Conan #5 (11696)

In "The Dweller in the Dark," Conan rises to captain of the royal guard in the city-state of Zahmahn and finds himself entangled in a dangerous web of loyalty and desire, as his relationship with Queen Fatima is tested by a secret liaison with the servant girl Yaila. When the queen discovers their betrayal, she condemns them both to be devoured by the monstrous Dweller in the Dark—only for Conan and Yaila to escape, leading to a shocking twist that upends the throne’s traditions. Written by Roy Thomas and masterfully illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith, whose dynamic art and inks define the issue’s grim, visceral tone, this 1978 tale delivers a potent blend of intrigue, peril, and political consequence, with cover art by Windsor-Smith capturing the story’s haunting intensity.