Fantagraphics has done a terrific job with their Lost Marvels line, and the third volume in this series is no exception. While the 1970s Savage Tales is best remembered as a testing ground for Sword and Sorcery tales, Larry Hama oversaw the 1985 relaunch. The scribe behind Iron Fist and G.I. Joe wanted a magazine that would reach out and grab comic readers.
Larry Hama sought out long time creators such as Incredible Hulk icon Herb Trimpe and John Severin, who had worked for EC Comics' Two-Fisted Tales. Larry Hama commissioned ten scripts from newbie writer Chuck Dixon, who would go on to helm the writing reins of Eclipse Comics' 50+ issue Airboy series. Hama also printed three stories from WWII chronicler Sam Glanzman.
The stories in this volume span numerous genres, but the concentration is on action and fun. Some of the storytelling will clash with today's sensibilities. But remember, this was a magazine like Marvel's Savage Sword of Conan, intended to push past the Comics Code and grab your attention. Can you handle this motherlode of the Black & White machismo? And how will the stories included in this 550+ page collection delight and enthrall you?
Here's all the info from Fantagraphics:
Marvel and Fantagraphics Collect Savage Tales of the 1980s in Lost Marvels No. 3
The latest volume in Fantagraphics’ Lost Marvels series collects all eight issues of the long-out-of-print, tough-minded 1980s run of Savage Tales
For 13 months in the mid-1980s, editor Larry Hama assembled some of Marvel’s strongest artists and writers to tell gritty, harrowing, and blackly humorous adventure stories ranging from gangster noir to historical battlefields to the deadly old West to post-apocalyptic futures in Savage Tales. The magazine-sized anthology series was unlike anything on shelves and gave legendary artists like John Severin, John Buscema, Herb Trimpe and many more a chance to work on exciting, unique material alongside a new generation of creators. Now, Marvel and Fantagraphics are continuing their celebrated Lost Marvels line with Lost Marvels No. 3: Savage Tales of the 1980s, which reprints all 8 issues of the magazine’s run, the first time they have seen print since 1986.
Unseen for nearly 40 years, Lost Marvels No. 3: Savage Tales of the 1980 features some of the most shocking work of artists John Severin, John Buscema, Sam Glanzman, Val Mayerik, Ron Wagner, Gray Morrow, Wayne Vansant, Herb Trimpe, Michael Golden, Joe Jusko, Mary Wilshire, Arthur Suydam, Will Jungkuntz, Vincent Waller, and Ken Steacy, and writers Chuck Dixon, Bill Wray, Don Kraar, Robert Kanigher, Denny O’Neil, Doug Murray, and Archie Goodwin. Stories include Severin and Dixon’s “By Rail to Vladivostock,” Murray and Golden’s “The Nam, 1967,” Glanzman’s “Of War and Peace: The Trinity,” Jungkuntz’s Blood & Gutz series, and Trimpe’s Skywarriors series. With a remembrance by Savage Tales editor Larry Hama.
Here’s what critics are saying about Lost Marvels No. 1: Tower of Shadows
“Old-school Marvel fans will eagerly add this to their shelf and look forward to forthcoming volumes.”
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“A worthy addition to Fantagraphics’ growing library of archival collections, a peek into a forgotten era. It’s an exciting beginning to a series with at least two more installments planned, surely to be as faithful to the originals as this one. By avoiding the modern contrivance of recoloring or cleaning up the pages, the volume feels more distinctly of its time, more genuine an artifact.” — AIPT COMICS
“Lost Marvels No.1: Tower of Shadows is another great collection by Fantagraphics. From cover to cover, it’s filled with excitement… A must have for fans of the horror-comic genre.”
— CINEMA SENTRIES
“If you are a fan of horror, this is a must get! It’s Fantastic” — GRAPHIC POLICY
Here’s what critics are saying about Lost Marvels No. 2: Howard Chaykin Vol. 1
“Lavish” — IGN
“If you like your comics with blood, bile, and jetpacks, and your jokes hard-boiled, you know what to do.” — BOING BOING
“This new Howard Chaykin-centered volume is bursting at the seams with smartly imaginative scripts and beautifully designed art featuring Dominic Fortune, Monark Starstalker, and Phantom Eagle!”
— GEEK VIBES NATION
“The book is a gorgeous oversized hardcover printed on premium paper, so it looks and feels outstanding! … these are a must-have for any Marvel fan or anyone who just loves seeing comic book legends at work.”
— Mike Spring, LIVE FOR FILM and COMIC WATCH
The Lost Marvels series is dedicated to introducing remarkable stories to a new generation of readers and restoring them to their rightful place in comics history. Lost Marvels No. 1: Tower of Shadows and Lost Marvels No. 2: Howard Chaykin Vol. 1 are available now from Fantagraphics, and Lost Marvels No. 3: Savage Tales will be published on February, 17, 2026. For updates Fans can follow Fantagraphics on X, Instagram, Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube.
Now, let's take a look inside:
For my thoughts on Chuck Dixon's Airboy series, see my post: Chuck Dixon: A Precursor to 9/11.
For a sample of Sam Glanzman's war stories, see my preview of Sam Glanzman Combat Collection: D-Day. (Sadly, due to the publisher's untimely death, I'm unsure if this collection was ever published).
For more, find Lost Marvels Vol 3 at the Fantagraphics website.
Thanks to Fantagraphics for sharing this preview with us.
About Fantagraphics:
For 50 years, Fantagraphics has published the very best comics and graphic novels that the medium has to offer. Our mission is to celebrate great cartooning in all of its incarnations, from the form’s early luminaries to contemporary artists currently forging the future of visual storytelling. Not content to rest on our laurels and extensive roster of talented artists, we constantly seek out fresh voices from across the globe. Thus, we honor the rich history of comics while providing a platform for bold new stories, styles, and perspectives that push the boundaries of the medium. Fantagraphics remains peerless in our commitment to be the publisher of the world's greatest cartoonists.
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