The Savage Sword of Conan #21

Earl Norem's painted cover for this 1977 Marvel magazine says everything you need to know about the tone inside: Conan wrestles bare-handed against a massive, shark-jawed winged creature whose dark wings sweep across the entire composition, sword in hand but clearly tested to his limits. A terrified woman cowers chained in the foreground as the barbarian strains against the beast above cracked stone ground, making "The Horror from the Red Tower" feel every bit as ominous as its title promises. Roy Thomas scripts alongside John Buscema's interior art inked by Sonny Trinidad — a strong creative lineup for a story that clearly leans hard into Conan's sword-and-sorcery roots.