• 9 Panel Grid: “Overall this was a completely masterful issue, I loved seeing something familiar from Conan, albeit something completely new because of what Jim Zub and Doug Braithwaite are doing.”

• Comical Opinions: 9.5/10 “Conan the Barbarian #15 presents mature, spiritual concepts wrapped in a ferocious Conan tale. Jim Zub is digging deep to dispel Conan’s reputation as a sword-slashing meathead by sending him on a personal journey that reflects struggles everyone can relate to.”

• DC Patrol: “This book is just perfection…just a beautiful book. I don’t even think you need to like Conan to enjoy this.”

• Doc Lail Talks Comics: “If you have not been reading this book, find it. I don’t care if you read it digitally, I don’t care if you pick it up in person. Conan is on a path of fire with Jim Zub that he has not been on since the 70’s or possibly the early 80’s…This is one of the best books on the shelves right now.”

• GoodReads: 10/10 “The art and writing have captured the mystical, salacious and errant spirit of the original works, while driving the fervor, fury and passion to its heights. Just as Howard would have done himself, if he were in the comic medium.”

• Grammaticus Books: “[Zub] adds something to it without taking anything away from the original Robert E. Howard story…Great artwork by Doug Braithwaite combined with great coloring by Diego Rodriguez that makes for some excellent pages.”

• Grimdark Magazine: “Bolstered by the strong foundation of ‘The Frost-Giant’s Daughter,’ Conan the Barbarian #15 is the strongest issue in the Frozen Faith arc thus far.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 5/5 “I never thought I would be reading a poetic version of Conan the Barbarian. Yet here I am and there’s a very good chance that this will be one of the best books I read all week, maybe month, possibly all year.”

• Lord Samper’s Library: “Now I love Howard’s opening, for ‘The Frost Giant’s Daughter’, but I’ve also got a lot of time for the way that Zub wraps a little background around this. I like background, especially when it’s done as well as this.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “When I want a comic book, I want to be thoroughly pleased with the amount of action and story, and these Conan comic books deliver that like nothing else. Page after page of cool looking stuff. Doug Braithwaite has just beautiful artwork.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “This book is awesome…The Conan books, this is the best they’ve been since back in the 70’s and 80’s, in my opinion. This is some really great stuff!”

• Scifi Pulse: 9.7/10 “Overall, another fantastic issue with a great mix of strong artwork and fantastic dialogue.”

• Sleepy Reader: “Jim Zub just knocks it out of the park. All the stuff he’s been setting up from the point of view from the goddess now really pays off…and I have grown very affectionate for Doug Braithwaite’s very brutal art style.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Zub has seamlessly woven these layers of his grander story into this adaptation, the end result of his twist convincing readers that an exploration of these themes was always articulated in Howard’s original material. It’s a remarkable achievement and Doug Braithwaite’s work is exceptional…I can’t recommend this issue enough.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “I think that this is quite a phenomenal adaptation of the Frost-Giant’s Daughter…and I like the expansion that was done to turn this into an arc and connect the Battle of Venarium and leaving Cimmeria to this story.”

• Thinking Critical: “It’s still absolutely awesome…This continues to be the series of the year.”

• Wakizashi’s Teahouse: “It’s glorious! The art is great by Braithwaite. An exciting tale. Really good writing by Jim Zub, quite poetic at times. Big recommend.”

The newest issue of Savage Sword of Conan kicks off our Battle of the Black Stone storyline with six short prelude stories. Let’s see what critics thought of it…

• Comic Culture: “We have that classic black & white magazine-sized action. It’s gruesome, it’s gory, it’s absolutely beautiful and it definitely keeps your attention…Savage Sword of Conan continues to be one of my favorite books out each month.”

• Comical Opinions: 9.8/10 “Why can’t every anthology be this good?…It’s a pulp adventure-lover’s dream!”

• DC Patrol: “A whole bunch of stories, wonderful characters. It’s inventive and fun…This book has everything.”

• Decptisean: “This issue is chockablock with Robert E. Howard goodness. I recommend this…It has different art styles, but still very good.”

