The Savage Sword of Conan #74

Joe Jusko's painted cover for this 1982 Marvel Magazine Group issue captures Conan at his most defiant — muscles coiled, a blood-slicked axe in one hand and an arrow-riddled shield raised in the other, advancing through a frozen landscape with grim, unstoppable purpose. The barbarian's sheer physical presence dominates every inch of the image, arrows bristling from his battered shield as evidence of a battle already well underway. Inside, Chris Claremont and Val Mayerik bring "Lady of the Silver Snows" to life, promising swords, sorcery, and the kind of cold-climate adventure the title does so well.