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Marvel Bronze Age Comic Magazine 'The Savage Sword of Conan' No. 55 (Earl Norem Cover)

By: Marvel Magazine Group (Curtis/Marvel); cover art by Earl Norem

Style: Bronze Age American Comic Magazine (Marvel)

Origin: United States

Materials: Color offset-printed glossy cover; black-and-white newsprint interior; two-staple saddle-stitch binding

Age: Circa August 1980

Condition: Very Fine (light spine and edge wear; small corner blunting; appears raw and not officially graded)

Value: $8–$20 (auction, raw copy; higher if professionally graded in VF/NM or better)

Maker's Marks / Writing: Cover signature 'NOREM'; issue/price box 'THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN AUG. No. 55 $1.25'; UPC barcode; code '02929'.

Date: 2025-10-18 05:01:41.613421

Description:

Magazine-format issue of The Savage Sword of Conan, No. 55, cover-dated August, with the headline 'When Dead Men Walk!'. Large blue CONAN masthead, $1.25 price, UPC at lower left, and painted cover signed 'NOREM' (Earl Norem). Published by Marvel’s magazine line; black-and-white interior stories with a color, glossy cover.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

Recognizable Bronze Age Conan magazine with classic Earl Norem painted cover. Not a key issue but solidly collectible among sword-and-sorcery and Marvel magazine collectors. Condition appears better than average with light spine/edge wear. A word about fakes.. in this category, beware modern facsimile reprints, photocopied covers married to later interiors, and foreign-language editions sold as U.S. originals. Confirm authenticity by checking the indicia inside (should state Marvel/Curtis, August 1980), paper toning typical of newsprint, and staple age/placement.

Individual Images:

• none

Provenance:

Not provided

Condition:

Very Fine (light spine and edge wear; small corner blunting; appears raw and not officially graded)

Identification Score: 97%

Title, issue box 'AUG. No. 55', $1.25 price, UPC, and the clearly visible 'NOREM' signature match published references for The Savage Sword of Conan #55.

Authenticity Score: 85%

Period-correct price box, barcode style, and cover art signature suggest an original U.S. Bronze Age copy; slight paper toning and minor wear are consistent. Score not higher because the interior indicia and full binding/staples are not verified from the photos and reprints/foreign editions exist.

Image Memory Note

None     None

Keywords

The Savage Sword of Conan, Marvel, Bronze Age, comic magazine, Earl Norem cover, United States, Conan the Barbarian, 1980

Report ID:  : 4kze8p

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