Cruel Universe 2 #5 Review

 

Writer: Ryan Haddock, Andrew Wheeler, & Corinna Bechko

Artist: Kano, Andrea Mutti & Tyler Jenkins

Colorist: Michael Atiyeh

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Cover Artists: Lee Bermejo, Liam Sharp, Albert Monteys & Malachi Ward

Publisher: Oni Press

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 3, 2025

 

Life may not be easy on planet Earth. But living on the planet's biosphere is far easier than surviving in the cold, dark void. Space offers Humans nothing they need to survive. People take what they need with them and hope that's enough. What happens when it isn't? And even on Earth, how do you respond when others prey on you? Let’s leap into Cruel Universe 2 #5 and see!

 

Hope Endures: Story

James Bond loved his Beretta and didn't want to part with it, even when it let him down. In Hope Endures, Ryan Haddock introduces Captain Cole Queller, a pilot who forms a bond with his fighter. Like Bond, Cole stuck by the ship, even when newer models became available. But when he's stuck on an alien planet, he's glad he stuck by her. Like Cole, "Hope" feels the same and cherishes their time together.

 

Hope Endures: Art

Kano shows Cole sitting on a sandstone boulder near his shattered ship in Cruel Universe 2 #5. Surrounding him are the toothlike spikes symbolizing the mineral wealth beneath a surface incapable of supporting life. The events that forged Cole’s friendship with his ship play through Cole’s mind in black and white. A limited palette of light colors adorns the lone figure in a spacesuit, as seen from an empty cockpit. Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith place black uppercase text in white dialogue balloons. The ship's thoughts appear as white uppercase letters in black narrative boxes.

 

Byproduct: Story

Andrew Wheeler introduces us to Marcus Keane. He’s a man who gets what he wants. Anyone who fails to provide that is superfluous to requirements. When his doctor tells him that all the money in the world won't solve his problems, Marcus opts for a radical cure. Byproduct puts overachievers who treat people like appliances under the microscope, while reminding us how tempting it is to hang onto the things that harm us.

 

Byproduct: Art

Tattoos entwine like double helices along Marcus' neck. His doctor's hair and glasses evoke an absent-minded scientist. Andrea Mutti introduces Marcus to Vida Cash. Vida wears similar clothes, shows him graphic displays, and guides Marcus through their facility. Michael Atiyeh adorns Byproduct with a vibrant palette. Yet the doctor and his patient become silhouettes against a stormy sky when Dr Ash delivers his prognosis in Cruel Universe 2 #5. The red, yellow, and green double helix display suggests more years to enjoy the tropical paradise in which Marcus lives. Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith deliver black, uppercase lettering in white balloons, and off-panel conversation in colored narrative boxes.

 

Some Time to Reflect: Story

Do you ever wish that you had more resources and time? What if you could split yourself in two? Or, like Lord Voldemort, hide away other copies of yourself and have them help you with your work? Corinna Bechko introduces us to a scientist who finds a way to maximize her productivity. As in David Brin's novel Kiln People, a woman uses versions of herself to pursue necessary tasks that she can capitalize on. But in Cruel Universe 2 #5, her golems are flesh and blue, and don't carry an expiration date. Even more than Byproduct, Some Time to Reflect seems a metaphor for ignoring those around us in search of productivity and achievement.

 

Some Time to Reflect: Art

Tyler Jenkins shows a woman sitting outside her mountain cabin. Inside, she finally notices another version of herself in a mirror. As in Phantasm, the window opens a portal to her other self. Tyler’s scenes showcase pink and green. Along the way, red seeps in and splatters. Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith open with uppercase words in dialogue balloons and sound effects that introduce the woman and the instigating event. But the colored narrative boxes relay the actor behind the scenes, manipulating events for her own benefit. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As people explore space, visit pocket universes, and delve into the potential of the genome, some reveal their inhumanity, while a machine makes a very Human choice in Cruel Universe 2 #5.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

For more see my cover preview of Cruel Universe 2 #5. 

