Savage Tales #1

Savage Tales number one was published by Marvel Comics in May 1971 as a black-and-white magazine-format publication. The series was designed to circumvent the restrictive Comics Code Authority, allowing the publisher to explore more mature, visceral storytelling themes that were previously off-limits in standard color comic books. It served as a showcase for the burgeoning sword-and-sorcery genre, capitalizing on the rising popularity of Robert E. Howard's pulp characters.

The inaugural issue is best known for introducing the definitive version of Conan the Barbarian as rendered by artist Barry Windsor-Smith. Working alongside writer Roy Thomas, Windsor-Smith aimed for a highly detailed, intricate aesthetic influenced by Pre-Raphaelite art and classic illustration. The magazine was well-received for its artistic ambition, setting a high standard for mature comic storytelling and helping to establish the gritty, adult-oriented sword-and-sorcery genre as a viable commercial entity in the 1970s.