Conan vs Savage Sword Omnibus: Which First?
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Table of Contents
You want to start collecting Conan omnibuses, but you’re staring at two different lines: Conan the Barbarian (colour) and Savage Sword of Conan (black-and-white). Both are excellent. Both are relatively expensive. Which do you buy first?
The honest answer: it depends on what you want from Conan.
I own both lines. I’ve read both extensively. Here’s how I think about it.
The Quick Answer
Buy Conan the Barbarian if: you want to follow Conan’s life as a continuous story, from young thief to king. You prefer colour comics. You’re new to Conan and want the “main” series.
Buy Savage Sword of Conan if: you want the best individual stories. You care about faithful Howard adaptations. You prefer dipping in rather than reading chronologically. You can handle (or prefer) black-and-white art.
The Key Differences
Format
Conan the Barbarian: Full colour. Standard comic book format (monthly issues collected). Art by Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema, among others. I wrote a guide for the Conan omnibuses here.
Savage Sword of Conan: Black-and-white. Magazine format (longer stories per issue). Art primarily by John Buscema with stunning inking by masters like Alfredo Alcala.
The B&W format isn’t a limitation – it’s a feature. Every line carries weight. The shadows and textures are extraordinary. That said, some readers just prefer colour. Up to you.
Story Structure
Conan the Barbarian: Chronological. You follow Conan from his first adventures leaving Cimmeria through his life as thief, mercenary, pirate, and eventually king. Events build on each other. Characters recur. It’s a saga.
Savage Sword of Conan: Anthology. Stories jump around Conan’s timeline. One issue might feature a young thief story, the next an old king tale followed by a pirate adventure. Each story stands alone. No need to read in order.
This is the biggest practical difference for collecting.
If you want to read Vol. 1, then Vol. 2, then Vol. 3, following Conan’s journey – Conan the Barbarian is designed for that.
If you want to grab whatever volume is available, read a story when you feel like it, and not worry about continuity – Savage Sword is perfect. I think Savage Sword vol 2 is probably my favourite of all the Savage Swords, though the first six are all top notch (with the first four being the cream of the crop).
Content
Conan the Barbarian: Published under the Comics Code Authority. Some content was softened. More original stories alongside Howard adaptations. Roy Thomas wrote the first 115 issues, mixing faithful adaptations with new material.
Savage Sword of Conan: No Comics Code. Darker, more violent, occasional nudity. Generally more faithful to Howard’s original tone. The stories feel closer to the source.
Neither is “better” – they’re different flavours of Conan.
I also wrote a full guide on where to start with the Conan comics to help out.
Completeness
Conan the Barbarian: Will be 10 volumes to collect the complete 1970–1993 run. Currently up to Vol. 7, with Vol. 8 coming June 2026. 9 and 1o are already available from Marvel, though getting hard to find.
Savage Sword of Conan: Will need approximately 18 volumes for the complete 1974–1995 run. Currently up to Vol. 12.
Both are long-term collecting commitments. At $125 per volume, you’re looking at $1,250+ for either complete set.
That being said, you can find them on offer at various places, including the omnibuses on Ebay or Forbidden Planet.
My Recommendation
If you’ve never read Conan or the comics: Start with Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1. The chronological structure makes it accessible, and Barry Windsor-Smith’s early issues are great fun. You’ll get the “origin story” experience.
If you’ve read the Howard prose: Start with Savage Sword Vol. 1 or 2. The faithful adaptations will feel like coming home. “Red Nails” and “A Witch Shall Be Born” in this format are extraordinary.
If you want flexibility: Start with Savage Sword. You don’t need to hunt down Vol. 1 specifically – any volume works as an entry point. Grab whatever’s in stock at a good price.
If budget is a concern: Same advice. Savage Sword lets you buy opportunistically without worrying about sequence. Conan the Barbarian works best read in order.
A third option are the King Conan omnibuses, but honestly I would start with one of these two instead.
What I Did
I started with Conan the Barbarian because I wanted to follow Conan’s life chronologically. I wanted to experience the story Thomas and Buscema were telling across years of comics. It’s also how the Conan comics started and you feel them improve and find their way as time goes on.
Then I added Savage Sword for the Howard adaptations and to dip into when I wanted a single great story.
Now I collect both. If I’m in the mood for an ongoing epic, I read CTB. And I’m still making my way through them (there are 275 issues after all!). If I want to grab a book, read one story, and put it down, I reach for Savage Sword.
The Verdict
There’s no wrong choice. Both are essential Conan material, lovingly restored by Titan, featuring some of the greatest comic book art ever produced.
If you’re paralysed by choice: flip a coin and start. You’ll probably end up owning both eventually anyway.
| Conan the Barbarian | Savage Sword of Conan | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Colour | Black-and-white |
| Structure | Chronological | Anthology |
| Best for | Following Conan’s life | Best individual stories |
| Start anywhere? | Better in order | Yes |
| Howard faithfulness | Good | Excellent |
| Required for completists | Yes | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read both at the same time?
Absolutely. They tell different stories. There’s no conflict or redundancy. The Tower of the Elephant is adapted in both but they’re quite different.
Which has better art?
Both feature John Buscema extensively. The B&W Savage Sword art is often considered superior because the linework is more visible without colour. But the colour work in CTB is also stunning. It’s a preference thing.
Is one more “canon” than the other?
Neither is canon to Howard’s original prose – both are adaptations and expansions. Savage Sword tends to be more faithful to Howard when adapting his stories.
Why are they both so expensive?
$125 per oversized hardcover omnibus is actually reasonable for the page count (600–800 pages). These are premium collector editions with restored art. Compared to hunting down original issues, they’re a bargain. You can almost always find them at less than RRP, too.
What about King Conan?
King Conan is a separate series focusing on Conan as ruler of Aquilonia. It’s fun but not essential. Buy CTB and Savage Sword first; add King Conan later if you want more.
