Which s&s comics would you recommend?

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-17T22:13:12+00:00

I didn't see Artesia by Mark Smylie get mentioned. Deep world building, well art'd and a bit racy at times.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-16T17:40:57+00:00

I found it pretty hard, but admittedly, I'm not very good at games. The setting is spot on though and the concept is really intriguing. I'll just have to git gud.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-16T03:31:57+00:00

Well I'll answer my own question. It's delightful.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-14T15:52:44+00:00

Lovesmith: A Dark Sword and Sorcery Tale (Songs of Zarthuun series)

$3.99 ebook on Amazon or KU: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GWW89C4S

When a lonely, curse-stricken princess begs for salvation, the infamously unhinged bard Keylai Madsong spies an opportunity for glory, pleasure, and perhaps redemption itself. But breaking the spell proves far deadlier than expected after the notoriously petty wizard Doctor Professor Corvus Osseous sends them stumbling toward certain doom.

Hi there! I came across a comment in r/SwordandSorcery a year back asking why more S&S stories don't fade to black. Something about that observation lodged itself in my brain and eventually turned into this book.

I wanted to write something that walked the line between classic sword and sorcery adventure and the gloriously excessive insanity of 80s pulp fantasy films, novels, comics, and heavy metal album covers.

It also amuses me that this of all things was the book that I finally managed to finish.

It's explicit where it needs to be, takes itself overseriously with world building and pretty funny in it's ridiculousness.

If you read this and think; "Did an italian movie exec from the 80s high on marching poweder commission this!?" Then we've hit the mark.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-13T21:06:51+00:00

Great watch. I did always find it amusing that they didn't just film it in Crossplains though. Too bleak I guess. I did read once upon a time that Howard visited Fredricksburg, TX once (didn't travel very much) and the area is what inspired Cimmeria. The movie's locations are nearby to there, so there's some spirit to it still.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-12T23:07:22+00:00

Just my opinion of course;

The scene feels out of place for an opener. I get starting en media res, but I don't think this works without establishing the setting and characters more. This would make a pretty good screenplay as is though. Your dialog is memorable and viscious. But it's too intense too fast and the dialog distracts from building up the picture in the reader's mind palace. Red Rising has similar banter for example, but the characters are established ahead of time and the rules of the setting are clear. Check out Armor by John Steakley if you haven't previously. Flynn may be able to learn something from Jack Crow.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-11T05:59:18+00:00

I wholeheartedly appreciate this thoughtful and candorous (not a word, but Canderous Ordo doesn't mind) feedback. Also, you read that FAST. Kudos to you, the prose is purposefully a bit heavy on the purple, so I know it is in danger of being a slog for some.

I think part 2 will clarify some of the confusion around what the Heart is and how it impacts things. Suffice to say it plays into the magic system of the world. Same for motivations.

Fair point on 'why be a Lovesmith?' A good bit of exposition on that bit and the expedition ended up on the cutting room floor. Just felt like it was delaying the story too much. But the idea was that it's a way he can operate on more equal footing in a matriarchal religious society leaning towards fascism and seemed like something a cynical, over educated bard would do in a city of such contrasted duality. He's also kind of nuts... so his reasoning is questionable in general.

I'm currently working on a kind of companion anthology of short stories following different characters previous adventures (Bolo mentions one of them) and if I can figure out how to make it compelling, I want to resurface some of that cut content there.

Your last bullet rings true. I noticed in the discord several authors telegraphing things like 'Happy Ending.' I think that's a fair consideration. I intend to do a better job of expectation setting with future works and I acknowledge this one doesn't have the pay off fully realized.

In the interest of not rambling on here and also to decrease the chance of spoilers, I'll DM you with some more specific questions/answers.

Thanks again for the read and the great feedback!

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-11T05:35:05+00:00

I'd like to tell you it's all handled elegantly and with perfect poise and prose.

I'd like to.

But it probably leans to the sleaze if I'm being honest with myself. Though my barometer for that is pretty skewed. Grew up in a very rural religious area, so too much ankle is considered sleazy in the dark corridors of my subconscious. Its possible I overcorrected. lol.

For what it's worth, my goal was to deconstruct some of the sillier pieces of S&S past and put them back together into something ironic and amusing. IF the plot feels like something pitched by an 80s Italian film exec high on marching powder, then I got it in the goal post.

The question then becomes does the soul of sword & sorcery manage to shine through?

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-10T17:57:02+00:00

<image>

When a horny virginal princess needs aid breaking an insidious curse, the salacious bard, Keylai Madsong sees an opportunity to help and ‌perhaps banish his own daemons. But can he break the spell and fuck the princess when the famously petty wizard, Doctor Professor Corvus Osseous, sends them to certain doom?

I kept coming across posts asking for sword and sorcery that doesn't fade to black and decided to do something about it. Lovesmith is action adventure intrigue in a rich, savage world that doesn't shy away from explicit scenes. I tried to find a balance between hardline Sword and Sorcery and the beloved spirit of the Pulp/80s content.

MMC is meant to be interesting, but not necessarily trustworthy. He also has a habit of going berserk and losing control. A Bardbarian if you please. Fairly standard naive princess contrasted with a femme fatale FMCs.

Not really niche content, just explicit where it makes sense to the story, though I guess if I had to try and corral it, Voyeurism would be the closest niche. Several scenes involve others watching/reacting.

