The Savage Sword of Conan #175

A massive, horned creature dominates this July 1990 cover as Conan struggles in its crushing grip below while a fierce warrior woman stands atop the beast, sword raised and ready to strike — Dorian Vallejo's painterly cover art gives the whole scene a rich, atmospheric menace that feels ripped straight from pulp fantasy at its finest. The dark, moody palette makes every muscle and scale pop with visceral intensity, perfectly capturing the brutal stakes suggested by the story title "Blade of the Demon Slayer." With John Arcudi writing and Armando Gil on interior art, this issue of The Savage Sword of Conan delivers the sword-and-sorcery grit that made Marvel's black-and-white magazine format such a great home for the Cimmerian.