The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 2 (v. 2)
In the mid 1970s a comics magazine was published containing some of the most exciting epic fantasy tales the world has ever known - The Savage Sword of Conan. Based on the work of renowned author Robert E. Howard, each issue offered multiple thrilling of tales of the legendary barbarian. The magazine was also a showcase of comics talent, headed up by Conan aficionado Roy Thomas. Now for the first time ever, these stories are being collected in a series of omnibus-style books, with over 500 pages of classic sword and sorcery - for the complete Conan collector! Included in this volume are tales featuring the stunning art of such comics luminaries as Barry Windsor-Smith, John Buscema, Alfredo Alcala, Jim Starlin, Al Milgrom, Pablo Marcos, Walter Simonson, and many more.
The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 2 (v. 2) Accessories
 The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 1 (v. 1)
Savage Sword of Conan Volume 3 (Conan (Graphic Novels)) (v. 3)
The Savage Sword of Conan Volume 4 (Conan (Graphic Novels))
The Chronicles of Conan, Vol. 14: Shadow of the Beast and Other Stories
Conan Volume 5: Rogues In the House (Conan (Graphic Novels)) (v. 5)
The Chronicles of Conan, Vol. 13: Whispering Shadows and Other Stories
The Chronicles of Conan, Vol. 15: Valley of Forever Night and Others Stories
Conan: Born on the Battlefield (Conan (Graphic Novels))
Conan: The Blood-Stained Crown and Other Stories (Conan (Graphic Novels))
Conan Vol. 4: The Hall of the Dead and Other Stories
The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 2 (v. 2) Reviews
Even so, I still award this volume a full 5 stars because the rest of it was so good. It reads like it was written by stoners. There's one problem: Chapter 3, "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth," feels out of place here. I thought volume 1 was fun to read, but this one tops it. None of my enjoyment was ironic this time; I was sincerely impressed. The action is hurried and implausible, the dialogue is sublimely stupid, and even the art looks cheap - as if this story was imported from one of those "bad" early-1970s comics that people online now make fun of.
However, this does not prevent them from being totally awesome). I didn't even notice the few printing glitches that appeared often in the first volume. The art is immaculate, the writing is spot-on, and the entertainment-to-price ratio is extremely favorable. (Warning - Conan stories are violent and may be offensive to women. Wow.
The stories are done well and the art is nice too. I enjoyed the book quite well. Anyone familiar with Alfredo Alcalas art and they like his style will enjoy this volume.
Must Reads: Conan Hardcover by Roy Thomas and Conan The Phenom, Blood & Thunder, The Life & Art of Robert E. Check out the REH Foundation and Forum. Howard. Howard by Mark Finn, One Who Walked Alone by Novalyn Price, Conan The Dark Barbarian by Don Herron, The Last of the Trunk, Selected Letters of REH, All Weird Works by Paul Herman, all by Rob Roehm, The Never Ending Hunt - Wildside Press a complete Bibliography of REH by Paul Herman, The Black Stranger & Other American Takes that has the scariest story ever - Pigeons from Hell, Two-Gun Bob, Almuric, Solomon Kane, Bran Mac Morn, The Best of REH 1 & 2, Red Nails and Beyond The Black River, Lord of Samarcand, and all Conans by Marvel and Dark Horse. Job well done. If you can find Conan The Barbarian #275, scarce, which is the last comic (1993)in the series read the last page testimonial by Roy Thomas. The book is a tremendous value and a great treasure.
With his talents like these behind him, is there any doubt that Conan, in one form or another, will be a Marvel mainstay for a long, long time to come. Howard, creator of Conan the Cimmerian, and who has been, as the contents page of Savage Sword has ever proclaimed, the "Soul and Inspiration" of everything we've tried to do. Back during the Seventies Roy Thomas kept the legacy alive of Conan and Robert E. Nay, the ultimate place on this illustrious list, be it written first or last, is that of Robert E. We're only sorry he hasn't been around to enjoy the fruits of his labors during the 1930s, and we'll never quite forgive him for taking himself away from us far too soon. Conan is now in Dark Horse comics along with Solomon Kane, Kull, and a recent story Pigeons From Hell.
Get on board at Dark Horse you'll be glad you did. All of the stories and art is outstanding. He gives credit to his team members during the years and the last paragraph goes like this "Butdid I say "last". Roy Thomas and John Buscema are my favorite duo. Thus, no tears-just a parting reminder: Conan The Barbarian in Savage Sword of Conan #218, by Mike Docherty and - Roy Thomas" Kudos to Roy Thomas.
Roy Thomas knew better than anyone what the limitations of the comics genre are, which is what makes him as good a comic scripter as has ever come along. Buscema somehow does both, almost regardless of who is inking him; in addition he was a master of anatomic dynamism and expressiveness; and most importantly, he was probably the best in the medium's history at dramatic layout. Savage Sword was the grown-up, magazine version of Conan, the originals were in black and white, and so it is even better than the great comic book run by the same team. What comics do well is fast, abbreviated action. In the modern age of comics (since the mid-1980's), comics are "dreck", insufferably pretentious, precious attempts to be "mature" and to achieve effects that this medium simply is not meant for and cannot do well. In short, this is the ultimate comic book character with the ultimate creative team from the age when comics were comics, so there isn't much chance that anything will ever surpass this. Comics at their best are like a sped-up movie. At the same time, one must create atmosphere; with too little detail the sense of reality, of suspended disbelief, will be lost.
And no one questions that the defining comic of that great era, the "Bronze Era" as it is called, was the Thomas/Buscema Conan. (For much the same reason, black and white almost always works better in comics than color). Here it is nearly forty years later, price inflation has run wild in everything else, and Dark Horse is offering this, what is beyond any reasonable question in my mind the best comic book ever created, for about what you would have paid had you bought the original magazines when they came out. Detailed art doesn't work for comics because it causes the eye to linger, the last thing you want in a medium meant for speed and action. John Buscema's art is of an equal caliber: he was the best at striking the perfect balance between detail and sketchiness. He knew how to write comic book dialogue: with a melodramatic flourish and with condensed information to keep the narrative moving.
Good comics are often "cheesy", but in a good way: over-the-top, wildly inventive, no-holds-barred attempts to entertain, to give everything a great b-movie gives, only for a lower price tag and in a form you can carry with you. He is at his all-time best doing Conan, a character he obviously loves and was meant for (and Conan and the comic book medium are, of course, another perfect match). As they used to say at Marvel: 'Nuff said. Why else would Marvel have had him literally write their textbook on the subject. In the Gold and Silver ages of comics (until about 1970), even the best comics were not much more than "camp", that is, simplistic kid's stuff whose greatest value was in its naive silliness. What more could anyone ask.
But for a brief shining moment in the 1970's, comics were everything they could be and should be, as the commercial failure of the superhero stuff left the door open for a new wave of creators to try other directions.
When you put his moody, detailed inks over Buscema's action (and ladies), you are looking at a true masterpiece. Who knows, maybe Dark Horse will print them in their own series, hint hint. This book is worth the coverprice for the art of Alfredo Alcala alone. The only complaint I have about this series so far is it would be cool to get the Kull, Kane, and Sonja stories that originally backed up the Conan stories.
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