Condition:Fine (approx. 6.0; light spine stresses and minor edge/corner wear; colors strong; back cover/interior not shown—raw, not officially graded)
Value:$20–$75 at auction (raw, depending on actual grade; higher if VF/NM and verified clean interiors)
Maker's Marks / Writing:Cover text: “Marvel Comics Group Special Issue!,” “CONAN THE BARBARIAN,” “KING-SIZE,” price 35¢, issue #1, year 1973, code 02903; Comics Code Authority seal; red circle: “Special Academy Award Issue! Two of the Greatest Conan Sagas Ever Told!” Artist’s signature “Barry Smith” lower left.
Date:2025-10-31 16:36:04.846777
Description:
Marvel Comics Group king-size special/annual featuring Conan the Barbarian; 35¢ cover price, issue #1 (1973). Bold blue background with Conan amid a battlefield; circular blurb reads “Special Academy Award Issue! Two of the Greatest Conan Sagas Ever Told!” Cover art signed “Barry Smith” (Barry Windsor-Smith). Likely reprints of classic Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor-Smith stories in an oversized annual format. Newsstand edition with Comics Code seal.
Curator Questions
Curated by Jade
Assessment:
This is an authentic Bronze Age Marvel annual—Conan the Barbarian King-Size Special #1 (1973)—with a Barry Windsor-Smith cover and likely reprint contents of two celebrated early Conan tales by Roy Thomas and BWS. The copy appears unslabbed with bright color and only moderate spine/edge wear visible; however, the back cover and interior pages are not shown, so final grading is provisional. A word about fakes.. Bronze Age keys are often seen as modern reprints or with undisclosed restoration; check for original 35¢ cover price, period trade dress (no UPC box), correct interior ads, and signs of color touch. For sale, present as a raw Bronze Age annual with conservative grading and clear photos of the back and interiors. Comics Lass away! {chavatar_catchphrase}
Individual Images:
none
Provenance:
No provenance provided.
Condition:
Fine (approx. 6.0; light spine stresses and minor edge/corner wear; colors strong; back cover/interior not shown—raw, not officially graded)
Identification Score: 98%
Title, series, issue number (#1), date (1973), price (35¢), Marvel trade dress, and Barry Smith signature are clearly visible on the cover.
Authenticity Score: 88%
Original-period elements match (35¢ king-size price, Comics Code seal, early-’70s Marvel masthead, no UPC). No common modern facsimile of this specific annual. Still unconfirmed interiors and possible restoration, so not higher than high-80s.
Image Memory Note
None
None
Keywords
Conan the Barbarian; Marvel Comics; Bronze Age; King-Size Special; Annual #1; 1973; Barry Windsor-Smith; Roy Thomas; sword-and-sorcery; United States; comic book
The report was edited after initial Artmink draft. Original AI draft preserved in Artmink audit history.
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