Savage Tales starring Conan the Barbarian ##1
Marvel Comics • Savage Tales (Vol. 1)
Writer
Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Denny O'Neil
Interior Artist
Barry Windsor-Smith, Gray Morrow, John Buscema
Cover Artist
John Buscema
Publication Date
May 1971
Cover Variant
Regular
Printing
First Printing
Comic Description
Anthology magazine featuring 'The Frost Giant's Daughter' starring Conan. Significant for being one of the earliest examples of Marvel's black-and-white magazine format aimed at mature readers.
Condition & Value
Condition Grade
Very Good/Fine (CGC 5.0)
Condition Details
Visible moderate spine stress with color-breaking ticks. Significant corner blunting on all visible corners. Noticeable color loss along the top edge. Presence of a dealer sticker on the top left of the actual cover surface which likely affects the grade and may cause paper pull if removed. Surface wear and possible vertical creasing on the right side.
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $150 - $250; Graded (5.0): $350 - $450. High-grade copies (9.0+) can exceed $1,500.
Recent Sales
Recent sales for mid-grade raw copies range between $175 and $275. Graded 5.0 copies have recently sold for approximately $400 on average.
Grading Recommendation
Yes, worth grading but only after professional pressing and specialized removal of the price sticker by a restoration expert to avoid a 'Restored' or 'Qualified' label. The book is a major Bronze Age key, and authentication/encapsulation adds significant market liquidty.
Notable Features
First appearance of the Man-Thing (Ted Sallis). First appearance of the Sisterhood. Iconic John Buscema cover art. First magazine-sized Conan the Barbarian comic.
Authentication Notes
The 50-cent cover price and paper stock appear consistent with 1971 Curtis Magazines (Marvel) production. The ink saturation on the 'Savage Tales' yellow masthead looks correct for this era.