Earl Norem

Earl H. Norem (April 17, 1923 – June 19, 2015) was an American artist best known for his painted covers for men’s-adventure magazines and the black-and-white comics magazines published under Martin Goodman’s Marvel Comics umbrella. Born in New York City, Norem began his career in commercial illustration after serving in World War II, eventually landing at Goodman’s Magazine Management Company. There, his dynamic, full-color paintings graced the covers of *The Savage Sword of Conan* and other titles, earning him a devoted following. He signed his work simply as “Norem.” Over a career spanning from the 1950s into the 2010s, he also created movie posters, baseball programs, trading cards, and covers for novels and gaming books. His style—bold, atmospheric, and cinematic—made him a go-to collaborator for Marvel’s black-and-white magazine line, where he worked alongside writers and editors like Roy Thomas. Norem’s notable co-creations include the iconic covers for *Dinosaurs Attack!* and numerous Conan the Barbarian issues. He continued painting into his nineties, with credits appearing as late as 2018. Norem received no major industry awards during his lifetime, but his work remains highly regarded by collectors and fans of pulp-inspired fantasy art.