BotTalk Reviews

eBook by Robbie MacNiven Cover by E. M. Gist  From Titan Books, Heroic Signatures & Conan Properties International LLC Spoilers! Spoilers!  Conan of Cimmeria is aware that a former cabin boy of Captain Zaporavo (killed by Conan in The Pool of the Black One) of the Wastrel is aboard the Heir of Argus.  Conan is also aware that the cabin boy is actually runaway Princess Elyka (the youngest daughter of King Codrin Saldius of Nemedia who fled Belverus (capital city of the kingdom of Nemedia)).  Conan joins the Zingaran and Argossean crew of the Heir of Argus in Messantia (capital port city of Argos). The captain of the Heir of Argus learns that Conan is wanted by Strom (who will die in The Black Stranger) of the Red Hand/King of the Barachans/Lord of the pirate city of Tortage. Brought in chains to Tortage, Conan makes sure that everyone hears that his cabin boy buddy is Princess Elyka.  Captain Gavrali (of Corinthia) kidnaps Conan (to sell him on Sark's Isle) a...

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again exhibiting another brand new issue of SSOC!  Sixty-four startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this attractive magazine you will find the following: Puritanical art pin-ups: Solomon Kane by Luke Eidenschink Solomon Kane by Ace Continuado CONAN: THE BLUE ORCHID by Roy Thomas and Roberto de la Torre An ancient Hyrkanian castle on the Zaporoska river, recently seized by Yezdigerd the Prince of Turan. Atta of Shadizar (a Zamorian thief) and Conan cannot locate the Blue Orchid diamond (a gigantic jewel from Khitai, supposedly acquired months ago in Makkalet (Conan the Barbarian (1970) #26) by Yezdigerd), so Atta helps himself to a vase and some gems and Conan nicks a necklace. Zaria and three Hyrkanians (Sulimar, Arafam and Stafah/Stapha who are also interested in obtaining the Blue Orchid) witness Conan and Atta emerging from the river. Turanian horse archers kill th...

Jim Zub's Ghosts & Echoes part 2: Trail of the Warrior SON OF THE TOOTH (an assassin serving The Woeful Eye) is tracking Conan across Shem. SON OF THE TOOTH knows that Conan destroyed Thulsa Doom aka The Necromancer-King of the BLACK STONE (way back in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #12). SON OF THE TOOTH is disappointed that Conan is just a man working as a mercenary in Khoraja (southeast of Koth). SON OF THE TOOTH spies on Conan as Dunick the Kothian picks a fight with Conan. Conan breaks Dunick's arm. SON OF THE TOOTH spies on Conan as the barbarian beds a bar wench. SON OF THE TOOTH spies on Conan as Conan kills Dunick's accomplices and a defenceless Dunick. Conan pays the city's sentries to look the other way. SON OF THE TOOTH spies on Conan as Conan enjoys a meal and drinks FOUR carafes of vino. The still sober Cimmerian finally confronts SON OF THE TOOTH! We learn that Conan and SON OF THE TOOTH share an interest in voyeurism. Do Conan and SON OF THE TOOTH become...

The year is 26 CE. Tektons (craftsmen/builders), including a young Yeshua/Jesus of Nazareth and three of his siblings (Joses/Joseph, Jude and Simon (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55)), have been hired to rebuild the city of Sepphoris (inspired by Matthew 5:14) by Herod Antipas (the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea under the Roman Empire during the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1)). During the day, Jesus is suffering from headaches caused by divine visions (John 5:20) of the past (we glimpse the destruction of Sepphoris by Publius Quinctilius Varus). Pontius Pilate, the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea mentions Caiaphas (Jesus will be sent before the high priest after his arrest (Matthew 26:57; Mark 14:53; John 11:49; John 18:14)) who was appointed by Valerius Gratus (the prefect who preceded Pilate). Jesus has a nightmare, he sees SIX (Revelation 13:18; The sixth commandment is "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13)) serpents within the clouds of heaven.  Jesus ventures in...

