It was inevitable. Since requiring Conan the Barbarian last year, it was only a matter of time before the prehistoric hero became a main fixture in the Marvel Universe, and come later this year he will be. Announced today by Entertainment Weekly, Marvel is launching a new “Avengers” title called “Savage Avengers,” written by the “Infinity Wars” collaborators Gerry Duggan and Mike Deodato Jr., with covers by David Finch. The “unsanctioned” team will consist of Conan, Elektra, Wolverine, Punisher, Brother Voodoo, and Venom as they move between magic and modernity.
The series will kick off as Conan chases down evil wizards from his world trading magic with The Hand in Japan, which naturally involves the Avengers. Duggan describes this meeting saying:
“The Marvel heroes have not quite seen the likes of Conan before, but when you turn it around and look at Conan viewing this, he’s very skeptical of a lot of it because he’s so magic-averse. His interpretation of the Venom symbiote, when he first sees it, is that it must be an evil genie. There’s real fun to be had there. At one point Conan believes that Logan hails from somewhere called Pabst, and that’s a well-earned miscommunication. That’s where a lot of fun comes from. Conan is a fish out of water, but everyone will come to respect the skills they’re all bringing to the fight.”
Since 2019 began, Marvel has launched two new titles set in the Hyperion Age of Robert E. Howard’s creation. The first, a new “Conan the Barbarian” title launched from Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar last month, while a second from Duggan and artist Ron Garney called “Savage Sword of Conan” started this week. A third, a miniseries focused on Bêlit from Tini Howard and Kate Niemczyk, will begin next month. Conan is also set to appear in the weekly “Avengers: No Road Home” series which began this week, and which may lead into this series.
No release date for “Savage Avengers” was given, however Marvel’s “Avengers” Free Comic Book Day issue is set to feature a story from Duggan and Deodato leading to the creation of one of the “most dynamic and deadly versions of the Avengers ever,” which seems to imply this team. That issue comes out the first Saturday in May, so look for “Savage Avengers” #1 sometime early summer.
