The Savage Sword of Conan #90

Earl Norem's cover for this July 1983 issue drops you straight into the chaos of chariot warfare, with a roaring, sword-brandishing Conan at the center of a pitched battle — arrows streaking through the air, armored horsemen pressing in from all sides, and a shield-bearing companion fighting at his back. The sheer kinetic energy of the scene, rendered in Norem's richly painted style, makes it easy to see why The Savage Sword of Conan stood apart from the standard superhero fare of its era. With Michael Fleisher scripting, John Buscema and Nestor Redondo handling interior art, and the tantalizing story title "Devourer of Souls!" waiting inside, issue #90 delivers exactly the kind of sword-and-sorcery intensity this black-and-white magazine format does so well.