eBook by Tim Waggoner Cover by E. M. Gist  From Titan Books, Heroic Signatures & Conan Properties International LLC Spoilers! Spoilers!  The eastern desert of Shem. Conan and some sellswords are guarding a Turanian trading caravan, a decoy to lure Zuagir raiders into a trap. Almost all of the mercenaries perish at the hands of the Zuagirs.  Conan, Solfrid (a female Vanir from Vanaheim), Endrigo (a Kothian) and Danor (a Shemite-Stygian) are the only four who survive the raid.  Conan wants to go back to Ashaka (caravan city of the Turanians) to claim the rest of his remuneration for guarding the bogus caravan. Conan's camel detects the scent of an oasis with doum palm trees. Near the water hole, Conan and Co. find a possible hidden treasure cache... marked by a vulture's head (the sigil of the demon: "The Lord of Silence"). Later, vulture headed eyeless mist creatures attack. Conan, Solfrid and Endrigo get scratched, but Danor swallows one of scavenger things and d...

Jim Zub's Ghosts & Echoes part 1: The Sharpened Tooth (of The Woeful Eye) Conan the Barbarian is not showing up in his own comic book this month! Let's find out why that is. This is the origin story of SON OF THE TOOTH (a loyal assassin serving The Woeful Eye).  The Hyrkanian Steppes. SON OF THE TOOTH is born, the 11th child of a tribe leader, weak, small and plagued by nightmares and throbbing toothaches caused by The Woeful Eye.  SON OF THE TOOTH kills one of his older brothers. SON OF THE TOOTH removes a canine tooth (canines are also called EYE teeth) from his brother's jaw for The Woeful EYE and hides his brother's body. Like Michael Myers (from Halloween (1978 film)), SON OF THE TOOTH kills one of his older sisters and like Michael Myers, the more he kills, the stronger he becomes. SON OF THE TOOTH kills the rest of his siblings. SON OF THE TOOTH goes on a hunting trip with his father, he tells his dad that he is the one who murdered his brothers and sisters. ...

48 restored and fully colored pages of barbaric savagery! Inside this magnificent full-color magazine you will find the following: Classic remastered art pin-ups in stunning color: Conan the Barbarian by Frank Brunner & Steve Leialoha from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #14 Conan ad by Gary Groth & Bob Kline from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #7 SHADOWS IN ZAMBOULA by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, Neal Adams and the Tribe. (New Colors by GFB Group/GFB.it) In the desert city of Zamboula, Aram Baksh offers a sleeping Conan to his business partners... a group of starving cannibals from Darfar. Conan kills four cannibals and saves Zabibi/Nafertari whose lover Alafdhal/Jungir Khan (who is wearing the ring with the jewel called the Star of Khorala) has been drugged by Totrasmek. Conan strangles Baal-Pteor the Strangler. We learn that Nafertari wants the ring for herself. Conan kills Totrasmek. Jungir Khan gets cured. After rearranging Aram Baksh's face and voice, Conan offers Aram B...

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again brandishing another brand new issue of SSOC!  64 startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this gorgeous magazine you will find the following: Terrific art pin-ups: Conan the Barbarian by Ivan Gil (Conan: Scourge of the Serpent) El Borak versus Samiri by Patrick Zircher (Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring) CONAN: HEART OF DARKNESS by Chris Ryall (Mighty Marvel Calendar Book: A Visual History) and Gabriel Rodriguez (Robert E. Howard: Rattle of Bones & Other Terrifying Tales) Ghulistani Hinterlands A beast of sorceress Er'Bo'A attacks Conan, C'Kaan (a sorcerer and an homage to The Guy aka the mascot of Disturbed), Jorgus and Buterra the Wise (an homage to Heroic Signatures editor Chris Butera). Buterra dies. The dying beast infects Conan with its black magic. An old woman (Hanna, whose daughters (Suna and Suhar) are under the influence of Er'Bo'A) clea...

