BotTalk Reviews

Sword-bros, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again displaying another brand new issue of SSOC!  64 extraordinary pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this magazine you will find the following: Art pin-ups: The Nemedian Chronicles by Gerardo Zaffino Conan the Barbarian versus two Frost Giants by James Harren (Conan: The Argos Deception) Conan the Barbarian by Aaron Lopresti (Conan: The Swamp King, Wonder Woman / Conan) CONARA: CHILD OF CIMMERIA by Christy Marx (Story Editor of the animated television series: Conan the Adventurer) and Geof Isherwood (King Conan: The Ensorcelled)   The long awaited sequel to CHILD OF SORCERY (an homage to Rapunzel (folk tale) from way back in 1978 in the pages of The Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #29) ! Twenty years later. RÂ MORGANA (daughter of CONAN OF CIMMERIA and all-mother/high priestess ZONALEA (an homage to Christy Marx's mother)) returns to her mom's monastery. Priestess Té Kortinë...

CONAN & DRAGONERO part 7 (of 7): The Demon from Tarantia (chapter two) CONAN OF CIMMERIA and IAN ARANILL kill the hideous creatures of the eldritch demon, they arrive at the temple, Ian fights the demon while Conan restores the giant chalice to its original position, Conan puts the gems back in the chalice and the demon is sent back to its dimension.  Myrva Aranille (Ian's little sister) passes through a magic portal (created by Alben the Wizard from the Order of the Luresindi) to gather her brother. Ian thanks Conan and leaves with his sibling. Dragonero is now back home near the maritime city of Solian, he celebrates his return with Gmor Burpen (an Orc, Ian's best friend), Sera (a She-Elf from Frondascura), Alben and his sister. Back in the Hyborian age, Conan enjoys a night of drinking.  What I did like: An unused cover layout from Lorenzo Nuti showcasing Conan & Dragonero in action. Ian Aranill is an homage to Jeff Bridges as Jack Lucas from The Fisher King (1991)....

SOLOMON KANE: THE LION ERRANT part 4: Valley of Death  The Valley of Narrai next to the river Gaur (Narmada River).   Ghebal Qagh (Master of artillery in the army of the two Khans) uses his large-calibre cannon to kill Baghela and his mahouts... Kalyan Shah and his musketmen... and Arjun Das and most of his spearmen. Chandra Shah (Prince Vir's uncle, Dalpat Shah's younger brother) flees the scene. The lion named Somnandi/Dawon throws Ramih Khan off of his mount. Somnandi the Lion becomes gigantic. The warrior queen Rani Durgavati turns into the Hindu goddess Durga. Ramih Khan turns into the buffalo demon Mahisha/Mahishasura. The vetala (Lopesh) tries to steal Solomon Kane's Atlantean staff, Abramo Bensaid immolates Lopesh and Kane drives his stave into the vampire's heart. To save the Mughal Empire, Ghebal Qagh fires his cannon on Mahisha, Mahisha kills Durga, Kane kills Mahisha with his Atlantean stave. Prince Vir Narayan (son of Rani Durgavati) and Beohar Kayastha (Ra...

Jim Zub's Cursed Shores Beyond part 4: A Glimpse Beyond Flashback: Conan decapitates Thulsa Doom, Black Stone cultists sense the demise across time, some start worshipping the elder god... The Woeful Eye/Shuma-Gorath, others... a new eldritch being... Jaggta-Noga. Jaggta-Noga knows that Set (the sinister snake-god who loathes the Woeful Eye) sent Conan back in time and that some of Set's power remains sprinkled on the Cimmerian. Jaggta-Noga needs to feed on Conan to completely cross into The Hyborian Age.  On The Isle of Dread, CONAN OF CIMMERIA slays the last two robe wearing "Noga Kinfolk" servants of Jaggta-Noga, Conan battles Morley, Conan offers Morley to Jaggta-Noga, Morley gets ingested by Jaggta-Noga.  With its connection to Conan's world waining, Jaggta-Noga creates a sucking vortex, it grabs the barbarian, VALERIA prevents Conan from reaching the maw of Jaggta-Noga. Denied his Set flavoured amuse-gueule, depleted of power, Jaggta-Noga is forced to return...

