“Conan & Valeria: The Sunless Isle”
Conan and Valeria had pillaged the Western Sea in a time preceding the fall of Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast. The Cimmerian had found an uneasy companionship with the golden-haired beauty. Valeria was a corsair, pirate, and member of the Red Brotherhood; yet she became a captive of sinister cannibals who tallied their slaughter with red nails on ebony boards. Conan had almost met his demise in the rescue, but fate, or Crom himself, had seen fit to give the barbarian another day of life.
It is now the month of fire. The unforgiving sun has stayed its hand upon the population as desert heat brings drought to the port city of Asgalun. Conan and Valeria find themselves bound in a contract of words and sorcery. The new king, Uziaman, has ordered the two vagabonds along with his chief sorcerer to find an artifact of old. The Amphora of Mhareel.
Will Conan and Valeria align themselves with the king of deceit and retrieve an artifact for the betterment of all Asgalun? Can Netahn the sorcerer be trusted in battle? Who is the queen of the Isle of Mhar?
“Kull: The Invisible Assassin”
The kingdom of Valusia experienced two years of peace and prosperity under the Tiger King. But with peace comes complacency. Then those who wish nothing but war reveal themselves.
As Kull’s Red Slayers begin training with their new armor gifted to them by the Pai-P’u-Yen artisans, a warning comes from Tu, the chief councilor of the Topaz Throne. An assassin is among them. It’s time once again to protect their king!
Reviewer Notes
This was another solid issue of the Savage Sword Of Conan brought to us by Titan Comics. In this installment we receive two new stories featuring Conan and Kull. Writer/artist Patrick Zircher has become a heavy hitter for Titan, but we must not overlook artist Sean Chen and writer Fabian Nicieza. Both did a wonderful job here as well. And let’s not forget the cover art by Neal Adams. Do I need to say more?
The Conan story begins immediately after Robert E. Howard’s story “Red Nails” ends. Conan and Valeria find themselves stranded near the Stygian desert with no prospects. The Kull story, on the other hand, is about life within a peaceful nation. Which hero may be suffering more? Read the book to find out! I give issue #09 three out of five stars.
Tag(s)
[age – hyborian age], [age – thurian age], [armor – armor of woven glass], [armor – reflective raiment], [army – army of the northern axis], [army – black legion], [assassin], [bay – bay of zabhela], [caravan], [city – shumir], [city – valusia (city of wonders)], [city – xuchotl], [coast – the black coast], [continent – thuria], [corpse], [country – aquilonia], [country – cimmeria], [country – stygia], [country – zingara], [death], [decapitation], [demon – volcanic demon], [demons], [demonym – argossean], [demonym – bashi], [demonym – cimmerians], [demonym – hyrkanians], [demonym – lemurians], [demonym – mharians], [demonym – picts], [demonym – shemites], [demonym – valusians], [demonym – zarfhaanans], [demonym – zingarians], [desert], [desert – stygian desert], [drought], [duel], [enchantment – enchanted figurines], [fairies], [famine], [giant – giant sea crab], [gorillas], [guards], [hand weapon – conan’s sword], [haunted], [horses], [human sacrifice], [immortality], [island – isle of mhar], [island – lemurian isles], [island – oceanic isles], [jewelry], [jungle], [kingdom – grondar], [kingdom – pai-p’u-yen], [kingdom – shem], [kiss], [marauders], [mercenaries], [month – month of fire], [nymph], [nymph – sea nymph], [pact – thurian unification pact], [palace – palace of queen mhareel], [palace – royal palace of king uziaman], [pirates], [port city – asgalun], [princess], [queens], [red nails in an ebony post], [relic – amphora of mhareel (jug)], [relic – burning skull of xuchotl], [sea – western sea], [sea hag], [sex], [sirens], [sorcerer], [sorcery], [spell – blindness], [spell – breath of ellael (fire breath)], [spring – springs of shumir], [statue – statue of queen mhareel], [straight – baracha straight], [supernatural], [swear – by crom], [swear – by pteor], [swear – mitra’s tits], [swear – valka], [tavern – the crimson jack], [throne], [throne – topaz throne], [trap], [war – war to end all wars], [water], [water – mystical water], [witches]
Character(s)
[addakhu], [amra the lion (conan the barbarian)], [anu – corinthian god of bulls], [atali – daughter of ymir], [bashi], [bêlit – pirate queen of the black coast], [brule the spear-slayer], [captain geram], [conan the barbarian], [councilor tu], [crom (cimmerian god)], [dagon (god of the deep ones)], [ellael (god of asgalun)], [kaziz (archer of asgalun)], [kelkor (captain of the red slayers)], [king akhirom (the mad)], [king uziaman], [kull the conqueror], [mazdak the hyrkanian], [mitra (god of the hyborians)], [netahn (sorcerer of asgalun)], [princess yasmina of vendhya], [pteor (god of the pelishti)], [queen mhareel (daughter of dagon)], [red brotherhood], [red slayers], [tolahn (commander of black legion army)], [valeria – of the red brotherhood]
Writer(s)
Penciller(s)
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Editor(s)
English (US) · 