Jim Zub's The Conquering Crown part 3 (of 3): The Unlikely Sovereign Count Trocero of Poitain saves the life of Captain Prospero (who was mesmerized by Conan's awesomeness). Aquilonian General Conan (The Savior of Poitain) is spreading hope and his army is growing. Count Trocero thinks that he should be the future ruler of Aquilonia... Prospero is not so sure. Baron Phineas of Tauran joins the Cimmerian's insurgency/armed rebellion.  Travelling to Tanasul (city in northern Aquilonia), King Numedides' forces get attacked by Conan's rebel insurgents. Prospero and Baron Thasperas of Schohira push back Numedides' royal military and gain reinforcements. Close to the Tybor River, the legion of Numedides surrenders to Conan, Prospero and the army of Shamar (city in southern Aquilonia). Conan and co. reach the capital of Aquilonia (Tarantia).  Gromel, the giant Bossonian captain of the Black Dragon Knights, grovels for his life... Conan lets him go. King Numedides has s...

Scourge of the Serpent part 4 (of 4): Unity or DEATH. The epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics is over. Kirowan, Kull and Conan are now in Set's dimension. The mysterious Set siren appears before our heroes. The siren is disappointingly just Set (the Great Serpent) in human form. Our heroes morph into their future selves: John Kirowan loses his right eye (Battle of the Black Stone #4), King Kull loses his flesh (Conan the Barbarian (2023) #10) and Conan the Barbarian loses his freedom and youth (Conan the Barbarian (2023) #25). Set introduces our heroes to a Woeful dark god who has awaken from his slumber... The Woeful Eye/Shuma-Gorath is coming to earth (as revealed in Conan: Spawn of the Serpent God). Set remarks that the "END WAR" is upon us. We see an extremely unlikely future... Kirowan, Kull and Conan accompanied by their serpent-descendants are fighting the Black Stone Beasts of the Woeful Eye (last seen in Battle of the Black Stone #4). To...

Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane, the dour English Puritan Swashbuckler, gets a revised complete collection of his classic Marvel suggested for mature readers sword and sorcery adventures.  The omnibus is available in two versions: with a Mike Mignola dust jacket (available everywhere) or with a direct market Howard Chaykin dust jacket (only available from comic book stores). Inside this magnificent hardcover you will find the following: Stories in full color: Kane versus looter Le Loup (Red Shadows by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin) Kane versus looter Le Loup (Red Shadows by Robert E. Howard, Ralph Macchio, Steve Carr and Bret Blevins) Kane versus a werewolf (And Faith, Undying... by Ralph Macchio and Bret Blevins) Kane versus kidnaper Sir George Banway (Blades of the Brotherhood by Robert E. Howard, Ralph Macchio, Bret Blevins and Al Williamson) Kane versus Prince Ali-Ben Ar (The Prophet by Ralph Macchio, Mike Mignola and Al Williamson) Kane versus vampires/zombie...

48 restored and fully colored pages of barbaric savagery! Inside this magnificent full-color magazine you will find the following: Classic remastered art pin-ups: Conan the Barbarian by Mike Zeck from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #15 Conan the Barbarian by John Buscema from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #15 Conan ad by Gil Kane from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #5 THE DEVIL IN IRON by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. (New Colors by GFB Group/GFB.it) Terror on a time-lost isle! On the uninhabited island known as Xapur the Fortified, Conan the Barbarian protects Princess Octavia from a gigantic snake, the iron-skinned giant Khosatral Khel (the ancient from the Abyss, the god of Dagonia) and Jehungir Agha (lord of Khawarizm).  A 1976 INTERVIEW WITH CONAN ARTIST JOHN BUSCEMA conducted by John Collier & John Wren What I did like: The giant sleeping snake that tried to eat Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Conan the Barbarian 1982 film was taken from THE DEVIL...

