Conan Saga #53

Nestor Redondo's painted cover for this 1991 Marvel black-and-white magazine pulses with raw, churning energy — Conan, crowned and blood-sword in hand, clutches a fallen figure on horseback while armored warriors and a shield-bearing adversary press in from every side. The banner promises "Conan the Liberator Part One of Four," setting the stage for Roy Thomas's "When Madness Wears the Crown," brought to life inside by John Buscema and Tony DeZuniga. A fine entry point into a sweeping multi-part saga for any fan of sword-and-sorcery storytelling at its most ambitious.