Conan the Barbarian #172

Issue #172 of Marvel's long-running sword-and-sorcery series arrives in July 1985 with a cover by Gary Kwapisz that puts the Cimmerian front and center in a furious melee — a dark-haired warrior drives a curved blade through a press of snarling, fang-toothed enemies who claw and hack from every angle, with the looming grey flank of a massive creature visible behind the chaos. The tension and raw physicality Kwapisz captures here sets an appropriately brutal tone for "Reavers in the Borderland," with interior art by the always-reliable John Buscema. If you enjoy Conan at his most outnumbered and defiant, this is a satisfying entry in the series.