Cruel Universe 2 #5 Cover Preview

 

COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO

 

Life in space is hard. Sure, you rely on the people around you. But you also rely on your equipment, and the systems that keep you alive in the cold, uncaring void. Cruel Universe 2 #5 introduces readers to Cole Queller. He's more loyal to his ship than most people are to their friends. He's someone worth meeting. His story will linger with you long after you read "Hope Endures," and the other stories in this new issue.

Here's all the info from Oni Press: 

CRUEL UNIVERSE 2 #5 (of 12)

WRITTEN BY CORINNA BECHKO, RYAN HADDOCK, & ANDREW WHEELER ART BY KANO, ANDREA MUTTI & MORE COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO COVER B BY LIAM SHARP EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY ALBERT MONTEYS B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY LIAM SHARP ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD IN THIS CRUEL UNIVERSE, PERCEPTION IS REALITY . . . AND REALITY IS PAIN! Join petrifying pioneers Ryan Haddock (The Brothers Flick), Amy Roy (EC’s Epitaphs from the Abyss), and EC newcomer Andrew Wheeler (Another Castle) as they probe the far reaches of space for any pinprick of hope . . . and artists Kano (Gotham Central), Andrea Mutti (EC’s Cruel Kingdom), and more heed the call to bring the latest batch of technological terrors to the page! Will a stranded pilot find salvation? Will a terminally ill tech titan live on in prosperity? Will advancements in AI eliminate all strife and conflict? Our on-board systems are reading "no," but you’ll will have to pick the latest installment of EC's Eisner and Ringo Award–nominated science-fiction sensation to see what the future truly holds! ON SALE DECEMBER 3, 2025 | $4.99 | 32 PGS. | FC

Here are more cover options:

 

COVER B BY LIAM SHARP

 

EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY ALBERT MONTEYS

B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY LIAM SHARP

ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD

Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for sharing this cover preview with us.

The Savage Sword of Conan TP Vol 3

 

REGULAR: NEAL ADAMS

 

Is there a better sword and sorcery magazine out there than Savage Sword of Conan? Each issue is packed with Hyborian heroes, dangerous damsels, skillful sorcerers, and above all, entertaining stories. Here are three issues packaged together to give you three times the thrills. By Crom! Where will this volume take you?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP VOL. 3

(W) Roy Thomas, Patrick Zircher, Dennis Culver, Liam Sharp, Fabien Nicieza, and more

(A) Roberto de la Torre, Juan Alberto Hernández, Chris Burnham, Max von Fafner, Sean Chen and more

Publisher: Heroic Signatures & Titan Comics

SC, B&W, 192pp, $24.99, On Sale October 8, 2025

 

Comprising the very best comic industry talent, including legend Roy Thomas and fan favorite Roberto de la Torre, a myriad of writers and artists create a spectacular array of beautifully illustrated black and white comic strips and pin-ups, as well as poems, short stories and essays.

 

Collects issues #7-9 of the stunning new Savage Sword of Conan magazine.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another cover option:

 

 

DM EDITION: JOE JUSKO

 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

 

The Savage Sword of Conan #11 Preview

COVER A: LIAM SHARP

 

In the history of comic magazines, the Savage Sword of Conan has few rivals. Each story bursts to overflowing with stories about our favorite Hyborian hero and other Robert E Howard characters. What great stories will Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures pack into the next issue? Let's all shout "Hail Crom," head to our comic shops, and find out!

Here's all the info: 

 

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #11 (ONGOING)

Format: Comic book

(W) Liam Sharp, Ron Marz

(A) Liam Sharp, Danny Earls

B&W • 64pp • $6.99 • On Sale November 5, 2025

 

Featuring writer/artist Liam Sharp’s triumphant return to the Hyborian Age with a spellbinding CONAN epic, the debut of Robert E. Howard’s CORMAC MAC ART brought to life by writer Ron Marz and artist Danny Earls, colossal covers from Alex Horley and Liam Sharp, an array of astonishing pin-ups, and more, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN issue #11 lays siege to comic shop shelves this November!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here's another cover options:

 

 

COVER B: ALEX HORLEY

 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures for sharing this preview with us.

