The Savage Sword of Conan #85

Thundering across this February 1983 Marvel Magazine Group issue, Conan charges on horseback with sword raised high, bearing down on a dark-robed, dagger-wielding figure while a chained woman in peril sprawls at the scene's center — all rendered with sweeping energy by cover artist Joe Chiodo. The painted composition captures everything that makes The Savage Sword of Conan such a compelling black-and-white magazine format: raw, unglamorized action with real stakes and atmosphere. Inside, writer Michael Fleisher and artist Gil Kane bring the story "Daughter of the God King" to life, promising the kind of sword-and-sorcery adventure that keeps this series among the most satisfying Conan reads of its era.