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American Bronze Age Period Marvel 'Conan the Barbarian' King-Size Special #1 Comic Book (1973, Newsprint)

By: Marvel Comics Group; cover art by Barry Windsor-Smith; stories by Roy Thomas with art by Barry Windsor-Smith (reprints of early Conan stories)

Style: Bronze Age American comic book

Origin: USA

Materials: Staple-bound newsprint paper, color inks

Age: Circa 1973 (cover-dated 1973)

Condition: Fine/Very Fine (approx. 7.0; light spine ticks and corner/edge wear; raw copy, back cover/interiors not shown, not officially graded)

Value: $15–$40 (auction, raw example in mid-grade)

Maker's Marks / Writing: Cover text: 'MARVEL COMICS GROUP', 'SPECIAL ISSUE!', 'CONAN THE BARBARIAN', price '35¢', Comics Code Authority seal, left spine box: 'CONAN KING-SIZE 1 1973 02903'; red circle: 'SPECIAL ACADEMY AWARD ISSUE! Two of the greatest Conan sagas ever told!'; Barry Smith signature lower left.

Date: 2025-10-31 23:50:42.125380

Description:

Marvel Bronze Age oversized reprint issue: Conan the Barbarian King-Size Special (labeled 'CONAN KING-SIZE' at spine), issue #1, 35¢ cover price, 1973. Bold blue field with yellow title, red badge reading 'Special Academy Award Issue! Two of the greatest Conan sagas ever told!', Comics Code Authority seal, and dynamic Barry Windsor-Smith cover art (signature visible lower left). Staple-bound color newsprint.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

This appears to be Conan the Barbarian King-Size Special #1 (Marvel, 1973), the first King-Size/Annual for the title, reprinting two early Barry Windsor-Smith Conan sagas. Not a key first appearance, but desirable for its dramatic BWS cover and early Bronze Age appeal. Based on the single front-cover photo, I’d place condition around Fine/Very Fine due to visible spine stress and mild corner wear; back cover and interiors are not shown, so final grade could shift. A word about fakes.. Modern reprints and undisclosed restoration are common in Bronze/Silver keys—verify the indicia shows 1973, 35¢ price, and no modern barcodes; also check for color touch or cleaned/whitened pages under UV. With confirmation, this is a solid collectible with steady demand among Conan and BWS fans. {chavatar_catchphrase}

Individual Images:

• none

Provenance:

Not provided

Condition:

Fine/Very Fine (approx. 7.0; light spine ticks and corner/edge wear; raw copy, back cover/interiors not shown, not officially graded)

Identification Score: 95%

Clear title, King-Size banner, issue number (#1), 35¢ price, 1973 date code at top left, BWS signature—all match the 1973 Marvel King-Size Special #1.

Authenticity Score: 72%

Front cover details (35¢ price, 1973, CCA seal, period trade dress, BWS art) fit an original, but only the front cover is shown—no indicia or back cover—so a cautious score is appropriate given the possibility of reprints/restoration.

Image Memory Note

None     None

Keywords

Conan the Barbarian, Marvel Comics, King-Size Special, Annual #1, 1973, Bronze Age, Barry Windsor-Smith, Roy Thomas, comic book, USA

Report ID:  : djb24w

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