• Fanboy Planet: “despite the large cast, you don’t have to buy a plethora of titles. You can catch up on the first year arc, but it’s not really necessary. Zub remembers that every Conan comic is somebody’s first…It’s a small enough event to stay focused, but, in comics terms, earth-shattering enough to eagerly await what’s coming next.”

• Goodreads: 8/10 “Super excited for the ultimate meeting of all these outstanding Howard characters…Lots of great authors and artists here. Really love the El Borak and Solomon Kane stories.”

• Mandy’s a Geek: 10/10 “This comic, everybody should be buying. It’s the best value comic around. Each issue’s been fantastic…Just wonderful.”

• Mark on Comics: 5/5 “This is a great introduction to Battle of the Black Stone…I highly recommend it. If you’re a Conan fan, pick this book up!”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “I really like this book! I think Savage Sword is just brilliant, I love it….This is one of the best books on the shelf!”

• Scoop: “All of the stories are enticing, and the Marz-Perkins collaboration on El Borak is worth the price of admission by itself…If Battle Of The Black Stone lives up to this, it’ll be a great ride.”

• Stygian Dogs: “I think fans are going to be pleased and naysayers surprised. I was curious going into this. I was always going to check out the Black Stone event but this book defied my expectations. The trippy moments of the surreal, the evil of the stone permeating all pages and stories, it generates more questions and more mystery even as the plot details are elaborated upon.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “Overall, a great start to the Battle of the Black Stone event. I really, really liked it and thought it was great…This is nearly perfect in my opinion.”

• Thinking Critical: “Without a doubt, the best value in comics…I highly encourage everyone to check this one out. What Jim Zub is building here is going to be epic.”

• Todd Luck: “This is even more like a barbarian box of chocolates because you have six different stories by six different creative teams…an artistic showcase showing all these artists doing Robert E. Howard characters.”

What did critics think of Conan the Barbarian #13, the kickoff to our fourth story arc?
Read on and find out…

• Amazon: 10/10 “I’m fairly certain Robert E. Howard himself wouldn’t miss an issue of this series, and I imagine him reading them out loud and forcefully turning to the next page. Amazing art as well.”

• Comic Book Dispatch: 9.4/10 “Doug Braithwaite’s distance shots show Conan trekking with snowy wastes. Close-ups reveal calf-high boots plunging into snow, hands pressing into a tree, and exhalations becoming vapor as they depart Conan’s lips.”

• Comic Culture: “This has been one of the best, most consistent runs of comics I have read in a very long time. We are on issue #13 and I cannot wait for each and every issue to come out…The themes are instantly resonating with me, which is probably why I love the book.”

• Comical Opinions: 9/10 “It’s written great and it looks great…In a comic industry where even the best selling titles are hit or miss, this series has yet to produce a bad issue.”

• DC Patrol: “I’ve just got to give some praise to Titan Comics. They’re putting out a beautiful book. Everyone involved, every issue, it’s always great. There is nothing not to love.”

• Deceptisean 77: “This is a great series, in keeping with Conan the Barbarian…the art continues to be great for this series.”

• Grimdark Magazine: ” This issue delivers a change of pace for existing readers and serves as a gentle jumping-on point for newcomers curious about Titan Comics’ most successful series to date.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 9/10 “I’d be critical of an issue like this in any other book, but Zub makes it work. This might be the most reliably solid ongoing series on my radar right now.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “This continues to be my favorite comic that I am reading in general…It’s so damn good!”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Jim Zub has been killing it on this book…This is the first time I’ve ever truly enjoyed a Conan book for more than 12 issues.”

• SciFi Pulse: 9.7/10 “It’s a story very much about the will to survive and how frightening life and death-situations can push a person beyond their limits. Overall, this is a great start and I can’t wait to see where the story goes.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Zub and team have successfully created a sense of renewal here…This absolutely heralds the start of another great year of Conan comics.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “It was phenomenal and I really loved this…Issue 13 was a wonderful comic book.”

• Thinking Critical: “I love this issue. Narratively-speaking, I think this is one of my favorites…It’s a great look into the past and an introspective look into Conan.”

