Conan Saga #30

This October 1989 Marvel magazine-format issue puts Conan in a desperate, visceral spot — pinned against a rocky ledge by a massive, yellow-scaled beast whose gaping maw and clawed limbs dominate the entire cover, while the Cimmerian strains beneath it with sword in hand. In the background, a chained captive hangs helplessly, raising the stakes of the already harrowing scene. Earl Norem's painted cover work gives the whole image a rich, textured intensity that makes this a genuinely striking package for "The Battle of the Towers," with interior art by John Buscema inked by Alfredo Alcala and the story crafted by Roy Thomas.