The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 1 (v. 1)
by Roy Thomas
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Book Summary Information
Author: Roy ThomasIllustrator: Barry Windsor-Smith
Illustrator: John Buscema
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-16
ISBN: 1593078382
Number of pages: 542
Publisher: Dark Horse
Book Reviews of The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 1 (v. 1)
Book Review: An interesting collection of remarkably mature 1970s comics.
Summary: 4 Stars
Say the word "barbarian" aloud and ask for word association, and it is almost guaranted that one of the first things people say will be "Conan". Pulp author Robert E. Howard created the famous sword-and-sorcery hero in the 1930s as an outlet for his own repressed desires; chronically introverted and shy arund women in real life, Conan is the archtypal hyper-masculine swordsman and proto-anti-hero, defeating the bad guys and getting the girl. The character received a new boost in the early 1970s when Marvel Comics legend Roy Thomas (best known for his work on "The Avengers" and later DC projects "All-Star Squadron" and "Infinity Inc.") and a bevy of talented artists (Barry Windsor-Smith being the most associated with the run) brought his adventures into the realm of graphic fiction.
This volume is the first of a number that collect Thomas' work on "The Savage Sword of Conan" (and, in this first one, five earlier stories). This is similar to both DC's "Showcase Presents" and Marvel's "Essential" lines: phonebook-sized black and white reprints. Unlike most of those, "Conan" adventures were originally in black and white, so there isn't any sense that you are getting a downgrade version of the product. It is quite a nice package for those interested in getting a sense of a the "Conan the Barbarian" property.
There are fifteen separate stories here, and somewhat limited utility in discussing them individually. On a certain level, if you have read one "Conan the Barbarian" story, you've read read them all. Each is wholly self-contained, to the point that reading them in close proximity to each other may throw you off when certain characters or status quos disappear between issues. There are common elements to most of them: Conan is on the move in search of fame and fortune (and the kingdom he is prophesied to eventually possess), arrives in an exotic locale where nasty rogues abound (often with a bonus bizarre monster) for Conan to vanquish, and the woman (there is rarely more than one) is dressed in a bikini and jewelry. There's nothing in the way of character development to be found; Conan is a man not to be changed by time, place or experience: mercenary, lustful, eager to resolve conflicts with violence, and oddly noble when the situation presents itself. There's a notable guest appearance by his female counterpart, Red Sonja.
When you consider the content of Thomas' superhero comics from the same period, it is notable to see how much more adult "Conan" is. There is gory violence (though generally not so gory as more modern superhero comics), occasional nudity and plentiful near-nudity, and all manner of allusions to sex (consenual, as Conan has all the time, and non-consensual). Conan, an anti-heroish figure, is an amusing thug with moments of nobility through it all.
Recommended for fans of the genre, or those interested in looking into one of the seminal works of the sword-and-sorcery genre.
Summary of The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 1 (v. 1)
In the mid 1970s following the colossal success of Conan the Barbarian, Roy Thomas helped expand the universe of Conan to showcase further stories and the talents of some of the comics industry's best with the equally popular Savage Sword of Conan magazine. Now, for the first time in over thirty years, these primal tales, featuring Robert E. Howard's most popular character, are available in this, the first in a series of massive trade paperbacks, collecting all Savage Sword Conan stories beginning with issue one. Included in this volume are tales by Roy Thomas, featuring the breathtaking art of such legends as Barry Windsor-Smith, John Buscema, Alfredo Alcala, Jim Starlin, Al Milgrom, Pablo Marcos, Walter Simonson and more. But that's not all. Also included in this tome are Conan's few appearances in the title Savage Tales - for the complete Conan collection!General Books
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