Real quality from Mr Zircher!

A decent issue.
For those who can't understand the interpretation of 'hero' in the Ultimate Universe...Did you read the first ever series by the great Mark Millar?

I'll be honest...I liked issue 65(!) but I've disliked this story ark from the beginning. For me, the whole concept hasn't worked and I won't reiterate the reasons which the reviewers here on this site have already espoused.
I see the problem as being one of...ability. We need Marvel to engage Writers and Artists who are at the top of their game to do justice to - what is - their best and most commercial character. Just look at what 'Ghost Machine' are producing! Top talent (like Hickman) will produce top product, it's that simple.
Yes, I would love a reboot of the whole 616...which, if you read your early 70s Avengers, might not be the actual 'true' Marvel Universe as claimed.
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It's soooo well written...I love it!

It's average...nothing more to add.
Why though do 'critics' give it marks of 9.5 or laughably 10? The 'Death of Gwen Stacy' is a 9.5, how can a critic give this the same? Please, explain and let me understand the logic.

Finally - after some 6 years - an issue, of what used to be my favourite comic (yes, I have them all from #1) worth reading.
No, by no means faultless but at least it had really(!) good art and a story that actually portrays Marvel characters as themselves...Yes, he's Cap but like T'Challa we all know he's really the Falcon, the Vision as more than a feeble 'love-bot' etc..
I'm encouraged. more

Loved it!!

Just wonderful!
The art is sublime (hats off to Doug) but what makes it for me is the story and writing. Jim Zub is weaving a beautiful take on 'The Frost Giant's Daughter' and for me this issue hits ALL the right notes.
PLEASE, if you have yet to sample the greatness that is this comic, go out and grab an issue; you won't regret it!!!!

This comic is just a joy! Well written, lovely art and just pure escapist entertainment. Whoever is responsible for this remarkable comic and the concept of 'going back to basics' should be lauded. This (its sister publication too) and the Ghost Machine titles have mended my broken marriage with comics. Thank you.

I'm being a little unfair to this series because I have good things to say about the first two issues, yet my first review for this Titan run of Savage Sword of Conan is to criticize an issue. Before I start, I want to say this has been a terrific Conan magazine, perhaps the most interesting product involving the Conan IP I've seen in a long while. That said, let me point out what a step down this third issue is from the previous one.

Like I said, this mag is one of the cooler products involving Conan in a while. Likewise, the first and longest story in this issue, 'Wolves of the Tundra', has to be one of the laziest Conan stories I've read in a while. Starting with the artwork. Not a single panel in this 36-page story looks like it belongs to Hyboria or Sword & Sorcery in general. The buildings, objects, clothing, and general atmosphere of every page are painfully generic and uninspired. I didn't feel like spending more than a few seconds on each page. The previous issue I spent a long time admiring Mr. Pace artwork. Yes, it was rough, perhaps a little too rough at points for some people, but the whole thing has soul to it. In 'Wolves of the Tundra' however, nothing stands out, except a general indifference to it all. I would not be surprised if Mr. Nord was on a tight schedule and rushed the whole thing out the door, being content to phone it in. He fades to black all the action, shying from actually showing any fights. Instead, we get a black page with a few 'RARRRHs' and 'KRASHs' and that's it. Absolutely ridiculous and lazy. In fact, he shies away from showing any of the interesting moments and conflicts in the story. What a terrible, lame decision, especially for Conan. I can't remember the last time I've seen a Conan story so awfully illustrated.

The story itself doesn't help, either. We know Conan has plot armor, but this is not an excuse to simply forego any sense of danger. The Hyborian Age is a dangerous period, even for someone like Conan, but here, all you get is this phony world where every conflict feels poorly staged. There's no sense of fear in this story, despite being pretty much a horror tale. It's weird; it's as if all the enemies are there, just waiting to be defeated by Conan. They have no personality, no charm, nothing. They serve as the ingredients for chunky salsa, and that's it. And that's pretty much the story, by the way. Conan goes from page to page, making chunky salsa out of everything and everybody. Just like the artwork, it is terribly uninspired and boring. Dialogue is awful, mundane, and lacking in any flavor or enthusiasm.

Next up, we get an excerpt from the book Conan: City of the Dead. I'm not particularly fond of Mr. Hocking's writing, but his stuff reads like Shakespeare after trudging through Wolves of the Tundra. After the book excerpt, we get the last part of Master of the Hunt, a Solomon Kane story, and that has been a fun and decent read.

The other Conan story we get is Mr. Quah's Lure of the Pit Creature. It's a Monster of the Week type of tale. It's fun enough for what it is, and you can tell, unlike Mr. Tieri and Mr. Nord, Mr. Quah actually cared about what he was doing. The editors should've given him the main story instead. I bet he would have written and/or drawn something way better than what we got for the main course.

The pin-ups are amazing. It's good that they are there to remind you what this stuff should look like. Mr. Horley's pin-up depicts Kull and a party of angry Serpent people. Very evocative and alluring. The second pin-up is by Mr. De La Torre, and nothing I can say will praise his style enough. Just let the man illustrate the whole magazine, and you're golden. Mr. Zub's accompanying poem is not bad and carries the right flavor and punch sorely lacking in the main story for this issue. Hopefully, the next issue is a lot better than this. more

I agree with the criticisms but my score is in the context of what's out there at the moment...and Savage Sword is - along with Ultimate Spidey, Transformers and Conan the Barbarian - a comic that makes me want to read it and (on the whole) delivers when put in comparison.

The art was poor.

Cracking stuff!

Enjoyable!

Quality!

In my humble opinion...truly awful...BUT it might be that I am the problem, and I fully accept that.
I'm not in that 9 to 12 age-group this is probably being aimed at, so please take this review as one posted by an admirer of Thomas, Buscema and Adams, of Conway, Shooter, Perez and Byrne of Busiek, Perez and Pacheco, Bendis and Finch...In comparison, the past 6(!) years have been BS...how bloody sad! more

No comment.

Loved it!

Nice.

If you want to time-travel and experience what comics were like in the 70's then please buy this fabulous black and white mag. It's a joy!!

For immediate recycling...I don't know why I gave it a 1...Nice printing!

Solid, and worth a read!...and you can't say that about many comics at present...

Seriously?
Our hero is scouring the docks looking for sex and another hero later tells him that's okay. This is now the calibre of person(s) we have as examples to look up to.
In the Concise Oxford Dictionary the word hero is defined as: 1. a person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage or outstanding achievements.
What's to admire in this sleazy and sordid episode? Pathetic. more