The Savage Sword of Conan #89

Bob Larkin's painted cover for this June 1983 entry in Marvel's black-and-white magazine series is raw and visceral — a dagger clenched between his teeth, a fiercely determined Conan looms over a grimacing opponent he has pinned against a stone surface, every muscle tense with barely contained ferocity. Inside, Michael Fleisher and Alfredo Alcala bring "Gamesmen of Asgalun" to life, promising the kind of swords-and-sorcery intrigue that made The Savage Sword of Conan one of Marvel's most compelling anthology magazines of the era. A fine pick for fans who appreciate their Hyborian adventures served with grit and atmosphere.