Conan the Barbarian #22

Barry Smith's cover for this January 1973 issue says it all — a bare-chested Conan stands his ground amid swirling chaos, shielding a fallen woman while mounted warriors on dark horses clash around him, all overshadowed by a massive, ghostly winged figure with a gleaming crown and a menacing grin looming from above. The story title "The Shadow of the Vulture!" promises something suitably ominous, and Smith's dynamic linework — inked by his own hand here — gives the scene a raw, almost mythic energy that defined Marvel's early Conan run. With Roy Thomas scripting and Barry Smith on full art duties inside as well, this is a fine example of the creative team firing on all cylinders in 1973.