The Savage Sword of Conan #135

Douglas Beekman's painted cover for this April 1987 issue delivers pure Hyborian intensity: a muscular Conan rides atop a massive, saber-toothed beast mid-charge through churning water, weapon raised overhead as severed heads mounted on poles loom ominously from the surrounding jungle. The composition crackles with momentum and menace, setting a vivid stage for Charles Dixon's story "Three Lives for N'Garthl!" with interior art by Val Semeiks. A striking entry in Marvel's black-and-white magazine series, this one makes an immediate impression before you've even cracked the cover.