Writer: Patrick Zircher & Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Patrick Zircher & Sean Chen
Pinup Artists: Valerio Giangirodano & Geof Isherwood
Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith
Cover Artists: Neal Adams & Alex Horley
Publisher: Titan Comics
Price: $6.99
Release Date: July 9, 2025
Conan and Valeria teamed up to battle a dragon. Despite Xuchotl's
age and wealth, they also found treachery and sorcery. Surrounded by death,
Conan and Valeria leave the city covered in emerald behind. The dragon killed
their horses. How will the two pirates enjoy their hike back to the sea? And
what threats did King Kull face thousands of years before the events in Red
Nails? Let's grab our swords, leap into The Savage Sword of Conan #9, and see!
The Sunless Isle: Story
Relying on each other in combat is one thing. Getting along,
especially when tired and hungry, is another. King Olmec tried to rape Valeria.
Queen Tascela attempted to steal her youth. As they walk, Valeria's sense of
violation grows. She ended up in Xuchotl because she dared to kill a rapist.
So, despite their plan to go to the Stygian coast, Valeria argues they should
head to Shem instead. Conan dislikes the change of plan. But even in the
Hyborian Age, a woman had a right to change her mind.
Patrick Zircher’s tale in The Savage Sword of Conan #9 takes
Conan and Valeria to Asgalun, a great port and trade center of Shem. Like
Conan, Valeria, and Subotai in John Milius’ story, the travelers’ exploits
attract the monarch's notice. And as with King Osric of Zamora, King Uziaman
wants the wayfarers to free his land of a menace. But this time, instead of
traveling to battle an evil sorcerer, they bring one to aid their cause.
The Sunless Isle reminds us that friendship doesn’t erase
our uniqueness, and embracing our differences makes us stronger. By building
the tension between Conan, Valeria, the sorcerer Netahn, and their fellow
travelers, Patrick Zircher enhances his action-packed story with naturally
arising drama.
The Sunless Isle: Art
Conan and Valeria stand amid the slain. The emblem of
Xuchotl, and the nails embedded in an ebony pillar, no longer fill its
inhabitants with pride. But Conan and Valeria regard each other in triumph.
They smile as they walk together through the surrounding forest. When the trees
give way to arid plains, the distance between the travelers grows. Then,
Patrick Zircher shows Conan and Valeria unleashing their frustrations as they
battle side by side, protecting a caravan in The Savage Sword of Conan #9.
Highly detailed pencils convey the grandeur of Asgalun, give
King Uziaman’s throne room a regal air, and transport the reader on an ocean
expedition battling storms and stillness. A mysterious island, an ancient
palace adorned with an immense carved likeness of its ruler, and the dangers
Conan and Valeria encounter evoke the movies of Ray Harryhausen and Peter
Jackson. Yet the appearance of the sorcerer with whom they travel recalls a
villain from John Boorman's homage to the legendary King Arthur.
The Invisible Assassin: Story
Fabian Nicieza opens a new era of King Kull’s reign. Valusia
enjoys peace and prosperity after emerging victorious from war. Kull’s friend
Brule rules the Allied Pictish Isles. Kelkor, the commander of the Red Slayer
guard, has been exonerated. Tolahn, newly appointed commander of the Black
Legion army, has demonstrated patience and wisdom in battle. Kull returned from
a recent trade expedition from Pai-P’u-Yen with a scientific breakthrough. The
new crystalline armor represents an improvement over other types of armor. But
how can you confirm an armor's superiority if you lack a foe to test its battle
worthiness?
In this second, shorter story in The Savage Sword of Conan
#9, Kelkor and Tolahn battle a new threat. Empowered by their superior armor,
the leaders face a seemingly invulnerable foe. Fabian Nicieza ponders the value
of working together and why we fought for our hard-won goals.
The Invisible Assassin: Art
Sean Chen delivers lavish depictions of Valusia’s splendor
and the romance of armored knights competing for honor in tournaments.
Horse-drawn carts transport harvested crops, while guards surround the rounded
towers and domes that rise beyond the city walls. Imprints and direction lines
suggest the wind. Stars flare around a man’s face, and geometric designs adorn
his barely perceptible form.
Lettering
Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith deliver uppercase letters
in white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words swell for raised voices,
and music notes accompany melodious tones. Councilor Tu's recollections appear
as cursive lowercase letters. While larger than the printed words, their
elegant counterparts in gray boxes slow the pace. Sound effects evoke beings
from Clash Of The Titans, Mysterious Island, and some of Roy Thomas’ earliest
stories in Marvel’s Conan The Barbarian. Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic
Signatures for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
Desire can sweep us away. In our quest for what we want, we
can easily lose sight of others’ rights. Patrick Zircher’s story about Conan
and Valeria focuses on the destructive nature of unrestrained sexual desire. Then,
Fabian Nicieza delivers a timely meditation comparing the perception of war with
the dangers of peace in The Savage Sword of Conan #9.
Rating 9.8/10
To look inside see my preview of The Savage Sword of Conan #9.
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