Conan the Barbarian #54

The cover of this September 1975 Marvel issue poses a deliciously strange challenge: two identical Conans, swords drawn, locked in furious combat with each other — and the tagline "Conan battles his deadliest foe — himself — before the Oracle from Hell!" makes it clear this is no ordinary sword-and-sorcery throwdown. Looming in the background is a skull-faced, green-robed figure overseeing the chaos, while a frightened woman cowers to the side and a scatter of gold coins glints at the fighters' feet. Gil Kane's pencils, inked by Tom Palmer, bring real kinetic energy to the scene, and with Roy Thomas writing and John Buscema handling interior art, Conan the Barbarian #54 is a fine example of the series firing on all cylinders.