The Savage Sword of Conan #13

The Savage Sword of Conan issue number 13, released in 1976, was part of Marvel Comics' black-and-white magazine line designed to bypass the restrictive Comics Code Authority. By publishing in this larger, non-color format, Marvel aimed to present Robert E. Howard’s pulp-fiction hero with a level of grit, violence, and narrative maturity that standard comic books of the era could not accommodate. The title was a cornerstone of the Curtis Magazines imprint, which targeted a slightly older demographic of readers who appreciated the darker, more visceral elements of sword-and-sorcery storytelling.

The creative direction for this period was largely driven by the work of legendary contributors like Roy Thomas, who served as the primary writer, and artists like John Buscema and Ernie Chan. The cover art for this issue, famously rendered by Earl Norem, exemplifies the dramatic, painterly aesthetic that became synonymous with the series. It was received by readers as a premier example of high-adventure illustration, successfully bridging the gap between traditional comic book aesthetics and classic adventure pulp magazine artwork of the early 20th century.