• Todd Luck: “It’s a good, solid entertaining issue and it reminds me of some of the high points we’ve gotten in some of the Conan the Barbarian comics in the past 20 years…It’s been remarkably consistent and my opinion isn’t really changing.”

• Comic Culture: “This was a great, great story…I’m super energized, I cannot wait to read more.”

• Comical Opinions: 10/10 “a pristine, pitch-perfect end to another fantastic Conan adventure for Jim Zub and Titan Comics. Zub is channeling Robert E. Howard, with a clear reverence to the source material, and Robert De La Torre’s art is astounding.”

• DC Patrol: “This is amazing, I love absolutely every single thing about this. I will be buying the trade.”

• Deceptisean77: “I love the art, I love the action, and all the sword & sorcery sensibilities…It is an incredible book.”

• Goodreads: “This is a moment they have been building toward this entire time, and finally culminates in a powerful conclusion. Jam-packed with vicious action and unrelenting fury, the recent episode of Conan’s journey is powerfully-written, beautifully organized, and unfolds like magic on the page.”

• Grimdark Magazine: “With issue #12, Titan Comics’ Conan the Barbarian ends its first year on a high note…the artwork remains fantastic and the stories engaging.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “What a dream team working in perfect harmony. I want to tear the book apart and frame every page to put on my walls. Fantastic finish to the arc.”

• Mighty Thorngren: 10/10 “What a dream team working in perfect harmony. I want to tear the book apart and frame every page to put on my walls. Fantastic finish to the arc.”

• 9 Panel Grid: “Conan is the sleeper pick every single month…I could seriously read Conan for the rest of my life by Jim Zub and be completely happy. It’s just an amazing book.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “This has not let me down one single month. This is the best!…This felt like a very good conclusion to the story. I didn’t feel like I’d been let down or strung along.”

• Professor Frenzy: “I think this was a great mesh between writer and artist with Zub and De La Torre. It has gorgeous artwork…All in all, I was very satisfied and pleased with this issue. It delivered a lot more than I expected…I thought this was a masterpiece.”

• Sci-Fi Pulse: “We get some fantastic artwork from the team of artist Roberto De la Torre and colorist Diego Rodriguez…An excellent conclusion to what has been a brilliant story arc.”

• Stygian Dogs: “What a year and what an issue!…The final product is thoroughly satisfying. All of it a thrill, ending with a palate-cleansing promise of future adventure.”

• Thinking Critical: “The best new comic book we got this week…This thing ended on the highest of high notes. This is may be the best issue of Conan the Barbarian thus far…Conan has never been better. It represents the very best of the industry right now.”

• Todd Luck: “I’m completely satisfied with this final battle. It’s incredibly bad ass…A perfectly solid, entertaining Conan comic that is worth picking up.”

• Weird Science Comics: “The best book of the week. The art’s great and if you’re not reading it, you should just start from the beginning.”

• Amazon: “This is horror-themed, raw, provocative, and painful–in a good way…Not to be too morbid, but this takes Conan to a place we haven’t seen him in a while and it’s done well.”

• Comic Book Dispatch: 9.2/10 “Richard Pace’s primitive art is as rough and brutal as the Hyborian Age. Furious slashes and angry lines show Conan’s battles with animals and monstrous warriors.”

• Comic Culture: “Clearly the best book of the week…Every single page is beautiful. I just love it. What a blessing this book has been.”

• Comical Opinions: 8.8/10 “Jim Zub and Patch Zircher are at the top of their game, building upon Robert E. Howard’s legacy…Savage Sword of Conan #2 is a dream for Robert E. Howard fans with two stories showcasing Howard’s greatest characters by creators who love them.”

• Eternal Crusader: 9/10 “Jim Zub has consistently delivered authentic tales featuring the Cimmerian and ‘Leaving the Garden’ is no exception, blending originality with homage to Robert E. Howard’s character…Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics have spared no effort in elevating the series to new heights.”

• Grimdark Magazine: “Dark and sketchy, Pace’s artwork has an almost expressionistic feel that suits the grim mood of the narrative. The thick blacks and contorted facial expressions are especially effective in the early panels as Conan struggles his way to the surface.”

