Bronze Age Marvel 'Conan the Barbarian' King-Size Special #1 Comic Book
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Item Report
Bronze Age Marvel 'Conan the Barbarian' King-Size Special #1 Comic Book
By:Marvel Comics; cover art by Barry Windsor-Smith; stories by Roy Thomas (interior art on features commonly Barry Windsor-Smith/others)
Style:Bronze Age American Comic
Origin:United States
Materials:Color offset print on newsprint with cardstock-like square-bound cover; staple/glue bound
Age:1973 (first printing intended; confirm via indicia)
Condition:Fine to Very Fine (light spine ticks and minor corner wear; back cover/interior not shown; appears raw/ungraded)
Value:$25–$75 at auction (raw, mid–high grade). Slabbed high-grade copies can bring higher retail prices.
Maker's Marks / Writing:Cover text reads: “MARVEL COMICS GROUP,” “SPECIAL ISSUE!”, “CONAN THE BARBARIAN,” “KING-SIZE,” price “35¢,” Comics Code Authority stamp; left box: “CONAN KING-SIZE 1 1973 02903.” Red circle: “SPECIAL ACADEMY AWARD ISSUE! TWO OF THE GREATEST CONAN SAGAS EVER TOLD!” Barry Windsor-Smith signature at lower left.
Date:2025-10-31 15:37:35.181457
Description:
Original 1973 Marvel Comics King-Size Special (Annual) issue featuring Conan the Barbarian; square-bound, 35¢ cover price, with striking Barry Windsor-Smith cover art and reprinted award-winning Conan stories by Roy Thomas and collaborators.
Curator Questions
Curated by Jade
Assessment:
This appears to be Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian King-Size Special #1 (1973), a Bronze Age reprint/‘Special Academy Award Issue’ with a classic Barry Windsor-Smith battle cover. The front presents well with strong color and moderate spine/corner wear visible; however, the back cover and interiors aren’t shown, so a full condition call isn’t possible. A word about fakes.. In comics, modern facsimile/reprint editions (and undisclosed restoration) are common; confirm authenticity by checking the inside-front indicia for 1973 copyright, the 35¢ cover price without a barcode, 52-page count on newsprint, and era-appropriate ads. If original and unrestored, this is a collectible Bronze Age Annual with steady demand among Conan and BWS fans. Up, up, and appraise! {chavatar_catchphrase}
Individual Images:
none
Provenance:
None provided (not slabbed; no receipts or prior grading paperwork shown).
Condition:
Fine to Very Fine (light spine ticks and minor corner wear; back cover/interior not shown; appears raw/ungraded)
Identification Score: 96%
Exact title, price, and year are printed on the cover (“Conan King-Size 1,” 1973, 35¢), and the art bears Barry Windsor-Smith’s signature—making identification very secure.
Authenticity Score: 65%
Cover details (35¢ price, 1973 tag, CCA stamp, BWS signature) align with the original, but without indicia and page inspection I cannot rule out later reprints or restoration.
Image Memory Note
None
None
Keywords
Conan the Barbarian, Marvel Comics, Bronze Age, King-Size Special #1, 1973, Barry Windsor-Smith, Roy Thomas, comic book, United States
The report was edited after initial Artmink draft. Original AI draft preserved in Artmink audit history.
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