Guessing at the TITAN COMICS Conan chronology

1/1/2025

Around a year ago, I was crate-digging in a horrendously messy comic shop in Colorado Springs, about two hours away from where I live. I looked through stacks of comics piled shoulder-high from the floor as I asked the clerk if they had any Savage Sword of Conan without any real hope that they would, and he said, "We don't have many old issues, but we're going to get the new one." I was totally unaware there would be any new Conan stuff in comic form- I hadn't really been following new Conan releases since I hadn't really followed Marvel's modern output. But I'm sure glad that clerk said something. Comic shop employees are heroes when it comes to recommendations.

Jim Zub is doing some awesome stuff over at Titan Comics with Conan. Back in October, I got to interview him about some chronology minutia and I asked him some questions about how the question of chronology works for him and the rest of the Conan team these days.

"On the new Titan series, we are jumping around the timeline on each story arc, just like Howard did when he wrote the original prose stories, but there is an overall plan in place and I know where each one fits together. Thankfully, Heroic Signatures has Jeff Shanks, an REH scholar who writes the essays in the back of each issue. He’s a resource on hand to provide additional feedback and suggestions when it comes to getting our details right."

"When I started working on the new Conan comic series [Heroic Signatures] gave me the timeline they decided upon in terms of story order and Conan’s age during each one, but so far they haven’t decided to publicize it."

Jim and co. have made it clear that the current publishers consider only the Robert E. Howard stories to be canon to their timeline and that the rest are non-canon, legend-type stories.

While reading both the new Conan the Barbarian title and Savage Sword of Conan, I got to thinking about what Heroic Signatures and Titan consider their canon Conan timeline to be. This question has only gotten more interesting to me as time goes on, seeing as some stories refer to plots, characters, and events that I wouldn't expect them to! I've currently read the first three Conan the Barbarian TPBs and the first six issues of Savage Sword of Conan, as well as the Battle of the Black Stone miniseries.

Seeing as Titan has positioned the original REH works as the only true canon in their eyes, this is more of an exercise of where these stories might fall within that canon, rather than an attempt to map out what they consider the canon to be. It's all just for fun.

So below is my best guess at how they order the original Robert E. Howard stories and their additions from the last year. Howard's originals are in black, Titan's new stories are in red, and my stray chronological notes are in blue. Stories whose canonicity seems shaky at best will be noted in green.

A guess at the Titan Comics Conan timeline

Conan the Barbarian #9 - 12: "The Age Unconquered"
Issues 9 through 12 of Conan the Barbarian, an arc called "The Age Unconquered," takes place in the Thurian Age, about 80,000 years before Conan is even born. Like much of his Conan work so far, Jim Zub implements Thulsa Doom of the Kull stories and even gives him a very cool new twist of a backstory that fleshes him out. Of course, Conan has to return to the Hyborian Age before too long...

Savage Sword of Conan #6: "Forged"
This short comic in the back of SSoC6 shows Conan as a young boy, learning to use a forge for the first time.

Conan the Barbarian Free Comic Book Day issue
The siege of Venarium happens when Conan is in his mid teens and the Free Comic Book Day issue shows him leaving Cimmeria for the first time pretty quickly afterword. A page at the end shows the events of "The God in the Bowl," "The Tower of the Elephant," the undead soon to be seen in the "Bound in Black Stone" arc, "Rogues in the House" and "Queen of the Black Coast," drawn beautifully by Roberto de la Torre.

"The Frost-Giant's Daughter"
This story's placement is always fought over whether it should be the first REH story or if it should land much later, but it's clear that for the Titan gang, it goes first.

Savage Sword of Conan #6: "Madness on the Mound"
Here's why I think "Frost-Giant" is early in the chronology: in the prose story "Madness on the Mound" by Matthew John, Conan is referred to as very young. On the first page, he's called "a young pup" and "a young lad," but the story explicitly takes place just a few days after "The Frost-Giant's Daughter." People don't generally refer to Conan this way once he's out of his teens, which is well before the other common "Frost-Giant" placement.

In issue 1 of Conan the Barbarian, Conan says to another character that he "Travelled north to Asgard, south to Nemedia, the through Corinthia, Zamora, and other spots I barely remember. Each one a new experience, yet also very much the same." The "then" is the operative word there, implying that "The Frost-Giant's Daughter" is Conan's first adventure away from Cimmeria, then "The God in the Bowl" is the first thief story as it's the one that takes place in Nemedia, followed by "Rogues in the House" in Corinthia, and then "The Tower of the Elephant" in Zamora.

