Savage Tales (1st Series)

    (Marvel, 1971-1975)
™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Following the successful debut of Conan the Barbarian in its color comics line the year before, Marvel attempted to move to the less-restricted, non-Comic Code arena of the black and white magazine format in 1971. Rated “M For The Mature Reader!” the stories presented here contained slightly more daring themes and partial nudity. The lead feature was a Conan story; “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” adapted by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Smith. Additional features included the first appearance of The Man-Thing and a more brutal, Ka-Zar.

Poor distribution led to the title‘s cancellation after one issue. The magazine was revived in 1973, this time with more success. In 1974, Ka-Zar became the lead feature with Conan headlining a new title, The Savage Sword of Conan. “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” was colored to make some nude scenes appropriate for the color comic and saw print in Conan the Barbarian #16.
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  • 1
    #1
    May 1971
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Roy Thomas, Stan Lee, Gerry Conway, Sergius O’Shaugnessy, Robert E. Howard  ·  A: Barry Windsor-Smith, John Romita Sr., Gray Morrow, Gene Colan, John Buscema
    1st Appearance of Man-Thing; Origin of Man-Thing; B&W Magazine
    2 copies from $732.00
  • 2
    #2
    Oct 1973
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Roy Thomas, Robert E. Howard, Gerry Conway, Joe Maneely  ·  A: Barry Windsor-Smith, Al Williamson, Frank Brunner, Gray Morrow, Bernie Wrightson
    Crusader reprinted from The Black Knight #1; Includes adaptations of Red Nails, Cimmeria, and The Skull of Silence! by Robert E. Howard; WINDSOR-SMITH: Red Nails, Cimmeria, and spot illo. for A Probable Outline of Conan’s Career by P. Schuyler Miller and John D. Clark; B&W
    6 copies from $8.50
  • 3
    #3
    Feb 1974
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Roy Thomas, Robert E. Howard, Ray Capella, Stan Lee, Jim Steranko  ·  A: Barry Windsor-Smith, Esteban Maroto, Al Williamson, Frank Brunner, John Romita Sr., Leo Margulies, Jim Steranko
    Includes adaptation of Red Nails, Parts 2 and 3 (The Lurker from the Catacombs and He Comes from the Dark) by Robert E. Howard; WINDSOR-SMITH: Red Nails, spot illo. in An Age Undreamed Of by Roy Thomas; B&W
    11 copies from $6.50
  • 4
    #4
    May 1974
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Roy Thomas, Robert E. Howard, Stan Lee  ·  A: Neal Adams, Gil Kane, Diverse Hands, Joe Maneely, Barry Windsor-Smith, P. Craig Russell
    Includes adaptation of The Dark Man by Robert E. Howard; WINDSOR-SMITH: The Dweller In the Dark; B&W
    8 copies from $5.25
  • 5
    #5
    Jul 1974
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Roy Thomas, John Jakes, Dan Adkins, Stan Lee  ·  A: Jim Starlin, Roy G. Krenkel, Tony DeZuniga, Dan Adkins, Val Mayerik, John Buscema
    Conan, Brak: Reprint from Chamber of Chills #2; Includes adaptation of The Secret of Skull River [from a plot] by John Jakes; Ka-Zar: Reprint from Astonishing Tales #9; B&W
    6 copies from $8.50
  • 6
    #6
    Sep 1974
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Gerry Conway, Len Wein, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Fred Blosser, Don Rico  ·  A: John Buscema, Al Williamson, Steve Gan, Rudy Nebres, Gil Kane
    Jann: Reprint from Jann of the Jungle #16; Ka-Zar: Reprint from Savage Tales (1st Series) #1
    6 copies from $13.05
  • 7
    #7
    Nov 1974
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Gerry Conway, John Jakes, Doug Moench  ·  A: John Buscema, Steve Gan
    Brak; Ka-Zar
    6 copies from $5.00
  • 8
    #8
    Jan 1975
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Gerry Conway, John Jakes, Doug Moench, Bob Weinberg  ·  A: John Buscema, Steve Gan
    Brak; Ka-Zar
    6 copies from $8.20
  • 9
    #9
    Mar 1975
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Gerry Conway, Carla Conway  ·  A: Steve Gan
    Ka-Zar; Shanna the She-Devil
    5 copies from $8.00
  • 10
    #10
    May 1975
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Gerry Conway, John Jakes, Carla Conway  ·  A: Russ Heath, Ross Andru
    Ka-Zar; Shanna the She-Devil
    4 copies from $10.00
  • 11
    #11
    Jul 1975
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Doug Moench, Archie Goodwin  ·  A: Steve Gan, Russ Heath, Sandy Plunkett
    5 copies from $3.50
  • Anl 1
    Annual #1
    Jun 1975
    Cover: $1.25
    W: Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Gerry Conway  ·  A: Gil Kane, Steve Gan, Barry Windsor-Smith, Gray Morrow
    Reprints from Astonishing Tales #2-6 and 11; Origin of Ka-Zar; B&W
    7 copies from $11.00