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Barry W. Smith cover/art; Elric issue; picture frame Marvel; COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 6 (CBI)
Fans of the Sword and Sorcery genre know that the biggest and baddest hero to come out of the field is Conan, hence the character’s enduring success in comics, film, TV, video games, you name it, but it is generally considered that Elric of Melnibone is the runner up in popularity in the cult fandom of all things warrior and wizard. Created by Michael Moorcock, who helped pen this issue, Elric is a frail albino who draws his power from the sword Stormbringer, which eats the souls of its victims and feeds its owner with their vitality, much like a vampire. The ingenious joining of the two outsized characters was a match made in Dungeons & Dragons’ heaven, and this issue is a popular book for Conan collectors, which is reflected in the respectable prices this book earns. Early issues of CTB by Barry Smith are particularly sought after thanks to their lush and detailed imaginings of ages of magic and myth.