• Hobbies of a Man: 9/10 “I think they did a great job improving on the concept from last time. I think they did a great job in printing.”

• Is This Just Fantasy?: “The Richard Pace art is really intense. It feels just very kinetic. I can feel the speed of the linework. I think there’s an energy to it that works great…It pulls at your heartstrings and has some great action.”

• Michael K. Vaughan: “It’s just really, really good and it’s also terrifying because it tells a horror story, and a really good one.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “What a great issue of Conan…A classic nice, bold and savage Conan tale…A lot of bang for your buck.”

• Stygian Dogs: “This feels like the best Conan story in years. In Zub’s story of dark horror, vengeance and a stubborn Cimmerian’s instincts for survival, artist Richard Pace pursues an almost primitive approach in the way he depicts these primal moments and, as the story addresses the innocence of childhood, Pace’s technique remains effective.”

• Todd Luck: “Jim Zub does something with a character that I haven’t really seen before or, at least, not done in this way and I think that makes this a unique and memorable story, especially the scene with the wolves…I think Conan is in very good hands.”

• Wakizashi’s Teahouse: 9/10 “You can tell the people making this comic are enjoying themselves. That’s good to see. It comes across on the pages.”

Our third story arc begins, The Age Unconquered! What did critics think of this bold new chapter that picks up after last issue’s wild cliffhanger?

• Comic Book.com: 8/10 “Zub knows what was so enjoyable about the Conan of the past and continues to find ways to tell new stories with the character.”

• Comic Book University: “Beautiful book, incredible story. I love what Zub is doing…This one blew my mind.”

• Comic Culture: “I love this issue…I’m glad we’re back to basics right now. Conan is a great read.”

• Comical Opinions: 9.5/10 “-an enthralling tale of adventure, mystery, and intrigue…this issue is a must-read for fans of Conan and classic sword-and-sorcery tales.”

• Comicon.com: 10/10 “It may be my favorite issue of the series so far. It burns with life. I love it, it slays, and I am content.”

• Deciptisean77: “I really recommend this, it’s really great. Good art, good pacing, lots of callbacks to other characters.”

• Gary B The Casual Comic Guy: “This issue really cemented for me why Titan Comics is a good home for Conan the Barbarian…This title is going great and I can’t wait to see where this is going to continue.”

• Goodreads: “…we are still going strong with this series. Each character is well realized and I enjoy what’s on offer here in terms of storytelling, art and overall presentation. “

• Grimdark Magazine: “…delivers the thrills, plunging Conan into a desperate new situation in a vibrant and exciting setting.”

• Hobbies of a Man: “This was an awesome, awesome issue. It was phenomenal. I had a really fun time with this issue.”

• League of Comic Geeks: “Zub’s writing is excellent and De La Torre on pencils just brings back all the nostalgia of the past with a story that keeps true to the Conan character.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Jim Zub and La Torre and company – they’ve been killing it in the pages of Conan the Barbarian. I loved this issue. Really excited to see how this develops.”

• Sci-Fi Pulse: 9.8/10 “…a strong issue with some bloody brilliant plot developments and twists.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Zub has given himself room to play in Howard’s sandbox and he has a demonstrated a knack for doing so in a way that pays meaningful and lyrical homage to Howard’s creations…another must read experience, one that heralds a triumphant close to the series’ first year.”

• Thinking Critical: “This was my pick of the week…The linework, the colors, the lettering, everything is top notch and setting the bar as to how a comic book should be produced.”

• Todd Luck: “I wish I’d recorded my reactions while reading the issue, because even knowing that this was the premise of this plotline, I was still geeking out while reading it.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “It’s really cool to see a book that has art and writing so good that it will appeal to non-fans, but if you’re a fan of Howard’s work it honors that as well…This is what comic books should be.”

• Void City Reviews: “Much like the first arc, the writing and the art combine into something that elevates them both…The art is just incredible.”

• Wakizashi’s Teahouse: 8/10 “De la Torre gives you those chills, those flashbacks, the nostalgia buzz…I haven’t read a bad issue yet so far.”