Jim Zub's The Conquering Crown part 2 (of 3): The Ill-suited Guest Conan is now an Aquilonian General (Count Trocero/Poitain's new military leader), he has received word that King Numedides wants to see him at his castle in Tarantia (capital of Aquilonia aka The Flower of The West). Conan and some of his Westermarck Wolves mercenaries arrive to meet the King. King Numedides flatters Conan and thanks him for HIS victory. Conan mentions his fallen comrades, not wanting to take full credit for winning the great BATTLE OF POITAIN. Conan is forced to mingle with the nobles of Aquilonia. The Cimmerian is introduced to the the obese Baron Dion of Attalus, Baron Maloric of Cantrium, the diminutive Count Volmana of Karaban, Lord Brocas of Conawaga, Count Ulric of Raman, Baron Thasperas of Schohira and Baron Phineas of Tauran. King Numedides reveals to Conan that he received visions of a DARK FUTURE from The Woeful Eye. The mad King is aware that Shuma-Gorath aka The Woeful Eye (mentione...

eBook by Brendan Deneen Cover by E. M. Gist  From Titan Books, Heroic Signatures & Conan Properties International LLC Spoilers! Spoilers!  The City of Thieves aka Arenjun, Zamora. Fabian, the leader of the Thieves' Guild gives an eighteen-year-old Conan of Cimmeria a down payment of jewels to meet with the Duchess Amelia (third cousin of King Hadranor of Zamora) and her bodyguard Tomas.  The Duchess wants her stolen family heirloom, the crimson amulet of the demon Nakamar, a gift from the King, back in her possession. Conan is told to go to a walled mansion surrounded by abysses near the Skarpash Mountains. Conan surmounts the estate's stone barricade, enters the residence via a servants' door, makes his way to the basement and finds the amulet. Conan notices that the heirloom is giving off hellish heat, Conan hears the voice of the demon Nakamar asking to be released. Two older thieves, also sent by Amelia to retrieve the amulet, enter the basement, the barbarian bu...

Scourge of the Serpent part 3 (of 4): Behind the Mask. The epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics is almost over. The Thurian Age of Kull of Atlantis (from Robert E. Howard's The Shadow Kingdom). Gonar the Seeker (from Kings of the Night) reminds the reader once again that the impossible to comprehend verity is that time and space do not exist, that EVERYTHING is transpiring NOW. The Hall of Society, King Kull sits upon his throne and gazes upon the courtiers, the ladies, the lords and the statesmen. The King of Valusia wonders... are they all shape-changers plotting his demise? Chief councilor Tu alerts his King that the hour of the council is at hand. Kull and his Pict ally, Brule follow the councilors to the council room.   The door of the council chamber is now closed, all seventeen councilors place themselves in the order of their rank before Kull's dais. Brule remains by Kull's side. The councilors begin moving toward Kull. Brule utters the words...

A Scourge of the Serpent Novel by Tim Waggoner Cover by Jeffrey Alan Love  From Titan Books and Conan Properties International Also available unabridged on audiobook from Blackstone Publishing, read by Bradford Hastings  Spoilers! Spoilers!  The Deities of Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age are rallying against the sinister snake-god Set (the great serpent Jörmungandr) who is busy preparing for the arrival of the even more wicked Woeful Eye (Shuma-Gorath?) who is planning a conquest of Conan's planet. Set recruits Stygian sorcerer Uzzeran (Master of the Revenants (corpses steered by Set shadow-snakes)), Shengis (Uzzeran's Stygian servant who wears the Snare amulet that ensnares Serpent-Men) and Rynthia (a Zamorian woman who was raised by sorceress Nabishut). Ishtar (fertility goddess of the Shemites) recruits Conan and Valja (a Zamorian woman). Mitra (god of the Hyborians symbolized by The Phoenix) recruits Naerys (an Ophirian priestess of Mitra & a former test subject o...