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Savage Sword of Conan #1
Ssoc 001
Date: August, 1974
Cover: Boris Vallejo
Writer: Various
Penciller: Various
Inker: Various
Colorist:
Letterer: Various
Editor: Roy Thomas
Title: "Curse of the Undead-Man"
"Red Sonja"
"The Frost Giant's Daughter"

Curse of the Undead-Man[]

Creators[]

Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciller: John Buscema
Inker: Pablos Marcos
Letterer: Diana Albers

Major Characters[]

Minor Characters[]

  • Costranno (First and only appearance to date). Undead Argossean sorcerer.
  • Berthilda (First and only appearance to date; probably dies in this issue). Brythunian prostitute.

Location[]

  • Arenjun.

Time Frame[]

  • One day.

Synopsis[]

Conan marches through the Maul in Arenjun, contemplating on how to pay for the company he plans to keep that evening, when he is almost run over by a robe-wearing priest, who himself is on the run from a band of thieves. The thieves mistakenly decide to make Conan their prey as well, and Conan finishes off all but one before he slips and is almost killed by the final thief. Fortunately, he is saved by his old friend Red Sonja, who kills the final man. Conan looks at what he tripped over, and finds an enjewelled finger. Exploring the alley, the two discover the body and head of the sorcerer Costranno, whose execution Sonja witnessed just that morning. Apparantly, he was turned in by the woman Berthilda, who also cut off his finger, the ring on which was the source of his powers, but he vowed to return from the dead to seek revenge. Apparantly, Costranno's followers were trying to reassemble the body. In disgust, Conan tosses the finger aside, and doesn't notice it slowly inch its way towards the dead man's hand. As Conan and Sonja rest in a tavern to catch up, the prostitutes Conan has shown interest in earlier show up to mock Sonja, who they believe is Conan's choice for the evening. Sonja fights back, and the prostitutes retaliate by fingering the two for the murders in the alley. The two escape, but not before Conan notices a hooded figure wearing Costranno's ring. Realizing Berthilda might be in danger, and out of morbid curiosity, Conan and Sonja go to her place and find Costranno and his acolytes in the process of sacrificing the woman. Disgusted with Costranno's undead state, Conan attacks. Sonja joins in the fun, but an inhuman arm reaching from a magical pit grasps her leg and tries to pull her in. Conan cuts off Costranno's hand, and with the ring gone the man dies again. Conan tosses the body into the pit, which distracts the arm long enough for Sonja to escape. Conan seals the pit, and he and Sonja leave with the unconscious Berthilda. Unfortunately, the woman awakens and demand they leave her house and she returns for the valuable ring. Conan, knowing that the hand fell into the pit and Costranno has likely revived himself, and deciding he already rescued her once, lets Berthilda go to her fate. Conan and Sonja walk down the street to the sudden screams of Berthilda.

Notes[]

  • Freely adapted from the story "Mistress of Death" by Robert E. Howard.

Reprinted[]

  • Conan the Barbarian #78
  • Conan Saga #11
  • The Savage Sword of Conan Volume One


Conan Chronology
Previous Appearance:
Conan the Barbarian #42
Savage Sword of Conan #1 Next Appearance:
Conan the Barbarian #43


Red Sonja Chronology
Previous Appearance:
Savage Sword of Conan #1
Savage Sword of Conan #1 Next Appearance:
Savage Sword of Conan #43

Red Sonja[]

Creators[]

Writer: Roy Thomas Art: Estaban Maroto, Neal Adams and Ernie Chan

Major Characters[]

Minor Characters[]

  • King Ghannif Tarim of Pah-Dishah (First and only appearance to date; dies in this story).
  • Trollis the Blind Bodygaurd (First and only appearance to date; dies in this story).

Location[]

Pah-Dishah

Time Frame[]

One day.

Synopsis[]

Following a brief flashback which leads up to the events shown in "Shadow of the Vulture" and "The Song of Red Sonja". Sonja returns to Pah Dishah, to give her employer, King Ghannif his tiara. The King however has no intention of honouring his side of the contract with the Mercenary Sonja and instead has her imprisoned in his harem. After being bathed and dressed by his other harem girls, Sonja is sent to attend to the King. Using a secreted knife she slays the king and his blind bodygaurd Trollis, and makes good her escape heading westward.

Notes[]

  • This story forms a Red Sonja centric book end around the events of Conan the Barbarian Issues CB-23 and CB-24.

Reprinted[]

  • Conan Saga #11
Red Sonja Chronology
Previous Appearance:
Savage Sword of Conan #187
Savage Sword of Conan #1 Next Appearance:
Savage Sword of Conan #1

The Frost Giant's Daughter[]

Notes[]

  • Reprinted from ST-1.
Savage Sword of Conan
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Savage Sword of Conan #1 Next Issue:
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