"The God in the Bowl"
Conan's first time thieving in Nemedia. This is his first encounter with Thoth-Amon.

"Rogues in the House"
Conan heads west from Nemedia to an unnamed city-state in Corinthia where he gets arrested and then goes to the house of the Red Priest Nabonidus and fights Thak.

"The Tower of the Elephant"
Conan lands in the thief city in Zamora where he meets the elephant alien Yag-Kosha.

"The Hall of the Dead"
The interesting thing about Conan recounting his early adventures in Conan #1 is that he leaves out "The Hall of the Dead." Perhaps he just rolled it into the "other spots I barely remember" line. Maybe Jim Zub felt like the speech bubble was a little wordy so he left it out. Some people treat the unfinished Conan stories as non-canon though, and one of Jeff Shanks's essays describes Conan's thief period as "God in the Bowl," "Rogues in the House," "Tower of the Elephant," "and a pair of other unfinished stories," so it kind of sounds like Titan doesn't consider "The Hall of the Dead" to be canon.

Conan the Barbarian #1 - 4: "Bound in Black Stone"
The first arc of the new Conan book, "Bound in Black Stone" begins in northern Aquilonia and says that Conan is closer to Cimmeria than he has been in 8 years, implying that Conan is now about 23. As already noted, he's already had his thief period and maybe some other adventures left up to the reader's imagination. There's a flashback in issue #4 to the Thurian Age.

"The Hand of Nergal"
This story has yet to be referenced by any of the Titan stories and the fact that it was unfinished by Howard doesn't bode well for its canonicity. It is the first story in which we see Conan's red cloak, which usually places it before "Queen of the Black Coast."

Conan and the Spider God
I don't actually think anyone at Titan Comics is considering this story canon, but the events of this novel are mentioned in SSOC6's "The Ensorcelled, Part Two" by Jason Aaron.

"Queen of the Black Coast"
Conan's first pirate experience with Belit, captain of the Tigress.

Conan the Barbarian #5 - 8: "Thrice Marked for Death"
Belit is a central figure in the "Thrice Marked for Death" arc, which puts Conan in Shadizar the Wicked, unhealthily mourning her death.

Many of the original Howard stories have yet to be referenced in any of Titan's Conan books, so their placement in the chronology is extremely squishy. I could be entirely wrong here, but there's a long section between Conan's young days and his employment for Aquilonia where they haven't set many stories yet.

"The Snout in the Dark"
Conan is much further south on the map in this story, near Stygia.

Savage Sword of Conan #1: "Sacrifice in the Sand"
This short prose story by Jim Zub gives very, very few chronological clues except for the fact that it's set in Stygia and that Conan and the villain Nkosi have crossed paths before. I'm setting it here as Conan is a little more south and currently operating as a mercenary.

"Black Colossus"
Conan commands an army for the first time in this tale.

"The Vale of Lost Women"
I moved this one further back since Conan seems to go back to Shadizar immediately after Belit's death rather than working his way back north from the Black Kingdoms. Because this story was finished by Howard but never published during his lifetime, I'm not sure if Titan would consider it canon.

"Iron Shadows in the Moon"

"A Witch Shall Be Born"

"Shadows in Zamboula"

"Xuthal of the Dusk"

"Drums of Tombalku"
Another unfinished story of Howard's. Not sure if it's canon to Titan.

"The Devil in Iron"
This story is on the Vilayet Sea, near Hyrkania, which would lead in nicely to "Conan and the Dragon Horde."

Savage Sword of Conan #1: "Conan and the Dragon Horde"
This is the lead story in SSoC1, featuring Conan commanding troops on a Hyrkanian steppe. I was tempted to put this one with Conan's Turanian mercenary days like "The Hand of Nergal" but Conan seems older here and is also addressed by the rank of "general," which he doesn't usually achieve until later in life. It's also not even explicitly Turanians that he's traveling with. This one probably goes a little later than his Turanian days. Did I mention he fights a fucking dinosaur in this one? I'm putting it near his time in Vendhya, perhaps before gaining the chieftain role of the Afghuli hillmen of "The People of the Black Circle."

"The People of the Black Circle"

"The Pool of the Black One"

"Red Nails"

"The Servants of Bit-Yakin"

Savage Sword of Conan #2: "Leaving the Garden"
This is the lead story in SSoC2 by Jim Zub. Conan is headed across Shem, toward Argos. He says that he has "old debts" in Argos, which could refer to his legal trouble at the beginning of "Queen of the Black Coast." More definitively, though, is a splash page which shows Conan telling a young boy of his exploits. It includes Conan fighting frost giants, commanding armies, sneaking up on Thak, eyeing Belit, and fighting a dragon alongside Valeria, which would put it at least after "Red Nails."

