The Savage Sword of Conan #126

Douglas Beekman's painted cover for issue #126 (July 1986) is a masterwork of brooding tension — Conan crouches low and intense, his massive frame filling the frame as he peers into a skull-adorned basin of water, a dragon-hilted sword rising over his shoulder. The atmosphere is all smoldering amber haze and coiled menace, perfectly suited to the story within, "The Mercenary," written and illustrated by Gary Kwapisz. It's a compelling package from a creative team clearly invested in capturing Robert E. Howard's world at its most visceral.