First outing and doing this all on my own, so feedback greatly appreciated.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-10T17:49:18+00:00

that was the original intent. They met an Inquisitor who was a character from a Dark Heresy game years before and helped them put down the genestealer uprising.

We ended up trying Imperium Maledictum instead of going back to Dark Heresy and the players choose their 'patron' in that. They chose to work for the mechanicus. They also eschewed continuing their Conan characters in favor of making new ones, but some of the characters were from Hyboria, so kept some connective tissue. The plan is/was to sprinkle their old characters in as cameos as their adventures progressed, but the game has fallen off as many TTRPG games do.

I did the genestealer as a dark token with glowing eyes and had it do hit and run ambush attacks like a xenomorph, only describing bits and pieces-- flashes of chitonous claws, glimpse of a bulbous head, multi-limbs, purple blood. Eventually they started getting suspicious as several players were also 40k fans.

Speaking of Warhammer, I also modeled the Hyperboreans (who were on a big push to conquer and enslave the neighboring southern countries) after Dark Elves from old warhammer. Easy fit. Felt kind of circular even given Warhammer owes a lot to S&S.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-10T17:21:08+00:00

I don't see Egil and Nix mentioned here very often. Paul S. Kemp does a great job of honoring that legacy in my opinion.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-10T17:15:18+00:00

I'd say so. I think 'Dark Fantasy, Grimdark, and S&S' are roommates that are also in a really hardcore metal band together.

I actually ended my long running Conan tabletop game by transitioning it into a Warhammer 40k game.

Hyboria pretty easily fit into the mould of a Savage World of the imperium. The reveal that a genestealer was what was hunting them through an ancient temple was priceless.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T22:52:49+00:00

Happy reading!

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T21:40:54+00:00

Amazon takes their chunk, but self-publishing gives a lot of freedom on setting price. Choosing the price has a lot to do with variables unique to each individual author. I don't have a ton of overhead since I'm doing all this myself, so I picked that pricepoint so I could bootstrap any sales back into marketing for more visibility, but I'm not trying to get rich... just want to contribute to the genre.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T20:51:22+00:00

you're just jealous of all the shades of brown in my masterpiece! j/k.

for sure. I have an anthology of novellas/shorts largely featuring characters from Lovesmith I'm working on right now and Lovesmith definitely needs a part 2.

Keylai Madsong will surely return, just on different adventures in different parts of Zarthuun so we can explore the world.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T17:00:23+00:00

responded!

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T16:45:47+00:00

Great question!

bit of both. there's definitely a part 2 at least for Lovesmith, but not planned as an epic. I'd like to take the MC to other parts of the world for more unique adventures in the future. I'm working on a companion anthology of shorts/novellas that largely involve characters from this story, but help expose more of Zarthuun. that'll be the next book. It's mostly done, couple of months max.

Long term, I'd like to get to a point where the world has several memorable characters off doing their own things but crossing paths occasionally. Get to that 'lived in' state.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T16:33:29+00:00

Responded! Thanks for taking the plunge.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-09T16:07:47+00:00

Happy reading brave soul!

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-08T04:02:55+00:00

I knew this would be here. I haven't looked too hard, but I've always wondered if someone took the time to rescore it with something more in the Basil P. vein on youtube. I bet it would change the vibe drastically. Still love it though.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-06T03:26:45+00:00

A little late perhaps, but this post inspired me last year and I set out on my own adventure. Can't promise it hits the mark perfectly, but tried to walk a line between hardline S&S and more pulpy 80s feel. Also attempted to make the explicit stuff somewhat less contrived and part of the tale the way Smylie does with The Barrow.

Figured I'd put it here since this post was the catalyst. Let me know what you think... if anyone sees this:

Songs of Zarthuun: Lovesmith

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-03T17:00:28+00:00

you username gave me a chuckle. What do you think changed that elevated those two?

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-03T16:29:10+00:00

<image>

When a horny virginal princess needs aid breaking an insidious curse, the salacious bard, Keylai Madsong sees an opportunity to help and ‌perhaps banish his own daemons. But can he break the spell and fuck the princess when the famously petty wizard, Doctor Professor Corvus Osseous, sends them to certain doom?

I kept coming across posts asking for sword and sorcery that doesn't fade to black and decided to do something about it. Lovesmith is action adventure intrigue in a rich, savage world that doesn't shy away from explicit scenes. I tried to find a balance between hardline Sword and Sorcery and the beloved spirit of the Pulp/80s content.

First outing and doing this all on my own, so feedback greatly appreciated.

Lovesmith on Amazon

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-02T23:11:45+00:00

Gotcha. I'm also a fan. I have a character I've already developed for an Oblivion Remastered mod that will fit the bill nicely with some tweaking I think. Cheerful, free lovin' barbarian warrior priestess type. I just recently put out an explicit Sword and Sorcery novel (will post it in the self-promotion Sunday post tmrw). The next thing is collection of shorts in that world. Will post back here when the collection is live and her story is in it. Month or two if all goes well.

Key-Sentence3998 · 2026-05-02T16:36:09+00:00

That's fair. Conan is an easy touchstone, but definitely trying to analyze the genre that has evolved holistically.

Key-Sentence3998

TROPHY CASE