Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again showcasing another remarkable new issue of SSOC!
64 pulsating pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint!
Inside this wonderful magazine you will find the following sparkling gems:
Incredible art pin-ups:
Conan the Barbarian by Valerio Giangiordano
Kull of Atlantis by Geof Isherwood
CONAN THE BARBARIAN & VALERIA OF THE RED BROTHERHOOD: THE SUNLESS ISLE part 1 by Patch/Patrick Zircher
A direct follow-up to Robert E. Howard's Red Nails. Tascela, the princess of Tecuhltli lies impaled (by Valeria) on the floor. Old Tolkemec has been slain by Conan. The Xotalancas and the Tecuhltli have exterminated each other. Conan does NOT want to steal any of their possibly haunted jewels. Conan catches Valeria in his arms and they kiss. Conan thinks that they'll be on a ship before the Stygians open their ports for the trading season.
The road to the coast is much too long. Conan of Cimmeria & Valeria of Aquilonia decide to become sellswords in Shem, to ride with the caravans.
A caravan-bashi is delivering water from Shumir (city in Shem) to Asgalun (the trade centre of Shem last seen in Conan the Barbarian #20 (2023)). Conan gives some of the caravan-bashi's H2O to thirsty bandits.
The caravan arrives in the capital city of Pelishti. Conan & Valeria go drinking at "The Crimson Jack" alehouse.
Conan & Valeria are "arrested" and brought to the Royal palace of scheming King Uziaman.
King Uziaman's ageless looking eighty years old advisor, Netahn renders Valeria blind, then restores her sight.
King Uziaman wants to end the shortage of water. Famine has started. Uziaman seeks the holy relic know as "The Amphora of Mhareel (the half human daughter of Dagon the sea god)".
CONAN THE BARBARIAN & VALERIA OF THE RED BROTHERHOOD: THE SUNLESS ISLE part 2 by Patch/Patrick Zircher
Uziaman offers Conan & Valeria a tiny ship with 5 Shemite archers and advisor Netahn is coming along also.
The crew get stuck on windless waters, they row. A violent storm takes archer Kaziz, Captain Geram tries to save him.
Six days later our warriors reach the extremely misty Isle of Mhar. A gigantic crab attacks! Another archer dies, Valeria kills the crustacean.
According to rumours the people of Mhar are especially savage, more so than the Picts.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN & VALERIA OF THE RED BROTHERHOOD: THE SUNLESS ISLE part 3 by Patch/Patrick Zircher
The crew reaches Queen Mhareel's palace/alcázar. The cursed, mindless and bestial people of Mhar attack! One of the ape-like beings bites down on the Advisor, before expiring, Netahn reverts back to his true age of eighty.
The floor gives way... only Conan, Valeria and Captain Geram survive.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN & VALERIA OF THE RED BROTHERHOOD: THE SUNLESS ISLE part 4 by Patch/Patrick Zircher
Conan, Valeria and Captain Geram reach a decrepit throne room. More Wild-Men of Mhar are guarding The Amphora of Mhareel. The apemen attack! Captain Geram dies.
Queen Mhareel appears. Conan remembers Atali from The Frost-Giant's Daughter; his true love Bêlit from Queen of the Black Coast and Yasmina from The People of the Black Circle.
Mhareel bewitches the barbarian with a siren song. The Sea nymph transforms into an enormous sea hag.
Valeria recalls the burning skull of Xuchotl. Magic always has a source. Valeria shatters the cursed Amphora. Conan beheads the now powerless Mhareel.
The End.
A Tale of the Kingdom of KULL: THE INVISIBLE ASSASSIN by Fabian Nicieza and Sean Chen
Tolahn, the new commander/leader of the Black Legion army and Commander Kelkor of the Red Slayers (from Riders Beyond the Sunrise and Kings of the Night) are both trying out their spiffy new armours.
Councillor (and advisor to King Kull) Tu informs the Red Slayers (guards) and the Black Legion (soldiers) that the Zarfhaanans from Zarfhaana, east of Valusia have sent an INVISIBLE assassin (Addakhu from the deserts of Grondar, also east of Valusia) to kill Kull the Conqueror.
Tolahn locates the reflective raiment wearing assassin, but Addakhu is able to flee.
Kelkor tells his men to look for fresh footprints on the ground.
The Red Slayers make the assassin surrender. Who was Addakhu? It was Kull all along.
What I did like:
Anu from Conan the Barbarian (1970) #10 mentioned.
Mitra mentioned.
Baracha Strait from Conan the Valorous and Zabhela from Savage Sword of Conan #225 mentioned.
King Akhirom and Hyrkanian general Mazdak from Hawks Over Shem/Savage Sword of Conan #36 mentioned.
Dagon from "Dagon" and "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" both by H. P. Lovecraft mentioned.
Pirates from Zingara mentioned.
Pteor from Jewels of Gwahlur mentioned.
Ellael (worshiped in Asgalun) mentioned.
A healthy dose of humour throughout the issue.
Conan channels Jack Burton/Kurt Russell from Big Trouble in Little China (1986) from time to time.
Nice covers by Alex Horley and the late, great Neal Adams!
Valeria appears on one of the covers.
The island of Pai-p'u-yen mentioned.
The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune mentioned.
Valka and Topaz Throne mentioned.
Made me remember the 1997 Kull the Conqueror Toy Biz action figures.
What I did not like:
Where's the Thulsa Doom Tribute issue of The Savage Sword of Conan to honour the memory of James Earl Jones?
No dinosaurs in a Red Nails sequel?
No removable poster in the middle of the magazine!
Needed way more pin-ups!
Where's the pin-up by Max Von Fafner? We need more Max! Bring back Max!
Needed more stories!
No letters page!
The editor is not doing his job.
Tascela is impaled incorrectly.
Valeria does not bandage Conan's leg.
Conan: Blood of the Serpent by S. M. Stirling is ignored.
Kull does not have a scar on his right cheek.
I give it an 8.5/10. Thirsty for adventure? I recommend these refreshing treats: An absorbing sequel to Red Nails by Heroic Signatures' MVP, Patrick Zircher and a cool new Kull story by Fabian Nicieza (Conan #18 (2004)). Again, I encourage all of you to support your fave Barbarian by purchasing this mouth watering mag!
