The Savage Sword Of Conan – Volume 01 Issue 16

My Rating

“Massacred Memories”

Conan had always been there for Hydallan. From their childhood ascension as unskilled warriors, to the Fortress Venarium where the Cimmerian tribes united to rout an Aquilonian army—a deed thought impossible. Now, Conan has rescued his friend from a death cult responsible for unleashing a ghoulish horde upon mankind. But while Conan continues to forge his legend beyond the borders of Cimmeria, Hydallan has always remained a few steps behind.

Years earlier, the two boys dreamed of becoming mighty warriors. Hydallan was older and stronger, yet it was Conan who possessed the fearless spirit needed to face whatever lurked beyond the next hill. Under the tutelage of Lyolf, their skills grew until the day came when Cimmeria called its warriors to battle. At Venarium, Conan and Hydallan stood among their countrymen as the Aquilonian invaders were driven from their stronghold. Victory opened the world to Conan, but Hydallan chose another path. He remained behind, eventually marrying Una and attempting to build a life of his own.

Tragedy

That life would end in tragedy. Una and their unborn child died during childbirth, leaving Hydallan with little more than memories of the happiness he once possessed. Worse was yet to come. An army of the dead descended upon his village, while servants of a darker power gathered the survivors for an even more sinister purpose. Conan eventually returned to free the prisoners, once again arriving when his old sword-brother needed him most.

But Conan could not save Hydallan from everything. During the chaos, Hydallan plunged into the unnatural Emerald Water connected to the Black Stone and the power of Thulsa Doom. What emerged was no longer simply Conan’s childhood friend. Memories of friendship, battle, love, and unbearable loss had become weapons waiting to be twisted by an ancient evil. Hydallan had spent his entire life walking in Conan’s shadow—now Thulsa Doom had found another purpose for him.

Note: To be continued in Tides of the Tyrant-King No.01 (2026).

“The Ghosts Of Wahpeton”

Wahpeton was the kind of frontier town where a man kept one hand near his six-shooter and the other wrapped around a glass of whiskey. Gold had brought prospectors, gamblers, gunmen, and every manner of outlaw crawling from the wilderness. Unfortunately, something far more dangerous had followed them. A gang of killers known as the Vultures had descended upon Wahpeton, and nobody knew who could be trusted.

Into this powder keg rides Steve Corcoran, a hard-fighting gunslinger with enough enemies of his own. Law and order are little more than words in Wahpeton, especially when murder can come from the man sitting beside you at the saloon. Somewhere among the miners, merchants, gamblers, and gunfighters lurk the Vultures. But who commands them? More importantly, how do you hunt an enemy when you don’t know whose face he’s wearing?

Bullets may settle a disagreement between mortal men, but something unnatural is stirring among the blood-soaked streets of this frontier settlement. The dead have unfinished business in Wahpeton—and this time, a smoking Colt may not be enough to put them back in the grave.

“The Warrior Within”

The Turkish border—1910 AD. The ethnic cleansing of the Circassian people appears inevitable. Their families have been shattered and their children scattered to the winds. Russian expansion helped create this stain upon humanity, but the Russians did not act alone. Turkish soldiers and their brutish Khans enslaved the mothers and daughters of this once-proud people, while countless others were left orphaned by the violence.

This is the story of Zuleika, a young girl orphaned by two gunshots and forced to survive in a world that has already taken everything from her. Over the next seven years, she will learn the value of skilled labor, discover the importance of the written word, and master the discipline of Tibetan meditation. Each lesson strengthens something buried deep within the young Circassian—something waiting for the proper moment to emerge.

But knowledge and discipline can only prepare Zuleika for what comes next. The frightened orphan is slowly becoming a warrior, and forces far greater than mortal armies have begun to take notice. Her true power will soon be unleashed beneath the all-seeing eye of Doom.

Note: To be continued in Tides of the Tyrant-King No.01 (2026).

Review

The upcoming crossover series “Tides of the Tyrant-King” is fully evident here in the pages of The Savage Sword of Conan No. 16—there is no doubt. We are presented with three engaging stories, two of which are penned by Jim Zub, with a third based upon Robert E. Howard’s “The Vultures of Wahpeton.” What a thrilling magazine this was!

“Massacred Memories” was easily the story I was most interested in. Zub reaches back into Conan’s past and uses Hydallan to bridge the Cimmerian’s younger years with the growing threat of Thulsa Doom. Friendship, tragedy, and the Black Stone all come together as another piece is placed upon the board for Tides of the Tyrant-King. I love when Titan Comics rewards readers for following the larger storyline, and this tale certainly accomplishes that without forgetting the sword-and-sorcery action that brought us here in the first place.

A Fresh Take

“The Ghosts of Wahpeton” was another welcome surprise. Taking Howard’s western tale “The Vultures of Wahpeton” and dragging it into this supernatural nightmare was right up my alley. Then we have “The Warrior Within,” which expands the mythology even further through Zuleika and once again reminds us that the shadow of Doom stretches far beyond Conan and the borders of Cimmeria. Three very different stories, yet each feels like another road leading toward the same approaching storm.

After being somewhat disappointed with portions of the previous issue, No. 16 put The Savage Sword of Conan right back on track for me. Titan continues to demonstrate why this magazine has become one of my favorite places to experience Robert E. Howard’s world and the characters inspired by it. If this is merely the groundwork for Tides of the Tyrant-King, then I cannot wait to see what happens when Thulsa Doom finally makes his move.

I give The Savage Sword of Conan No. 16 a rock-solid four out of five stars!