 

Cruel Universe Vol 2 #1 Cover Preview

 

COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO

This is a super debut, with three new stories and an old EC reprint. The stories speak to our need for compassion, and our yearning to connect with others. The art is beautiful, with vibrant colors, and easy-to-read print. If you're a science fiction fan, check this issue out this coming Wednesday!

Here's all the info from Oni Press:

CRUEL UNIVERSE 2 #1 (OF 12)

WRITTEN BY J. HOLTHAM, ANN NOCENTI & GREG PAK ART BY CHARLIE ADLARD, KANO & DAVID RUBÍN COVER A BY LEE BERMEJO COVER B BY TOM FOWLER GOLD FOIL VARIANT ($8.99) BY LEE BERMEJO COVER D BLANK SKETCH VARIANT EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY ALBERT MONTEYS B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD SQUA TRONT VARIANT (1:100) BY LIAM SHARP WITH TOM FOWLER AT THE STAR-LINED EDGES OF INFINITY, EC COMICS’ SCI-FI SMASH HIT RETURNS TO DRAW MORE WORLDS INTO THE MAW OF ITS GRAVITATIONAL VORTEX WITH AN ALL-NEW AND UNRELENTING 12-ISSUE MAXI-SERIES! Whether future or past, Earth or a distant world, no man can outrun the infinite singularity within us all: FEAR! Join this doomed expedition into the cold, unforgiving galaxies beyond our own as nihilistic navigators Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), J. Holtham (EC’s Epitaphs from the Abyss), Kano (Immortal Iron Fist), Ann Nocenti (Daredevil), David Rubín (Sherlock Frankenstein), and Greg Pak (Planet Hulk) smash the laws of science . . . and splice the immortal EC Comics genome into a new bred of parasitic extraterrestrial tales with an endless appetite for pain! Plus, as an added bonus: A nerve-rending science-fiction classic from the EC vaults, painstakingly remastered and newly restored to its original coloring! BEYOND SPACE, BEYOND OBLIVION... There is something vast, unsympathetic, and envious that yearns to consume us all in this CRUEL UNIVERSE! Let’s make it work for it, shall we? ON SALE AUGUST 6th 2025 | $4.99 | 40 PGS. | FC

Here are more cover options:

 

COVER B BY TOM FOWLER

 

GOLD FOIL VARIANT ($8.99) BY LEE BERMEJO

 

COVER D BLANK SKETCH VARIANT

EC HOMAGE VARIANT (1:10) BY ALBERT MONTEYS

 

B&W ARTIST EDITION VARIANT (1:20) BY TOM FOWLER

 

ARCHIVE EDITION (1:50) BY MALACHI WARD

 

SQUA TRONT VARIANT (1:100) BY LIAM SHARP WITH TOM FOWLER

Thanks to Oni Press for sharing this hugely enjoyable issue and cover preview with us.

 

The Savage Sword Of Conan #8 Review

 

Writers: Dennis Culver, Fred Kennedy, Zack Davisson, John C Hocking, Jim Zub & Liam Sharp

Artists: Chris Burnham, Marco Rudy, Max von Fafner, Liam Sharp & Dan Panosian

Pin-Up Artists: Doug Braithwaite, Adam Gorham, Gabriel Rodriguez, Jonathan Wayshak, Tom Raney & Juan Alberto Hernández:

Cover Artists: Joe Jusko & Alex Horley:

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $6.99

Release Date: April 30, 2025

 

Conan has battled dinosaurs. Despite his distrust of magic, Conan has helped a witch confront someone intent on wiping out her sisterhood. He has befriended a child in a town populated by zombies. The Cimmerian has united with other heroes across space and time to confront the power of the black stone. What great evils will he face next? And how does Conan compare with other heroes in the Howardverse? Let’s grab our Atlantean swords, leap into The Savage Sword Of Conan #8, and find out!

 

Treasure Of The Vermin Queen: Story

Conan has partnered with a young thief to pillage the horde of the Ver-Men. When he and Fleek reach the temple, they observe a ceremony. Conan thinks this is the perfect time to search the temple. Instead, Fleek rushes in among the robed figures to prevent a human sacrifice.

