To fully appreciate the 2025 Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1, a little history must be known.
The first revisions of the Comics Code Authority (CCA) in 1971 paved the way for a Renaissance in the American comic industry. Whole genres once made unviable by the CCA regulations, like fantasy and horror, were once again fair game. Hither came Conan, the most popular of the creations of pulp writer Robert E. Howard, who gained a solo series at Marvel Comics. This Conan the Barbarian title swiftly became one of their best-selling books.
Yet even the new CCA rules did not allow for wholly accurate adaptations of Howard’s stories, or pastiches in the same spirit. Thankfully, the CCA rules did not apply to magazines. So, it was in 1974 that Marvel launched The Savage Sword of Conan; a comic magazine which told adult tales of Conan the Barbarian and other Howard heroes.
Titan Comics acquired the Conan license in 2023 and launched a new Savage Sword of Conan magazine in 2024. This volume collects the first three issues of the magazine, which adheres to the aesthetics of the classic Savage Sword of Conan magazine. Beyond being published in a magazine size, the artwork is all monochromatic and the stories far more visceral. It is also an anthology, featuring stories by a variety of artists and writers. Also, while the lion’s share of stories center around Conan, there are other tales featuring Robert E. Howard’s other creations.
“Conan and the Dragon Horde” by John Arcudi and Max von Fafner tells the tale of an older Conan, not yet a king but a general in command of a cavalry company. He and his men follow a would-be usurper, who promises them wealth in plenty once he takes his rival’s palace. However, the city turns out to be guarded by reptilian beasts.
“Master of the Hunt” by writer/artist Patrick Zircher is a three-part story starring the Puritan Solomon Kane. The witch-hunter is traveling through Wales, when he hears tale of an ungodly beast in need of smiting. This quest turns into a mission of mercy, when a young boy disappears seeking his father, who also vanished hunting the monster.
“Conan: Leaving the Garden” by Jim Zub and Richard Pace is a more horrific tale, which opens with Conan digging himself out of a shallow grave. Wounded and weakened, he nurses his wounds with the aid of a young boy. Unfortunately, the boy’s village hides the same evil that sought to kill and corrupt Conan.
“Conan: Wolves of the Tundra” by Frank Tieri and Cary Nord is another story the leans heavier into horror than fantasy. This time, Conan himself is the monster, cursed with lycanthropy. This leads him on a hunt to find the leader of the pack, whose death is the only thing that might save his soul.
“Conan: Lure of the Pit Creature” by writer/artist Alah Quah is a short, silent story. It finds Conan falling into a pit and chasing after a pretty girl. However, as the title implies, this is bait for a trap.
All these stories and the art that defines them are fine work. The anthology format emulates the pulps of old. Even with the focus on Conan, there is variety. Many of these stories will hold appeal to fans of horror rather than fantasy in general and sword and sorcery in particular. I dare say some manga readers might appreciate the black-and-white artwork.
Titan Comics rates this volume as appropriate for readers 15 and up. I generally agree with the assessment but would advise that the British standards are somewhat looser than those of American publishers. There is considerable violence, on par with an OT manga. This is also some nudity and implied sexual content, with Conan enjoying the affections of a female engineer in “Conan and the Dragon Horde.” Bare breasts and buttocks are visible as they lounge in the afterglow, though the actual act is not shown. To that end, I would suggest librarians shelve this one in the adult collection, lest you face a savage book banner.
The Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 By John Arcudi, Patch Zircher, Jim Zub, and Frank Tieri Art by Max von Fafner, Alan Quah, Richard Pace, and Cary Nord Titan, 2025 ISBN: 9781787744318
Company Age Rating: 15+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Canadian, Malaysian,
Joanna Tan is a special kind of freelance agent. She is not a killer or a thief. She is one of a kind.
Known as Gun Honey, Joanna Tan is an expert in infiltration and smuggling. Specifically, she’s a gun runner, but also a specialist. If you’re an assassin and you need the right weapon for the right job, Joanna is the one who gets it for you and delivers it where it needs to be. No matter how impossible.
Over the course of her career, Joanna has smuggled a taser into the Vatican and a pistol onto a private yacht while wearing nothing but a bikini and a smile. Unfortunately, one of Joanna’s latest jobs had unintended consequences. The last gun she delivered led to a prison riot and a bombing, killing dozens of innocents. Now, recruited by the US government and partnered with FBI agent Brook Barrow, Gun Honey must track the man responsible or go to prison herself.
Joanna is a typical tough girl hero. She doesn’t get much definition outside of her work, apart from owning a cat. Despite this, she is likeable and sympathetic, despite her criminal background and self-serving attitude.
Gun Honey Vol. 1 is as neat a thriller as one would expect from Charles Ardai. His premiere novel, Little Girl Lost, was nominated for both the Shamus Award and the Edgar Allan Poe Award. His second novel, Songs of Innocence, won the Shamus Award. He’s also won the Edgar and Ellery Queen awards for his work on his Hard Case Crime imprint. It is no surprise he can write a good mystery, but it is something of a surprise he’s also a solid comic writer.
The artwork by Malaysian artist Ang Hor Kheng is as impressive as the writing . Kheng is an up-and-coming artist, but they showcase their skills throughout this first volume. The action sequences are all well blocked, with vivid detail. The effect is reminiscent of Mike Grell’s work on Warlord and Jon Sable: Freelance. Kheng does a fantastic job of highlighting the musculature of his characters. Unusually, he also depicts a variety of body types. Not all of the women have the same cookie-cutter perfect body and same face. Every characters looks distinctive and there is no chance of confusing the characters, even in the middle of a crowd shot.