Savage Sword of Conan #3: "Wolves of the Tundra"
I'm basically closing my eyes and throwing a dart at the board for this one. Conan doesn't seem necessarily old or young and is said to be a warrior "of some note," meaning it's probably not his younger days, but that's all we've got. Maybe he wanders in the north a bit before joining up with Aquilonia to make a few bucks.

Savage Sword of Conan #4: "Birthright in Black"
Both this story from SSoC4 and the Battle of the Black Stone event book take place during Conan's days as an Aquilonian scout in Conajohara. Because Fort Tuscelan is still standing, the book has to take place before "Beyond the Black River."

Conan the Barbarian: Battle of the Black Stone
Like "Birthright in Black," the Conan of Battle of the Black Stone is Aquilonian scout Conan.

"Beyond the Black River"

"The Black Stranger"

"Wolves Beyond the Border"
Another unfinished story that may or may not be canon.

"The Phoenix on the Sword"

"The Scarlet Citadel"

The Hour of the Dragon

Savage Sword of Conan #5: "The Ensorcelled, Part One"
This incredible King Conan story by Jason Aaron is set definitively in Conan's older days. He is sporting facial hair and has reigned for apparently quite some time in Aquilonia, placing it after the King Conan stories "The Phoenix on the Sword," "The Scarlet Citadel," and The Hour of the Dragon. Conan is in the mountains of Brythunia.

Savage Sword of Conan #6: "The Ensorcelled, Part Two"
This is the conclusion of Aaron's story that began in issue 5. Interestingly, dialogue brings up several things here that I did not expect to see mentioned. An enemy of Conan's verbally references many of the sorcerers Conan has defeated: Natohk of "Black Colossus," Xaltotun of The Hour of the Dragon, Thoth-Amon, of a half-dozen stories, the Black Seers of Yimsha from "The People of the Black Circle," Salome of "A Witch Shall Be Born." Additionally, he adds "The crimson witch of Razazel," which was unfamiliar to me. Apparently, it's from Jason Aaron's Marvel-era Conan book. With a certain Marvel character referenced at the end of Battle of the Black Stone and now this, I guess the Marvel Conan stuff is fair game! But that wasn't the only curveball in terms of references here. The narration mentions the skull gate of Hyperborea, something from L. Sprague de Camp's "The Witch of the Mists," and "the city of the Spider God in Zamora," which refers to Conan and the Spider God. It feels kind of like when we got a "Castle of Terror" reference late in Conan's life when I was sure we'd never see that story alluded to ever again. I mean, more than likely this was just a fun Easter egg that Aaron was throwing at fans rather than hinting at any actual canon, but a guy can dream.

If "The Ensorcelled" is mentioning aspects of "The Witch of the Mists," it stands to reason that the three stories that make up its sequels are also in the realm of hazy canon. Their events are mentioned necessarily, but "Mists" doesn't really stand on its own: it's the first of a four-parter.

"The Witch of the Mists"

"Black Sphinx of Nebthu"

"Red Moon of Zembabwei"

"Shadows in the Skull"

Conan of the Isles
"The Ensorcelled" says that Conan may have spent his final days across the Western Ocean, clearly referring to the events of Conan of the Isles.

Stories I couldn't place

A couple short stories in the new Savage Sword were pretty much impossible to place in the chronology. Like Ernie Chan's wordless panels in several of the old Savage Sword books from the Bronze Age, we get a few vignettes that don't have any hints as to where they lay.

Savage Sword of Conan #3: "Lure of the Pit Creature"
Conan falls down a pit and silent fun ensues, but I couldn't for the life of me even begin to guess at where or when it happens. Conan following a young woman kind of reminds me of him following Atali in "The Frost-Giant's Daughter," but he clearly means her no hard and looks to help her rather than to have his way with her, so your guess is as good as mine.

Savage Sword of Conan #5: "Damn Thing in the Water"
This short, two-page, nearly-wordless story could happen anywhere and anywhen between Conan's thief days and prior to his kingship. This one's funny!

Well, that's my best guess as to the current canon over at Heroic Signatures, though I'm sure I'm wildly off on some of my guesses.

I think the best way to put the Titan canon is that the original REH stories are canon to these comics, but the comics are not necessarily canon to anything but themselves. The only thing I'm really truly wondering about are the unfinished Howard stories and their canonicity.

I'm looking forward to all the cool new stuff they'll be doing in 2025 with "Scourge of the Serpent" on the horizon! Happy New Year!

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