Tides of the Tyrant-King part 2 (of 4): The Desperate and The Drowned The Hyborian Age of Conan.  Mago and Tormey die. Hydallan falls in Thulsa Doom's pool of Emerald Water and is strengthened by the malachite liquid he swallows. Hydallan escapes with Conan (as seen in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #4). Hydallan rebuilds his village of Erianne, suffers from Emerald Water withdrawal, gets sick, dies and rises from his grave as a reanimated servant of Thulsa Doom. The forest north of Messantia (capital city of Argos). CONAN OF CIMMERIA dreams of Thulsa Doom, he wakes up and tells Zuleika (the mysterious Circassian girl who needs more of Thulsa Doom's emerald elixir to save her lover (Stephen Costigan in the future) from withdrawal and death) that he has a score to settle with Thulsa. Zuleika explains to the Cimmerian that her lover (Costigan) is a thrall of Thulsa Doom/Kathulos. Wolves attack, Conan butchers the wolves. Chinatown, London (Limehouse in the East End), 1924. (from Robe...

64 restored and fully colored pages of barbaric savagery! Inside this magnificent full-color magazine you will find the following: Classic revitalized art pin-ups in stunning color: Conan the Barbarian by Michael Netzer/Nasser and Dick Giordano from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #20 Conan ad from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #35 The Phoenix on the Sword by Richard Corben from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #4 The Frost-Giant's Daughter by Richard Corben from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #4 Queen of the Black Coast by Richard Corben from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #4 XUTHAL OF THE DUSK/THE SLITHERING SHADOW by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. (New Colors by GFB Group/GFB.it) Conan and Natala (a daughter of Brythunia) wander into the accursed city of Xuthal. Thalis the Stygian (the daughter of a king) wants Conan to be her king, she tortures Natala and offers Natala to Thog (a very ancient and very terrible monster), Thog eats Thalis, Conan tangles with T...

CONAN & DRAGONERO part 6 (of 7): The Demon from Tarantia (chapter one) The ruins of Kuthchemes (from Black Colossus). Conan of Cimmeria and Ian Aranill reach the towering ivory dome of Thugra Khotan (the dark sorcerer who had reigned in Kuthchemes three thousand years ago). Outside the dome, the clan leader of the Cannibals (who is now a colossal demon, thanks to the wicked magic stored within the mystical jewels) grabs a snack and goes back into Thugra Khotan's mausoleum to devour it! To save their imprisoned children from being consumed, the Cannibal women help Conan and Ian infiltrate the dome via an underground passage. Dragonero skewers the clan leader, Conan decapitates the cannibal headman and our heroes repossess the stolen gems. Conan and Ian travel to Khemi (Stygian port on the southern shore of the River Styx), into the Western Sea, up the Khorotas River to Aquilonia, and reach Tarantia... where a vortex has appeared in the firmament. Conan and Ian discover that demo...

Jim Zub's Cursed Shores Beyond part 3: Thralls of the Rift Deep beneath The Isle of Dread, the crew of the Briney Wren (Captain Quinn Corvaxis' shipwrecked ship) are the prisoners of Morley and a cult. Morley wants to offer Conan to his eldritch god/master...  Jaggta-noga (sorcerer Zukala's favourite demon from Kull: The Curse of the Golden Skull and Conan the Barbarian (1970) #5). Still on the loose on the island, playing the role of The Predator (1987), the infatigable CONAN OF CIMMERIA slays dozens of cultists (who need Conan alive for their ritual). Conan even takes the time to burn a big pile of his victims to draw even more cultists to him. The cultists somehow know that Conan dispatched Thulsa Doom in the past (way back in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #12). Valeria kills her torturer, and slips out of her shackles.  Giant humming crystals and an invocation from a servant of Jaggta-noga open a violet fissure in the firmament, tentacles grab Captain Quinn, like the previ...