Gun Honey is rated 17+ by Titan Comics. I believe that to be a fair assessment. There is a copious amount of violence, with several people being shot including being shot in the head. There are multiple bombings and the villain of this first volume is covered with scar tissue from multiple burns, which is vividly illustrated and appropriately disturbing. The most likely sticking point, however, is there is a lot of nudity and sexuality. Joanna is very free with her body and Is shown seducing a female prison guard in order to steal her ID. She also strips down completely to hide in a women’s spa, were she and several other women are pictured in detailed full-frontal nudity.
Gun Honey Vol. 1 By Charles Ardai Art by Ang Hor Kheng Titan, 2022 ISBN: 9781782763468
Publisher Age Rating: 17+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+) Creator Representation: Malaysian, Character Representation: Singaporean, Bisexual,
Love comes in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s between adventurous pirates, burgeoning demon hunters, smooth spies, or even your average couple trying to make it all work. Young Men in Love, edited by Joe Glass and Matt Miner, showcases all these relationships and more, containing twenty stories from queer creators devoted to exploring the romantic hurdles and queer joy of male/masculine couples. This graphic novel boasts a variety of genres: fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal romance, contemporary slice of life, etc., ensuring that each reader will be able to find at least a story or two to enjoy.
Typical of most anthologies, not every story is going to be as hard hitting as the next one. With an average length of four to eight pages, there are some that struggle to break beyond their concept, leaving the reader more with an idea rather than a fleshed out narrative. The majority of contributors, however, manage to pace their stories so that, though we may not spend much time with these characters, they still leave a great amount of impact. Despite the varying appeal of each story, there is an admirable amount of honesty, vulnerability, and love interwoven within them all. An immense sense of pride lives in these pages that comes from an unwavering self-acceptance and the ability to love openly without shame or fear. Moments of loneliness, depression, and doubt play roles in multiple stories, but they always come around to love in the end, whether it comes from a partner or within themselves.
Given the graphic novel’s notable range in terms of content and themes, there are several stories that display aspects of queerness that are rarely discussed in the community. Ned Barnett and Ian Bisbal’s “Another Name” deals with a trans man realizing his identity and coming out to his partner in what was once a heterosexual relationship, highlighting the fears and anxiety that may come with such a discovery. “Act of Grace,” written by Anthony Oliveira and illustrated by Nick Robles, follows a teen expressing religious guilt to his priest, afraid of how his feelings for a boy may conflict with his Catholic upbringing. Editor Joe Glass, along with Auguste Kanakis, throw in a moving inclusion in “Love Yourself,” which has a character experience the fetishization of plus sized men in the community and how validation and love for someone comes from appreciating and celebrating the whole of them rather than a singular aspect. These are all facets to the queer experience that I have seen firsthand, but seldom are they reflected in media tailored to those they are meant to represent. Seeing these conflicts approached and resolved with such depth and respect allows the reader a touch of hope and comfort, even if they may not entirely relate to it.
Intent on including as many voices and experiences as possible, Young Men in Love also gives a tremendous amount of diverse representation in terms of ethnicity and body type. It shies away from solely depicting the stereotypical skinny, white, gay man, as there are several stories with black, brown, and plus-sized protagonists. What’s so refreshing about these depictions is that, aside from “Another Name” and “Love Yourself,” none of the stories make the characters’ backgrounds the focal point of their conflict. They exist as people foremost, without their identities being a source of added trauma.
As there is a separate artist accompanying each installment, there is a vast variety in art styles, ranging from charmingly cartoonish to engagingly realistic. I will forever throw praise onto Nick Robles, who puts so much life into his textures and instills a healthy dose of emotion and drama into “Act of Grace” through his use of lighting and character expressions. There is something Leyendecker-esque about his style where he captures the male form exceptionally well, making it the perfect fit for this collection. I also really appreciated the yellow tinge given to the palette and borders of Paul Allor and Lane Lloyd’s “The Way Home,” producing a nostalgic effect reminiscent of those old comics that had probably been left in the basement for too long. Overall, there is a vibrant rainbow of color throughout the graphic novel, as the reader is treated to vibrant pastels to moody, atmospheric shadows. Each story, as a result, becomes visually distinct and memorable, even if its content may not have lived up to the one that preceded it. None of the art in this graphic novel disappoints, which brings a certain coherence to all the differing perspectives within.
For fans of uplifting romantic stories with happy endings or layered depictions of queer experiences, Young Men in Love will hit that emotional, sappy spot in spades. As a romance comic, the content is fairly clean, with nothing going further than the occasional cuddle or kiss. The featured protagonists range from being young teens to full adults, so it may appeal most to readers fourteen and up. Librarians and educators looking to obtain graphic novels with positive and varied queer representation from queer creators should consider purchasing this title.
Young Men in Love Vol. By Joe Glass, Matt Miner A Wave Blue World, 2022 ISBN: 9781949518207
Publisher Age Rating: 13+ NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: Black, Brazilian, British, Canadian, Greek, Latinx, Malaysian, Mexican-American, Bisexual, Gay, Queer, Nonbinary, Trans Character Representation: Black, British, East Asian, Latinx, Gay, Queer, Nonbinary, Trans, Catholic
To fully appreciate the 2025 Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1, a little history must be known.
Love comes in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s between adventurous pirates, burgeoning demon hunters, smooth spies, or even your average couple trying to make it all work. Young Men in Love, edited by Joe Glass and Matt Miner, showcases all these relationships and more, containing twenty stories from queer creators devoted to exploring the romantic hurdles and queer joy of male/masculine couples. This graphic novel boasts a variety of genres: fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal romance, contemporary slice of life, etc., ensuring that each reader will be able to find at least a story or two to enjoy.
