Savage Tales #1, 4, 5

[Col_Fury]

SAVAGE TALES #1 (May 1971)
By Roy Thomas & Barry Smith

APPEARANCES:
Conan, Aesir (inc Niord, Horsa, Gorm), Vanir (inc Hymdul), Atali (Frost Giant’s daughter) & her brothers (Frost Giants), Ymir (the Frost Giant, bts)

SYNOPSIS:
Conan battles in the snow with the Aesir against the Vanir. During the fight he becomes distracted by a beautiful naked woman; she lures him away to be killed by her brothers as a sacrifice for their father. Conan kills the Frost Giants and chases after the naked woman. When Conan catches her she calls out to her father for help and she disappears. Conan collapses to later be found and awakened by his Aesir compatriots. They tell him he was chasing dreams, but Conan realizes he has a souvenir from the adventure.

NOTE:
Adapted from “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” by REH.

The recent Thor Index confirms that Atali’s father is the same Ymir from Thor stories (though given what we now know of Ragnarok Cycles, this is probably an earlier incarnation).

Apparently Niord, Horsa and Gorm will appear again.

Roy’s chronology places this story between COB 44-46.

2nd story:
By Stan Lee & John Romita

APPEARANCES:
Queen Vega (ruler of Femizonia), Princess Lyra (Vega’s sister), Mogon (Lyra’s male slave, also a resistence spy), Syrani (security chief) (all Earth-715)

FLASHBACK:
When the world was ruled by men it was nothing but war, pollution and disaster. When women took over they left 90% of male children in the wilderness; they eventually became the Beast-Men.
SYNOPSIS:
In the 23rd Century, the New USA (United Sisterhood Alliance) is ruled by women who keep men as slaves. Princess Lyra wins a new slave (Mogon) after a contest; she quickly learns he’s a rebel spy but she falls for him and joins his cause. They try to contact the rebels but it’s a trap. They kill the security chief but are caught by Queen Vega. Lyra is forced to kill Mogon to prove her loyalty, but she secretly swears to work to free all men.

NOTE:
This is the same future that Thundra comes from.

3rd story:
This Man-Thing origin is already in the MCP.

4th story:
By Sergius O’Shaughnessy & Gene Colan

APPEARANCES:
Black Brother (Joshua), Belle (Joshua’s wife), various Potonga residents

SYNOPSIS:
Black Brother (Joshua) is the governor of Potonga, an African nation. He’s framed for infidelity by his wife, who wants to live a life of wealth. Joshua is heart broken when he learns the truth and goes into exile.

NOTE:
The writer’s name is an alias. I don’t think we ever found out who it really was.

5th story:
This Ka-Zar story is already in the MCP.

SAVAGE TALES #4 (May 1974)
By Roy Thomas Gil Kane & Neal Adams

APPEARANCES:
Conan (also in fb), Mala (also in fb), Hafgar (Mala’s father), a priest of Mitra, Vanir (Thorfel the Fair, Tostig), Picts (inc Brogar), a fisherman, Cimmerians (in fb)

FLASHBACK:
When Conan was young, Mala (a Cimmerian girl) was the only joy he could remember. When he left Cimmeria he didn’t say goodbye (4:4 - 4:7). A recap montage of early Conan adventures (5). Feeling morose and thinking of Mala, Conan returns to Cimmeria to find it’s been raided by the Vanir again, and that Mala has been abducted. Her mother tells Conan that Mala often spoke of him over the years he’s been gone (6 - 7).
SYNOPSIS:
Conan searches for the Vanir, encountering a Pictish statue along the way. He finds the Vanir celebrating their chief's (Thorfel) impending wedding to the captured Mala. Refusing to be a Vanir wife or slave, Mala instead stabs herself in the heart, shocking Thorfel and the Vanir into silence. Enraged, Conan flies into a murderous rage, slaughtering everyone he sees. He’s joined by arriving Picts who join the fight. Conan notices Mala is still alive; she recognizes him as she dies, happy that he came for her. When she passes on, Conan turns his attention to Thorfel, who is normally boastful and brave but is now terrified before Conan kills him. The Picts explain they helped him because he saved their statue. Conan takes Mala back to Cimmeria for her final sleep.

NOTE:
Freely adapted from “The Dark Man” by REH.

I thought this one was REALLY good.

The Pictish statue is of Brule (from King Kull fame), who is now considered a Pictish god. Brogar is a descendant of Brule.

Roy’s chronology places this story between COB 44-46.

Followed by an editorial by Roy Thomas, then an article on Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts.

2nd story:
Reprint of BK 2/3.

Followed by an article by Roy Thomas.

3rd story:
Reprint of COB 12.

SAVAGE TALES #5 (July 1974)
By Roy Thomas & Jim Starlin

APPEARANCES:
Conan, blind man, Thuribald (town mayor), Naia (Thuribald’s daughter), Sophos (bad guy) & his soldiers, Anaximander (sorcerer), Hanuman, Grandall (brothers turned into Ogres), town residents

SYNOPSIS:
A blind man tells Conan where to find water. On his way Conan is attacked by a giant ogre; Conan kills him. He finds the water but passes out. When he wakes up the town asks Conan to kill a nearby wizard who has been polluting their water supply, which has been mutating and killing their population. Conan makes his way to the nearby castle. Inside Conan is captured and convinces yet another ogre to turn against the wizard. Meanwhile, the sorcerer has finally figured out how to turn lead into gold. Conan and the ogre kill all the bad guys, the ogre dies and Conan wanders off.

NOTE:
Freely adapted from a plot by John Jakes.

Roy’s chronology places this story between COB 44-46.

Followed by an article and editorial (both) by Roy Thomas.

2nd story:
Reprint of COCHILLS 2/3, which is not in the MCP. This is a Brak the Barbarian story, who also appears at least in later issues of SAVT (#6 & #8).

3rd story:
Reprint of AT 9.

Chronologies!

ATALI
SAVT 1

BLACK BROTHER/JOSHUA
SAVT 1/4

BROGAR
SAVT 4

CONAN
COB 1 (14:4)-FB
*SAVT 4 (4:4)-FB
COB 8-FB
*SAVT 4 (4:5 - 4:7)-FB
COB 1 (14:5)-FB
COB 1
……
[COB 40]
*[COB 44]
*SAVT 5
*[COB 45]
*SAVT 4 (6 - 7)-FB
*SAVT 4
*SAVT 1
*[SAVSCO 34]
*[COB 46]
[COB 65]
……

GORM
SAVT 1

HORSA
SAVT 1

NIORD
SAVT 1

YMIR
T:TRIAL
*SAVT 1-BTS (move to here)
T@ 5 (2 - 3)-FB
{JIM 97/2}
**SAVT 1-BTS (move from here)
JIM 98/2
……

EARTH-715

PRINCESS LYRA | EARTH-715
SAVT 1/2

QUEEN VEGA | EARTH-715
SAVT 1/2

SYRANI | EARTH-715
SAVT 1/2

[ShadZ]

By Sergius O’Shaughnessy & Gene Colan

NOTE:
The writer’s name is an alias. I don’t think we ever found out who it really was.

"Sergius O’Shaughnessy" is an alias that Denny O'Neil used when writing at Charlton early in his career. So I assume it's O'Neil here too....

[Col_Fury]

Oh ho!

Thanks!