conan is presented, and these suggest that the writer has only a passing knowledge of the character and no insight into the complexities of Howard's Conan, an uncompromising man by turns shrewd, perceptive, courageous, and unaccepting of insult or disrespect. I ll probably read it to make up my own mind but the evidence seems to suggest that both the writer andvartist phoned this one in. I did enjoy the initial trade, however, so overall i have general optimism that things can improve.

[@jasonsantos3037]

Yeah I would like to get my copies of Savage Sword of Conan.

[@Mr.Digit115]

im agreeing with most you say, its actually one of the few books i buy each month.... i thought the same as you when delatorre dropped off for an issue or so,....but braithwaite stepped and turned in a great job.... i, too liked the solomon kane appearance in the savage sword mag,....cool character, beaucoup potential. all around quality too storys been good, coloring is good,... i wish theyd get cary nord to do one of his pulp covers for a variant.... heres to hoping the best issue is the next issue,...

[@davebrzeski]

The art in all of those comics looks really good, with one exception. I really don't like the cover on that first collection, which if I remember right is the cover of Conan #1 too, at all. I actually prefer the art in the 2nd storyline to the admittedly excellent Buscema clone in the first story. No, I couldn't be bothered to look up how to spell their names. 😂

[@jonathanwalker4937]

I haven’t jumped on the main title cuz I was still unemployed when it started but you better believe I jumped on Savage Sword. I loved the newsprint the Solomon Kane Story and the whole thing over all! Boobs, blood, giant dinosaurs! It's so awesome!

[@freelivefree7221]

I am really enjoying Titan's Conan. I first read Zub in an issue of Batman Urban Legends which was an anthology comic (thus having both great and awful stories) where he did a fantasy version of Batman that was decent. John Arcudi was Mike Mignola's cowriter on BPRD and did a decent Weird Western called Two Moons. There is a lot I like about the story. I liked Conan (spoilers) fighting dinosaurs. I also like how they portrayed the warrior woman in the story as a builder of siege engines which gives a new wrinkle to the almost mandatory trope. (Also, it's not like Howard did not create Valeria, Belit, Dark Agnes and Red Sonya of Rogento. Who were all far more interesting than say Rey from the Star Wars films.)

[@Austin-sv6io]

I can instantly tell your referring to Becky Cloonans 2012 conan as the disappointing one. For me that has always been my all-time favorite. When I first read the original books that's exactly how I inturpted it. A very tangible, realistic low fantasy. Tho I really respect your take, you've read all the original story's and obviously know your stuff.

[@raphaelhamato7546]

I’m just happy to see there’s no pushing of socio-political ideologies thus far. Fingers crossed they keep up the good work 🤞

[@tikidino]

Michael, Love your channel and the respect to REH!!!! Have you read The Cimmerian series from Ablaze comics?

[@Talus2k]

Great coverage...Thanks

[@Wabin22]

De La Torre is set to Come back after issue 9 I think?

[@Elsupermayan8870]

I think they could've done a better cover for the first issue. That cover was like Rob Liefield level. Which is VERY low.

[@dreamakuma]

My only complaint is the contrast is too low for newsprint and the monster in the first story looks CGI. Small complaints that are hopefully sorted by the next issue. I'm very impressed

[@waltt69]

Good to hear there is still someone alive who can write Conan without injecting modern politics and trashing the REH version.

[@speedchopperbass]

Big fan of your ERB and Howard videos. Massive conan fan here. Im sure people have brought this up before, but I was wondering if you ever thought about give Malazan a shot. I was skeptical on the first book, but here I am on book seven. There is a conan character in the series that's better than any conan comic adaptation Ive read. If you're looking for an awesome series with a truly authentic Conan, I cant recommend Malazan enough. Thanks for the videos!

[@jasonatencio3345]

I had the same concerns you did about Conan.

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Not really a comic book guy. Only ones i have are of the nightstalker series. (Darren mcgavin.).

[@Nomad-md2wi]

I picked up Bound in Black Stone and Savage Sword yesterday. I can't wait for them to arrive. They'll be my first Conan comics. I was looking into the Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord omnibus, but it's pricey. Any opinions on that book, is it worth it?

[@ajjones7013]

Its great but does end on a cliffhanger and no word if the rest of Darkhorse will be reprinted.

