The story is a science fiction swashbuckler in which the self-consciously romantic rebel Sabre and his companion Melissa Siren fight the mercenary Blackstar Blood and others to achieve freedom and strike a blow for individuality.

Writer Don McGregor had received considerable acclaim with two Marvel Comics strips in the 1970s, "Killraven, Warrior of the Worlds" (in Amazing Adventures) and "The Black Panther" in Jungle Action.

However, neither book was a strong seller and both would end up cancelled, leaving McGregor both without work and - due to the series both being work-for-hire - no means of completing his planned stories.

[1] After changing the name to Sabre - which fit the swashbuckling theme he was aiming for[1] - he linked up with artist Paul Gulacy, who had found success on Marvel's The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and was looking to do something new.

McGregor meanwhile was keen to explore story ideas that were frowned upon by Marvel editorial policy at the time, including an interracial relationship between the black Sabre and the white Melissa Siren, and homosexual characters.

Mullaney had recently started Eclipse Enterprises in April 1978 with his brother Jan to publish creator-owned comics, and the pair soon began planning how to release Sabre.

[5] A further delay came when both Gulacy and Mullaney objected to the closing section of the book featuring Melissa giving birth; however, McGregor stuck to his guns and the ending stayed.

[3] By February 2020, Earth has succumbed to global famine, energy crises, a plague based on a leaked American-government bioweapon, and, in the U.S., a nine-year drought and a variety of terrorist acts including the contamination of Manhattan's water supply.

Hunting them are the mercenary Blackstar Blood, who sees Sabre as an honorable adversary, and the Overseer's troops – including the nervous, prattling Willoughby, and Grouse, an "ani-human construction" resembling a hybrid human and jungle cat.

Sabre is taken to a Synchronization Center, where, displayed before a gathering of scientists and officials, his memories are methodically wiped clean as he is forced to view Melissa, in a brothel suite, being groped and violated by Clarence, a sentient skeleton, and Grouse.

[2] The first two issues reprinted "Slow Fade of an Endangered Species", now in colour, before a sequel called "An Exploitation Of Everything Dear", drawn by Billy Graham ran between #3 and #9.

[1] Sabre #7 featured gay characters Deuces Wild and Summer Ice kissing, a development that Eclipse editor-in-chief Cat Yronwode recalled drew largely positive responses from readers.

[1] In 1988 the company issued a 10th anniversary edition, which featured a new painted cover by Gulacy and a new introduction from Dean Mullaney - as well as an updated picture of Lauren McGregor.