The Savage Sword of Conan #16 review

The next big Howardverse crossover miniseries from Jim Zub and Titan Comics is nearly here, and what better way to fuel the anticipation than to drop three new stories in one issue? That’s what awaits readers in The Savage Sword of Conan #16, as Zub teams up with a trio of artists to take readers on a journey through the Howardverse, bringing the malevolent machinations of the undying Thulsa Doom to the forefront as his dark plans unfold across the ages. 

*Mild spoilers ahead for The Savage Sword of Conan #16*

Starting in the Hyborian Age with artist Nicola Scott, longtime readers of Zub’s monthly Conan the Barbarian run will find themselves in a familiar time and place. Cimmerian warriors fight against Aquilonian soldiers in the Battle of Venarium. For those unfamiliar, this is where Zub’s monthly series kicked off way back in Conan the Barbarian #1, with the tribes of Cimmeria uniting to fight against the Aquilonian invaders.

In that issue, Conan proved himself as a warrior worthy of story and song, earning much glory as he led the Cimmerians to victory. Here, however, the focus lies not on the legendary Barbarian, but rather on another Cimmerian. Hydal, two years Conan’s senior, yet perpetually trapped in the younger man’s ever-growing shadow. Where Conan wins glory in the battle, Hydal becomes just one of the wounded, his ambitions cut short by the thrust of a poleaxe into his shoulder. After the battle, when Conan leaves to follow his unignorable wanderlust, Hydal remains in the village to find his own happiness. And where (spoilers if you haven’t read Zub’s first Conan arc yet) Conan rises up against the menace of Thulsa Doom, Hydal finds himself facing a far different fate in a twist that only makes me more excited for the upcoming Tides of the Tyrant King miniseries. 

Of the three stories in the issue, this was by far the one that stood out the most to me. Having followed Zub’s Conan run for some time now, it was interesting to see events from the early issues retold through another's eyes, particularly as the issue bridges them to the upcoming crossover. 

Hydal is a relatable protagonist, one whose shoes readers will likely be able to put themselves into much more easily than they can a character like Conan. From the experiences of his childhood to his struggles and failures to become a warrior of renown like his younger comrade whom he holds such admiration for, it’s easy to sympathize with him, especially as the issue goes on. This only serves to make the reveal at the end all the more horrible, providing a twist I never saw coming and am eager to see where Zub takes it. 

For now, though, we leave the Hyborian Age as Zub and artist Chris Campana take us to the wild west to follow crooked cowboy Steve Corcoran on a surreal quest across the desert. Picking up from the events of a previous story in which Corcoran lost everything after succumbing to his greed and forsaking whatever nobility his heart may have once contained, he now roams the desert, accompanied by only ghosts and regrets. That is, until he experiences a strange vision in the form of a horrific eye looking down at him from the night sky. Those who have been keeping up with Zub’s Howardverse stories are sure to recognize it as the Woeful Eye, an eldritch horror he’s been setting up as the overarching threat looming over the Howardverse. 

Suddenly, a strange figure appears behind him, pleased that the crooked cowboy can see the “Watchful One” as well. Though distrustful of the strange man, Corcoran agrees to accompany him on a trek across the desert towards an unknown destination.

While not as interesting as the first story, this one certainly contains its share of merits. The rogue cowboy is a compelling enough protagonist, particularly given the test of morality he comes up against once he reaches the place the strange old man led him to. Taking a Wild West story and adding in eldritch magic is also such a fun concept, one that could go in a variety of directions. I hope that Zub will return to explore this idea further, either in Tides of the Tyrant King or as a standalone story, though the ending gives one ample reason to doubt such a possibility.

Of the three, this one also appears to have the least connection to the upcoming crossover, serving more as further evidence of how Thulsa Doom continues to threaten the Howardverse in multiple eras. There’s nothing necessarily wrong if that’s all this proves to be, though it seems a bit strange given how the first and third stories in the issue both bear direct connections to Tides of the Tyrant King.

Speaking of the third and final story, we now jump forward to the early 20th century where Zub and artist Sean Izaakse bring us the extraordinary tale of Zuleika, a young Circassian girl forced into a life as a serving girl in a harem. Hers is a hard life, one that teaches her many lessons as she adapts to its harshness. But it is from this hard life that she discovers a powerful secret: she can connect to a life from an age long since past. In these meditative moments, she becomes a great warrior, facing great and terrible foes and experiencing things Zuleika previously could only experience from one of her fiction novels. But the things she sees are no mere dreams. They’re real, as if she were connecting to a past life long since forgotten. It’s a powerful gift, one that offers solace to her as she grows from a girl to a woman, her confidence growing with her skills as she relives more of the ancient woman’s life. But as with all gifts, it poses a great danger should it fall into the wrong hands. Hands like those of the undying Thulsa Doom, whose malice continues to threaten the world even in this era. 

Like the first story, this one directly ties into the upcoming crossover, though it remains to be seen exactly how. It seems likely that Zuleika’s connection to this ancient life will play a role, perhaps connecting the two time periods that we saw in the Tides of the Tyrant King prelude from Free Comic Book Day. 

As for the story itself, it seems more interested in setting up the upcoming miniseries than telling a standalone story. Granted the same could be said about the first story as well, as it largely served just to bridge the events of the monthly Conan the Barbarian run to the crossover, while also setting up a new character that will play a role in the story. For that reason, I can’t hold this against the story. 

One big thing of note here is the artwork. Izaakse illustrates the events of the story beautifully, with the limited black and white palette serving to complement the artwork rather than leave it feeling lacking. That’s not to say the illustrations by Scott and Campana don’t equally suit their respective stories, as they certainly do. It’s just that of the three Izaakse’s work caught my eye the most, with the delicate shading and high detail truly bringing the story to life in a way I felt the others didn’t. 

Overall, this jumbo-sized issue serves as a perfect prequel to Tides of the Tyrant King, with the trio of stories beautifully showcasing the ongoing machinations of Thulsa Doom while also establishing compelling new characters that promise to play big roles in the miniseries. For those eagerly awaiting the crossover, it’s a must-read.

The Savage Sword of Conan #16 is available now from Titan Comics.