[@Nomad-md2wi]

@ajjones7013 OK. Thanks. I'll probably pick it up.

[@SAFFRONINFERNO]

Can you please tell me which is this omnibus you are talking about? Any links?

[@richardadcock5450]

What do you think about Robert Jordan's Conan?

[@stormshadowctf]

Much agreed on ss

[@jameshendrix8217]

just curious , what comic reader do you use for your tablet? (I'm assuming its android OS?)

[@mattdestroyed]

Conan basically plays second fiddle to the girl boss.

[@ilkvomit88]

Are you familiar with The Cimmerian comic ? I really REALLY enjoyed that run. It's how I always wanted a Conan comic book

[@alexblackburn2021]

Yeah yeah this new publisher seems to be doing but okay but would someone please explain why marvel is unable to sell savage sword of Conan on there app isn’t having publishing rights means only new things rather than issues that marvel has already put out someone please explain this to me??????

[@lancem6363]

I am enjoying Titan's run. I feel Zub is coming along with the captions, you gotta understand people, these companies like Marvel are shit so they don't teach people storytelling anymore. Cons, 12 part story? Please Titan don't do long runs of singular Conan stories, also Belit is getting so old, she can't do anything more than she did, and you ain't gonna top Buscema so let the poor lass rest.

[@petercollinson8039]

Curious as to your reaction to issue #8 which concludes with a chain of some of the least Howardian developments imaginable. I appreciate the author trying to do something different, and I remain a reader, but this really pushed the limits.

[@ajjones7013]

Im curious what is it that goes against Howard? Im only on issue 4 but I dont mind getting spoiled

[@iracifragas7689]

Foi chocante

[@petercollinson8039]

@@iracifragas7689 Fazer com que Conan se matasse era completamente contra a natureza do cimério.

[@iracifragas7689]

@@petercollinson8039 Conan prefere morrer a ser dominado por quem quer que seja

[@Eadbhard]

So, we have the movie "Conan"; we have the "Conan" that appears in pastiches written by various writers; we have the comic book "Conan"; and, lastly, we have Robert E. Howard's Conan. Robert E. Howard's Conan is the only genuine Conan there is. That being said, why bother with the other versions?

[@Charlie_Duz]

What are your thoughts on the 'Renegades & Rogues' biography of REH?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

I haven’t read that one yet, unfortunately. I hear it’s really good.

[@Charlie_Duz]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 My Del Reys have started arriving. Solomon Kane today with Conan on the way. All because of your recommendations, so a VERY BIG thank you. ☺️

[@MagusMarquillin]

Apparently you must be a neckbeard if Solomon Kane is your favorite - so sayeth Steve Donoghue anyway - you _seem_ well groomed, but there it is.

[@mr_reborn]

Steve Donaghue is right about Savage Sword ... 100% ideological swill. And seeing that first page again, where he's riding a circus pony, is just hilarious. Hopefully Roy Thomas gets his hands on the title. And hopefully they give it to a competent artist who doesnt use 3D assets to create his comics, that stuff is horrendous, pure amateur garbage. De La Torre would be great in black and white.

[@timtyler8911]

I feel it printed wayyy too dark. The initial map is a muddy mess. (The digital version looks so much better....but I don't usually get digital editions.) I've been a comic creator and publisher for 40 years.....Adjusting black levels before printing is my middle name.

[@sinthetic4878]

I loved Titan's first issue of Savage Sword, but am disappointed with issue #2. The art is really not great. Hopefully issue #3 is better.

[@rgsniper2]

Conan gets saved by a small female engineer like 4 times... ugh... pass. Can we get back to Conan yet?

[@mog2182]

Why do people keep saying the CTB comic is good? It's not. And the new SSOC is only slightly better. Titan is doing weak stuff with Conan, they don't seem committed to doing something new and authentic, they're still dragging that Marvel style, watered down, getting Howard's lore wrong, terrible art except by De La Torre who is excellent. I have no faith in Conan Properties moving forward with anything Conan related, they clearly don't get it, and if they can't get comics right? How on earth do they plan to get something bigger right? Like a movie or a series?

[@barryobee1544]

What do think of the dark horse comics…is it more adult?

[@mog2182]

@@barryobee1544 it's better but only the stories adapted from Howard, the wazir parts take me out and Nord's art is fantastic, much better than these new comics