The Savage Sword of Conan #69

The cover of this October 1981 issue says it all — Conan wrestles bare-handed with a snarling, leaping tiger while the enormous, blood-red visage of a lion looms ominously in the smoky background, Joe Jusko's painted linework giving the scene a raw, visceral energy. It's a striking composition that perfectly captures the Hyborian Age's brutal relationship between man and beast. Inside, Roy Thomas and Christy Marx craft "Eye of the Sorcerer," brought to life by the atmospheric art of Ernie Chan inked by Alfredo Alcala — a creative lineup that made Savage Sword one of Marvel's most compelling magazines of the era.