King Conan

King Conan is the elder, throne-ruling version of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian — the Cimmerian warrior who eventually claimed the crown of Aquilonia, depicting what becomes of a legendary adventurer once he trades wandering and battle for kingship.

Royalty has its privileges, and King Conan — the battle-hardened, crown-wearing incarnation of Robert E. Howard's legendary Cimmerian — represents one of comics' most compelling "what becomes of the hero" concepts, following a warrior who traded the open road for a throne without ever losing his edge. Debuting in the Bronze Age pages of The X-Men #132 in 1980, courtesy of the powerhouse creative team of Chris Claremont and John Byrne, this regal figure went on to anchor his own Marvel titles — King Conan and Conan the King — as well as the sprawling anthology The Savage Sword of Conan, building a presence that has endured across an impressive 45 years. Along the way he shares the page with the likes of the sorcerer Thoth-Amon, the younger Conan himself, and even Marvel stalwarts like Captain America, Red Wolf, and White Tiger, making for a fascinatingly eclectic corner of the Marvel universe. With a key issue already flagged for collectors and a reign stretching from the Bronze Age to the present day, King Conan is essential reading for anyone who wants to see what a legend looks like when he's earned his crown.