 

In Dennis Culver’s story, the barbarian never suspected Fleek’s treachery. Still, the Cimmerian rushes to aid his fellow thief. Fleek justifies his lies by assuring Conan that any cult must have a treasure to fund their movement. In Treasure Of The Vermin Queen, Conan wonders how to punish the thief for leading him into a trap. But first, he must battle the priests of "Bug and Bone" and an outraged god.

 

Treasure Of The Vermin Queen: Art

Chris Burnham’s opening page evokes Conan, Subotai, and Valeria climbing the Tower of Serpents. But Conan and Fleek are climbing inside a vertical tunnel. When they reach the worship chamber, they find thick stone pillars decorated with diagonal caterpillar-shaped stripes. The lines, crosshatching, and shading illuminate the dark chamber filled with cloaked worshippers, stalagmites, and broken pillars. But the high priest's mask, along with the pillars and the design carved into the wall behind him, hint at the appearance of the god Conan must fight before he can decide on Fleek's future.

 

When I Was Young, I Met A King: Story

In the second story in The Savage Sword Of Conan #8, a woman remembers her childhood. A sorcerer's minions hunted her for her latent magical abilities. Hana’s father saved Conan’s life. Despite his distaste for magic, the Cimmerian promised to protect the healer's daughter. After Fleek's betrayal in Dennis Culver’s story, Fred Kennedy demonstrates how loyalty flows through Conan’s veins. He doesn’t know whether the girl will do good or ill with her gifts. Still, Conan won’t rest until he delivers Hana to safety. 

 

When I Was Young, I Met A King: Art

After Chris Burnham's traditional penciling and inking, Marco Rudy's mesmerizing images intertwine, and his characters overlay each other as in a collage. Memories blend with Hana's narrative, while camera angles demand the reader's attention. The visual effect is bracing, challenging, and open to interpretation.

 

Kinship Of The Fallen: Story

The first four paragraphs of Jim Zub’s war poem are three lines each. The last word of the second line rhymes with the first and second and the third with the fourth. Then, the final four-line three stanzas rhyme with an A, B, A, B sequence. (Apologies, ABBA fans). Jim Zub's poem commemorates a battle, celebrates life, honors the fallen, and pledges eternal brotherhood.

 

Kinship Of The Fallen: Art

In Dan Panosian's double-page image, Conan sits beside an adoring maiden. A wooden cask and bottles fill the tables. Candles glow while white sparkles rise toward the ceiling. In contrast to the poem, none of his fellow warriors linger in the tavern, suggesting they drank their fill before leaving to continue their celebrations elsewhere.

 

Live By The Sword: Story

In this story by Zach Davisson, another Robert E Howard hero ventures into the pages of The Savage Sword Of Conan #8. Cormac FitzGeoffrey is a stranger to this walled city. Sir William De Fontane rides up with a free horse after Cormac dispatches his combatants. The knight wishes Cormac had sworn homage to Lord Guillaume De Montfort. But Cormac doesn't want a patron.

 

Live By The Sword presents another Howardian hero with the question of loyalty. Cormac’s refusal to serve Lord Montfort highlights our relationships with authority: what bowing before our leaders gives us and what it takes away.

 

Live By The Sword: Art

After opening this new series with Conan battling dinosaurs, Max von Fafner returns to introduce Cormac FitzGeoffrey to modern readers. Cormac’s first opponent wears a turban, leather armor, and Persian boots. Cormac wears chainmail, while plate armor covers his shoulders, arms, and shins. He carries a large shield as he battles his enemies. A helmet adorns his head, and armor covers the head and neck of the horse he rides. Stone shards rise taller than the warriors who fight between them, while tent-covered buildings rise behind a stone wall.

 

The opening scenes evoke “The Shadow of the Vulture.” Robert E Howard’s historical tale introduces the world to Red Sonya. Roy Thomas would later reinvent the character and introduce Red Sonja to the pages of Marvel’s Conan The Barbarian. The upraised stone spikes also suggest that, in joining this battle, Cormac has unwittingly stepped into a serpent’s maw.

