Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged - Volume 01 Issue 06

My Rating

“People Of The Blackstone Circle – Part 02”

“Follow the silver vein to the lair of the Black Seers. Destroy the crystal globe with the four golden pomegranates…”

Those words gurgled desperately from Khemsa’s lips as his mangled body slowly bled out upon the rocks. The Turanian wizard had dared to challenge the Black Seers of Yimsha, yet his sorcery proved no match for centuries of dark discipline. The devils stripped Khemsa of his will to fight before Conan watched helplessly as unseen forces hurled the wizard and his paramour from the cliff’s edge. Both conspirators tumbled into the lower reaches of the Himelian Mountains, their hideous screams echoing through the peaks.

Hours later, Conan discovered the shattered but still-living remains of Khemsa. The Cimmerian knelt beside the dying wizard and listened as he revealed one final secret—the means to penetrate the stronghold of the Black Seers. With death only moments away, Khemsa also offered Conan his waist-belt, an ancient relic of Stygian craftsmanship possessing powers no simple barbarian could fully comprehend. The wizard promised it would shield Conan from the horrors ahead. He would need every bit of that protection once he entered the Castle of the Black Seers high upon the mountain peak.

Where have the Black Seers taken the Devi of Vendhya? Will Conan find allies willing to help rescue the princess, or is the Cimmerian destined to face the sorcerers of Yimsha alone? Have the Afghuli hillmen abandoned Conan and his leadership when he needs them most? Collect the series to find out!

“The Hyborian Age: The Hyborian Kingdoms”

Roy Thomas and Walt Simonson deliver a breathtaking adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s legendary essay, “The Hyborian Age.” Originally published in Marvel Comics’ The Savage Sword of Conan, this version brings Howard’s ancient world to life with full colorization by the GFB Group.

As I’ve stated before, I consider this essential reading for any fan of Conan the Barbarian. Howard’s history of the Hyborian Age provides the foundation for Conan’s world, while Thomas and Simonson transform that history into a beautifully illustrated journey through the kingdoms, peoples, wars, and civilizations that shaped the Cimmerian’s savage era. This one is a must-read!

Review

If you are going to buy any of Titan Comics’ Savage Sword of Conan Reforged editions, issues #5 and #6 are the ones I would recommend above all others. Together, they feature The People of the Black Circle, which remains, in my opinion, Robert E. Howard’s strongest Conan story. It has everything I want from a Cimmerian adventure: savage combat, political intrigue, treachery, beautiful women, mysterious lands, and enough black magic to make even Conan question what lurks around the next corner.

The People of the Black Circle also holds a special place in Conan history. Readers familiar with Conan the Barbarian (1982) may recognize ideas and imagery that feel remarkably familiar. Reading Howard’s original tale after watching the movie makes spotting those connections and little Easter eggs part of the fun. It also reminds me just how much of Conan’s cinematic identity ultimately traces back to the world Robert E. Howard created nearly a century ago.

Then we have Howard’s The Hyborian Age. Some readers might look at an essay about the history of Conan’s world and expect a dry textbook lesson. Far from it. This is the blueprint for understanding the Hyborian Age—the rise and fall of kingdoms, the migrations of entire peoples, and the ancient conflicts that eventually shaped Conan’s world. Roy Thomas and Walt Simonson take Howard’s history and transform it into something a comic book reader can easily digest and enjoy.

For me, that combination makes Savage Sword of Conan Reforged #6 one of the strongest entries in Titan Comics’ Reforged line. You get one of Robert E. Howard’s greatest Conan adventures alongside a fascinating exploration of the world in which those adventures take place. What more could a Conan fan ask for?

I give Savage Sword of Conan Reforged #6 a well-deserved five out of five stars.