Savage Sword of Conan (2024) #5 REVIEW – King Conan: The Ensorcelled, Part One
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The idea of these short reviews is to give you a quick overview of what this issue is about (or remind you if you’ve forgotten!). Is it worth your hard-earned cash?
I try to give as much information as possible without spoiling any plots or twists, though of course there are likely to be some mini-spoilers… so read on dog-brother!
Savage Sword of Conan (2024) #5 REVIEW – King Conan: The Ensorcelled, Part One
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Geof Isherwood
Letterers: Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Tyler Smith
Publisher: Titan Comics
Published: November 2024
Introduction
In contrast to the last issue of The Savage Sword of Conan (#4), which was largely a tribute to Robert E. Howard with stories about his wider creations, this installment is all Conan, all the way through.
Inside we get three stories – one long feature and two shorter tales – and every single one of them focuses directly on the Cimmerian himself. The main feature is King Conan: The Ensorcelled, Part One – The Beast in Brythunia.
I’ve found I have a penchant for Conan stories that dig into the history and culture of specific lands rather than being set in a vague, random location. This issue does that well.
Here we’re in Brythunia, depicted as a feudal-style land filled mostly with peasants – not unlike medieval Europe – easily swayed by mob mentality. Witch-burning is a central theme, and while I’ll avoid spoiling too much, it’s fair to say that is the backdrop of the main story here.
Cover
This issue features a fantastic cover by the legendary Joe Jusko. It’s a classic throwback to the old Savage Sword of Conan style: bold, pulpy, larger-than-life.
Unlike some recent covers, this one has little to do with the actual stories inside, but that in itself is a nostalgic nod – many of the great covers of the original Savage Sword had only a tenuous connection to their contents.
Regardless, it’s a striking image and one I really enjoy looking at.
Main Story: King Conan – The Ensorcelled, Part One
Written by Jason Aaron with art by Geof Isherwood, this is a strong start to what promises to be a compelling arc.
Conan here is slightly indecisive, flip-flopping a little over what he wants to do, but that feels intentional – part of the ongoing, longer story. Since this is Part One, it sets the stage for more to come in the next issue in a couple of months (remember, this is a bi-monthly comic). But who am I kidding, I bought it already!
In this tale, Conan takes the side of a witch, and the events unfold from there. Again, I won’t spoil the plot further.
Art
The art is solid overall. A couple of panels in the physical magazine were difficult to read – not quite clear enough, it seems like the ink bled a little – but for the most part it’s functional and effective.
There’s also a pin-up by Tim Sale (from 2005). While it’s beautifully drawn, it didn’t quite work for me as Conan art. Conan looks a little too aristocratic, lacking the raw, primal energy I associate with him. That said, it’s still high-quality artwork, just not how I picture the barbarian.
Second Story: Conan Damn thing in the Water
The first of the two shorter tales is a virtually silent piece – only a single line of text across the two pages.
It’s a fun little vignette: Conan, his horse, and a tentacled monster. The setting isn’t made clear – it could be anywhere in the Hyborian Age (and that does work against it) – perhaps in a cave, though the art is a little dark to be certain.
It’s short, but amusing, and the ending gave me a smile. Good horse 😀
Third Story: Forged
The final piece, written by Michael Kogge with art by Dan Parsons, takes us back to Conan’s youth.
Here we see Conan around twelve years old, helping his father in the forge when a band of Zingarans visit their Cimmerian village. This surprised me – I don’t recall many references in Howard’s work to Zingarans travelling so far north. Whether it’s “canon” is debatable, but it was new to me.
In this short tale, young Conan gets his chance to shine. It’s a slight, almost throwaway piece, but it does the job of fleshing out Conan’s backstory.
Character Spotlight
No question – this issue belongs entirely to Conan.
After issue #4 focused on other characters from the Howard mythos, it’s refreshing to have a full magazine devoted to the barbarian himself.
The witch in the main story is also interesting, and I’m eager to see where her role leads in Part Two.
Howard Accuracy / Faithfulness
The portrayal of Brythunia felt spot-on, capturing the mob-driven, witch-burning culture of Medieval Europe.
Conan here is an older King Conan – set long after Howard’s original tales – so we can’t call it entirely faithful in that sense.
But Jason Aaron does capture much of Conan’s essence, and the “Howardian vibes” are present throughout.
Best Panel or Scene
For me, the standout moment was when the witch calls back her three bears, and they slink off into the woods. It’s a powerful image – evocative, eerie, and beautifully rendered. You can almost see it playing out like a scene from a film.
Extras
This issue doesn’t contain many extras – but that’s fine, because what we do get is all Conan, and that’s exactly what I wanted.
Where to Buy
You can try your local comic shop if they still have copies in stock, or pick it up in the collected trade paperback edition.
Final Thoughts & Rating
This was a strong issue – not quite as excellent as last month’s (#4), but still a solid, satisfying entry in the series.
The three Conan stories each had their own merits:
- The Ensorcelled, Part One promises a gripping arc.
- Damn Thing in the Water was short and amusing.
- Forged was a fun, if slight, diversion.
The Joe Jusko cover is a real highlight – a beautiful throwback to the golden age of Savage Sword.
Overall, I give Savage Sword of Conan (2024) #5 a 7 out of 10. Well worth picking up, and I’m genuinely looking forward to Part Two of the main story.