 

Coils of the Golden Empress: Story

Conan novelist John C Hocking follows the comic adventures and poem in The Savage Sword Of Conan #8 with a prose story. In Coils of the Golden Empress, Conan wanders through a jungle. While morose and mourning, Conan also feels a sense of pride, remembering how he sent the burning Tigress out to sea. As in recent issues of Conan The Barbarian, Bêlit’s death leaves him bereft. Yet, unlike Jim Zub’s story, Conan finds people who welcome him with a meal. They even invite him to join their company. If only the men didn’t profit off Human misery.

 

John C Hocking's story sparkles with an engineering triumph and a reminder of how well-traveled Conan is. And then there is the monster that dwells at the heart of this story of loyalty, betrayal, and grief. Tom Raney contributes a one-page illustration to enliven the two pages of prose.

 

The Wuthering: Story

Liam Sharp closes out The Savage Sword Of Conan #8 with a finely written and drawn tale of mercy. As Conan explores a Pictish wilderness, he comes across a giant of a man. The densely muscled warrior introduces himself as Tor Himdhul, a name that evokes British rock formations and Norse legend. Tor entertains Conan with a tale that evokes another classic Robert E Howard tale. While he taunts Conan with words of anger, he seeks kindness from the Cimmerian. Yet what Tor asks will test Conan's adherence to his moral code.

 

The Wuthering: Art

Conan descends a staircase through the jungle. Behind him, upraised stones surround a tree perched along a cliff, suggesting memorials to the fallen (in more ways than one). Tree trunks, limbs, and exposed roots congregate like jungle vines. Leaves flutter past Conan and onto Tor, leaving branches and twigs bare. While Conan exhibits youth and vitality, Tor’s light hair, beard, and features suggest a more mature outlook. In his tale, Tor rides a horse through the dramatic landscape. His mount's musculature suggests a draft horse trained not to work the field but to plow through an enemy’s cavalry.

 

Lettering

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill the stories of The Savage Sword of Conan #8 with uppercase lettering in white narrative boxes and dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. The narrative in Liam Sharp’s tale floats unrestricted across panels. The balloons grow cloudy or spiky to convey extreme emotions. Sound effects announce cracking treasure, enraged elements, a person exploring her capabilities, and a hero’s sword breaking in the heat of battle. Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

In The Savage Sword of Conan #8, the barbarian hero battles monstrous gods, venomous beasts, a relentless sorcerer, and an aging Aesir. As the conflicts challenge his ethics, Conan also fights for and because of love. Another Robert E Howard hero, Cormac FitzGeoffrey, wrestles with his duties to monarchs and friends. The comics, prose, and poem celebrate the warrior’s heart and what tests his mettle.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see yesterday's preview.

The Savage Sword of Conan #8 Preview

 

COVER B: ALEX HORLEY

 

Rejoice, Cimmerian sword masters! Titan's glorious Black & White magazine returns to comic shops tomorrow! Here's a preview of Conan's latest adventures:

 

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #8

(W): Dennis Culver, Liam Sharp, Fred Kennedy, Zack Davisson, Patch Zircher

(A): Chris Burnham, Liam Sharp, Marco Rudy, Max Von Fafner, Juan Alberto Hernandez

Publisher: Titan Comics & Heroic Signatures

B&W, 64pp, $6.99, On sale: April 30, 2025

 

FEATURING THREE THRILLING CONAN TALES!

 

Witness a death-defying duel from the legendary Liam Sharp, a cave-crawling adventure from Dennis Culver and Chris Burnham, and a dreamlike journey from Fred Kennedy and Marco Rudy.

 

Adding to the excitement are two new Howardian characters – BRECKENRIDGE ELKINS (from Zircher/Hernandez) and CORMAC FITZGEOFFREY (from Davisson/Fafner). With a stunning array of pin-ups and captivating covers from Joe Jusko and Alex Horley, THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN Issue #8 is not one to be missed!

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And check out this cinematic homage!

 

 

COVER A: JOE JUSKO

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.