SOLOMON KANE: THE LION ERRANT part 3: Beauty and the Beast  The reanimated Lopesh (now a vetala, an ancient spirit borrowing Lopesh's corpse) hears his murderer (Ramih Khan) tossing and turning in his sleep. Ramih dreams of a giant buffalo (the asura Mahishasura?), the buffalo demon questions Ramih's beliefs, Ramih realizes that he is turning into a large bovine. The Satpura Range. Baghela (Master of the mahouts) will escort Kalyan Shah (Master of the musketmen) and his musketeers to Rani Durgavati and Kamla Devi (daughter of Kalyan Shah). The palace of Jahaz Mahal in Mandu. Diamanta Bensaid gives Solomon a Palmyra fruit to eat. Kane explains that he thinks that he is a Knight Errant, Diamanta thinks that Solomon is infatuated with the idea of being a Knight. The mysterious black-maned Asiatic lion returns, it is time for Kane to follow it once again. The Chauragarh Fort in the Satpura Range. Rani Durgavati's plan is to go to the Narrai valley and drive the army of the two ...

Tides of the Tyrant-King part 1 (of 4): Emerald Waters The Thurian Age of Kull of Atlantis (from Robert E. Howard's The Shadow Kingdom). Gonar the Seeker (the shaman from "Kings of the Night") sees the Woeful Eye coming towards Earth. Pict hunters and spearmen are awaiting orders. The Hyborian Age of Conan.  CONAN OF CIMMERIA is enjoying a brewski in a busy bar. Conan follows Zuleika (the mysterious Circassian girl) into an alley. Zuleika is approached by a zombie, Conan kills the undead creature. Zuleika needs more of a rare life-saving elixir to save her lover, Conan notices that the liquid mixture looks exactly like the Emerald Water of Thulsa Doom (last seen in the soul stealing lake in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #3). Hydal aka Hydallan, now a retconned servant of Thulsa Doom, is seeking Conan... his mission: to slay the Cimmerian who terminated his master (way back in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #12). Chinatown, London (Limehouse in the East End), 1924. (from Robert E...

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again showcasing another brand new issue of SSOC!  Sixty-four startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this magazine you will find the following: Art pin-ups: The Nemedian Chronicles by Gerardo Zaffino Conan the Barbarian by Jesus Merino (Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King) Conan the Barbarian by Luke Eidenschink Conan the Barbarian by Leonardo Manco (Slaine: Dragontamer) CONAN: MASSACRED MEMORIES by Jim Zub and Nicola Scott Hydal aka Hydallan (Conan's childhood friend from Conan the Barbarian (2023) #3) gets an origin story.  Flaskback! A young Conan kills a wild boar with a small pocket knife. Conan  mentions Padrac (from Conan the Barbarian (2023) #2).   Lyolf (from Conan the Barbarian (2023) #13) trains Hydallan. Conan disrespects Lyolf by mentioning that his teacher's best days are behind him. Battle of Venarium. The Aquilonian fort is now in the hands o...

CONAN & DRAGONERO part 5 (of 7): Ice & Flames (chapter two) The gems within the deceased dragon have teleported Conan of Cimmeria, Ian Aranill... and the dragon's remains to the Hyborian Age of Conan in THE DESERT OF SHEM. The dragon's carcass lies near the Mountains of Fire (where the magic gems were originally mined/extracted). Conan and Ian fight lizards to get to the dragon's corpse, they discover that the gems were taken. Conan finds a bone pendant. Near the City of Shushan, Conan asks a merchant if he knows the owner of the necklace. After brawling with the locals, Conan gets his answer: nameless savage Cannibals (the Zugite cult?) who are living in the mysterious ruins of Kuthchemes (from Black Colossus). Conan mentions Zug (the ancient god) and Thugra Khotan (the dark sorcerer who had reigned in Kuthchemes three thousand years ago). Conan and Ian reach the towering ivory dome of Thugra Khotan. Inside the dome, the stolen mystical jewels turn the leader of th...

Jim Zub's Cursed Shores Beyond part 2: An Isle of DREAD The Briney Wren (Captain Quinn Corvaxis' ship) has been utterly destroyed by an unnatural storm. Conan the Buccaneer, Valeria, Morley and the rest of The Red Brotherhood disembark on a strange isle and find cadavers trapped in crystal obelisks (like mosquitoes in amber).  Conan and co. enter the adjacent jungle, Valeria encounters a baby herbivorous dinosaur, it rejoins its herd. Three large theropods attack! Rodriguez (an homage to the colorist) is bitten in half, the herbivores start a stampede. Conan kills one of the theropods, Valeria does the same, the third one opens Conan's back with its claws. The rest of the pirates kill the third theropod. Conan and co. drink coconut water and eat the theropods. Captain Quinn talks of his experiences on Captain Gunnet O'Bryan's Glory-Bae and the DawnyHawk. Morley spins a tale about an invisible man with glowing red eyes. While on guard duty, Morley robs Valeria of her...

