Conan the Barbarian

Comic book illustration depicting Conan, wearing a cloak and a horned helm, walking with some villagers.

One of the most iconic American literary figures, Conan the Barbarian first appeared in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1932. Author Robert E. Howard intended Conan to be a spiritual successor to his earlier pulp publications Kull the Conqueror, furthering the sword-and-sorcery genre he originated. The character soon gained popularity and has since been adapted into films, animated- and live-action television shows, comics, and various games.

Although the first Conan comic was an unauthorized series published in Mexico in 1952, the versions printed by Marvel Comics remain the most well-known. The company acquired the rights to Conan in 1970 and began publishing Conan the Barbarian, the success of which led to the highly-acclaimed The Savage Sword of Conan, first published in 1974. This button contains a panel from the fifth issue of Conan the Barbarian. The artist is Barry Smith.