Conan Saga #36

Earl Norem's painted cover for this March 1990 Marvel magazine says everything you need to know about the Hyborian Age's brutality: a muscular, sword-wielding Conan stands his ground against a massive, nightmarish giant spider while a fallen woman lies vulnerable beneath him, a treasure chest gleams nearby, and an enormous elephant looms ominously in the misty background. It's a richly layered scene that earns its title, "Haunters of Castle Crimson," with room to spare. Add a Solomon Kane bonus feature and you have a genuinely satisfying package of sword-and-sorcery adventure — Roy Thomas writing, John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala on the interior art — that represents the format at its most ambitious.