SOLOMON KANE: THE LION ERRANT part 2: Love and Hate  The Chauragarh Fort in the Satpura Range. Chandra Shah ((????-????), Prince Vir's uncle, Dalpat Shah's younger brother and the master of the horse archers) informs his sister-in-law (the dowager queen Rani Durgavati) that Ramih Khan (Mughal general, regent of Sidhi) will be invading Garha. The Narmada River Valley. A mysterious black-maned Asiatic lion has been Solomon Kane's companion for six consecutive days. Qara Bahadur Khan (the occupying governor who serves the third Mughal emperor, NOT Baz Bahadur the last Sultan of the Malwa Sultanate) invites Kane to the palace of Jahaz Mahal in Mandu (now in Madhya Pradesh). The Chauragarh Fort. Kalyan Shah (Prince Vir's future father-in-law and the Master of the musketeers) will be arriving soon. Vir Narayan ((1545-????), son of Durgavati) tells his betrothed (Kamla Devi, daughter of Kalyan Shah) that he will not be fleeing from the army of the two Khans (Asaf & Ramih)....

80 restored and fully colored pages of barbaric savagery! Inside this magnificent full-color magazine you will find the following: Classic revitalized art pin-ups in stunning color: Conan the Barbarian by Tim Conrad from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #18 Conan ad by Tim Conrad from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #4 Conan the Barbarian by Tim Conrad from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #12 Original Cover Painting by Dan Adkins for Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #18 THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE Chapters 3 & 4 by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. (New Colors by GFB Group/GFB.it) Khemsa (a wizard who works for the Master of Yimsha) gives Conan his Stygian girdle (of great magic powers) and dies. Conan teams up with Kerim Shah (a spy of King Yezdigerd of Turan) to rescue Queen Yasmina of Vendhya (who wants the see the Black Seers of Yimsha dead). Conan uses the girdle to kill The Black Seers (the Four rakshasas of the Black Circle).  The Master of Yimsha kills...

CONAN & DRAGONERO part 4 (of 7): Ice & Flames (chapter one) The lair of the Undine. Conan's dragon tries to incinerate the Cimmerian and Dragonero, Dragonero's bastard sword (Saevasectha/Cruel-Cutter) shields our heroes. The dragon gets Conan (who is looking for payback) off of its back. Dragonero can feel the power of the gems hidden within the scales of Conan's dragon, Dragonero uses his powers to see what the dragon is planning... it wants to amass the power of the stolen magical gemstones to conquer Dragonero's world with its brethren... the renegade dragons who wanted to rule over everything and everyone.  Dragonero hurts the left wing of Conan's dragon, Conan closes its right eye forever, Dragonero opens its neck, it crashes in a mountain. The dragon is much too dangerous, Dragonero cannot show mercy, he plunges his blade into the dragon's breast. The gems within the dragon begin to glow, the magical energy is teleporting Conan of Cimmeria and Ian ...

Jim Zub's Cursed Shores Beyond part 1: Perilous Waters (with a snippet from the poem: The Sea (1923) by Robert Ervin Howard) The Western Sea. We are aboard Captain Quinn (an homage to Harley Quinn) Corvaxis' ship: The Briney Wren (a very salty songbird). Conan the Buccaneer, Valeria, Morley and the rest of The Red Brotherhood raid a Zingaran military ship (a ship that sinks other ships), the Zingaran captain yields and Conan and co. steal their cargo. Morley mentions that Valeria met Conan in Robert E. Howard's Red Nails novella. Morley wants to duel Valeria for a kiss, she wants his share of the Zingaran booty if she wins. A violent storm assails the ship. Conan's barbarian-sense starts tingling, he knows that a threat is approaching.  Conan sees an invisible man with glowing eyes (a Predator (1987) homage) murdering the first mate. The phantom kicks Conan's derriere. The ghost spares the Cimmerian... for the UPCOMING RITUAL. The glistening spectre knocks Conan out...