Marvel’s Savage Avengers series ended with Savage Avengers #28 by Gerry Duggan and Patch Zircher. The series focused on a time-displaced Conan the Barbarian as he traveled across the world and worked with different superheroes while hunting down the evil sorcerer known as Kulan Gath. Conan made a lot of friends and enemies along the way–the latter particularly unsurprising given Conan’s general temperament.
With the series now over, it’s now as good a time as any to go back and look at some facts that one might not know about the Savage Avengers unless they were following the whole series.
10 The Series Spun Out Of Avengers: No Road Home
Conan the Cimmerian lived in the forgotten time of the Hyborian Age, traveling through the lands of Cimmeria, Hyrkania, Corinthia, and other such kingdoms. Chronologically speaking, he lived a long time ago, so his arrival in the modern era on Earth-616 (the mainstream Marvel Universe) is a drastic change in the setting for Conan.
This spins out of Avengers: No Road Home by Mark Waid, Al Ewing, Jim Zub, and Paco Medina which in itself was a spin-off of the Avengers: No Surrender story. At the end of No Road Home, Conan is in the House of Ideas while the Avengers beat the goddess Nyx. In the ensuing chaos, Conan is transported to the Savage Land.
9 The “Savage” Is A Reference To Savage Sword Of Conan And Savage Tales
This series is the first time Marvel has put out a “Savage” Avengers title, and the name is clearly given due to the presence of Conan. One of Conan’s recurring titles is Savage Sword of Conan, which was around before Marvel first lost the rights to Conan and after they regained them.
Conan was also one of the main characters in the first run of Marvel’s Savage Tales magazine. In addition to Conan, Ka-Zar was also given the spotlight in Savage Tales. Other Marvel “Savage” titles include Savage Wolverine, Savage Hulk, and the ongoing Savage Spider-Man–though none of these seem to be referencing Conan in any way.
8 The Lineup Of The Team Changed From Story Arc To Story Arc
The cover to Savage Avengers #1 showed Conan teamed up with Wolverine, Elektra, Punisher, Brother Voodoo, and Venom. This was the team through the first story arc in the City of Sickles, but it changed afterward. In the book’s first annual, Daimon Hellstrom and the Black Widow teamed up with Conan.
From there, Conan would go on to work with Doctor Strange, Black Knight, Juggernaut, Doctor Doom, Deadpool, Magik, Rhino, and Ghost Rider. Wolverine, Elektra, Brother Voodoo, and Daimon Hellstrom would return from time to time, but the only constant was Conan himself.
7 That Actually Wasn’t Venom In The First Issue Of Savage Avengers
Though Venom was on the cover of Savage Avengers #1 and would join the team later during the first arc, Venom actually isn’t in the first couple of issues of Savage Avengers. An unnamed symbiote had been captured by the Hand and Kulan Gath in the City of Sickles, but it wasn’t Venom himself.
The symbiote would break free and help Conan and his Savage Avengers defeat Kulan Gath in the City of Sickles, but Venom wouldn’t show up until Savage Avengers #4 for the climactic fight with Jhoatun Lau. Even then, Eddie Brock’s presence there is considered a continuity error due to the goings-on in Venom’s own book at the time.
6 Conan Briefly Bonded With That Symbiote And Used It As A Sword
The unnamed symbiote would actually bond with Conan for a time, and it would take the form of a sword for the Cimmerian. Unlike other symbiotes, this one did not cover Conan’s entire body while bonded. It would remain a weapon, and the two seemed to have an understanding.
This symbiote ultimately died while healing Conan during the fight with Jhoatun Lau. It would later be resurrected after the arrival of Knull, God of the Symbiotes. However, it would die again when it was eaten by Kulan Gath.
5 Conan And The Punisher Became Friends During The First Story Arc
The first outing of the Savage Avengers actually created a friendship between Conan the Barbarian and the Punisher. Both men are warriors through and through, and they have histories full of tragedy and loss. The Hand actually exhumed the bodies of Frank’s dead family for their ritual in the City of Sickles, and that is why the Punisher showed up for this adventure.
After concluding their business in the City of Sickles, the Savage Avengers went their separate ways. Conan opted to travel by foot to the nearest civilization, and Punisher joined Conan with the bodies of his family in tow.
4 Conan Got To Mutilate Deadpool So They Could Escape From Jail
During a drunken spell, Conan was arrested and thrown in prison in New York City. This was on the night that Knull and his horde of symbiote Grendel dragons arrived on Earth. He found himself unable to break free, but Deadpool was present and provided a unique opportunity.
To ensure his escape and understanding that Deadpool had regenerative abilities, Conan began shoving Deadpool through the bars of the prison. It took several tries, and it reduced Deadpool to a mound of crumpled flesh. However, Wade Wilson healed and helped Conan escape.
3 Conan Squatted In An Old Hellfire Club Headquarters
After this, Conan decided to stay in New York for a time, and he needed a place to stay. With the help of Deadpool, Conan found a mansion previously used by the Hellfire Club. While they no longer stayed there, the Hellfire Club still owned the property and became aware that someone was squatting in it.
The Hellfire Trading Company sent its Marauders, Bishop, Callisto, and Iceman, to evict Conan. Unfortunately, the Marauders were possessed by Knull’s symbiotes, and Conan, Deadpool, and a character called Night Flyer had to fight them off.
2 Conan Made An Enemy Out of Kang The Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror saw the threat that a powerful sorcerer like Kulan Gath posed this far outside of his native time and place. As such, Kang opted to help Conan and the Savage Avengers defeat Kulan Gath and expel him from the timeline.
Almost all of Conan’s allies rallied to this cause, and an epic battle was waged between the Savage Avengers and Kulan Gath. In the end, a version of Kulan Gath still lived, and this infuriated Kang the Conqueror. He intended to kill Conan after he killed Gath and this muddled Kang’s plans. This created animosity between Conan and Kang.
1 Writer Gerry Duggan Used To Work On G4’s Attack Of The Show
Gerry Duggan has quite an impressive wrap sheet at Marvel at this point. He’s written Deadpool, Guardians of the Galaxy, Uncanny Avengers, Nova, Savage Avengers and is currently writing the main X-Men title. He even wrote a little Batman for DC Comics.
Gerry Duggan does have a history outside of comic books. Notably, he wrote for G4’s Attack of the Show before G4 was taken off the air. Duggan wrote and produced for Attack of the Show and was even there for the final episodes.
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