Conan the Barbarian #14, page 11 (Barry Windsor Smith)
Artists: Barry Windsor Smith (Penciller) , Sal Buscema (Inker)
1,058 Views - 49 Comments - 33 Likes
Artwork Details
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DescriptionIt is understandable that with prices of original comic art being what they generally are today, there would be a general focus on prices. However, such a materialistic as well as quantitative focus does not – as I have constantly maintained –do our hobby justice. It takes us away from the sense and wonder that is the intangible (yet most wonderful and important) part of the hobby itself.Unfortunately, the focus on this particular piece was on how Smith Conan artwork had generally declined and how the price paid for this piece was way out of whack with prevailing prices. While I totally agree (and, yes, I also know, specifically, what the last transacted price was for this piece), it was a piece that was – to put it simply – very well done indeed. And, no, I didn’t purchase this piece primarily because it was the first appearance of Elric of Melnibone and his sword, Stormbringer. And, yes, I was fortunate that the maximum bid I decided to put in was just sufficient for the purposes of the auction itself. At the end of the day, it is best to let this piece of original artwork speak for itself. I also happen to think that Sal Buscema was an excellent inker on this series as this piece itself demonstrates. Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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Marcus Wai 
Member Since 2005
2 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Out of the BWS run, this may have been one of the few where you get multiple types of collectors interested. Sal stayed true to the task as you feel it's BWS more than his own style.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Marcus Wai wrote:
Out of the BWS run, this may have been one of the few where you get multiple types of collectors interested. Sal stayed true to the task as you feel it's BWS more than his own style.
Many thanks, Marcus. Yes, I always thought that Sal's inks over Barry's pencils were so true to them.
E DLS
Member Since 2005
2 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Conan vs. Elric. It's no Hulk vs. Thing, but the BWS art alone is worth the price of admission. The Sal Buscema inks are no surprise. He had always intended to work at Marvel AS an inker. But the only way he could work there full time was if he agreed to do penciling work as well. His inks on big brother John's seminal Silver Surfer series (Sal's first published work) were absolutely gorgeous. I would guess that, unlike John's personal request to have his brother ink him on that book, Barry probably did not make a similar request for Sal's services here. But considering that Sal inked 12 of Barry's 20 original issues (two were reprints and two were pencilled by Kane), you have to wonder. Anyway, congratulations on this beautiful example by two Masters of their craft.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
E DLS wrote:
Conan vs. Elric. It's no Hulk vs. Thing, but the BWS art alone is worth the price of admission. The Sal Buscema inks are no surprise. He had always intended to work at Marvel AS an inker. But the only way he could work there full time was if he agreed to do penciling work as well. His inks on big brother John's seminal Silver Surfer series (Sal's first published work) were absolutely gorgeous. I would guess that, unlike John's personal request to have his brother ink him on that book, Barry probably did not make a similar request for Sal's services here. But considering that Sal inked 12 of Barry's 20 original issues (two were reprints and two were pencilled by Kane), you have to wonder. Anyway, congratulations on this beautiful example by two Masters of their craft.
Many thanks, Eric. Like Marcus, it's a very good point you make with regard to Sal's inks. He really did a splendid job. I think that Dan Adkins also had a short stint as well and although I always loved his inking, somehow Sal's inks on Conan seemed better. And I had forgotten how marvellously he inked his brother John's Silver Surfer series. Such wonderful memories!
Ron S
Member Since 2007
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Sal was and still is an underrated inker. It's a beautiful page.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Ron S wrote:
Sal was and still is an underrated inker. It's a beautiful page.
Many thanks, Ron. Yes, Sal inked this beautifully. Do take care.
Gene Park
Member Since 2004
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
A fantastic BWS Conan action/battle page! You really could see Smith's style evolving (for the better) with the Elric two-part storyline and Sal B. did a great job inking here. Congratulations on the pick-up!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Gene Park wrote:
A fantastic BWS Conan action/battle page! You really could see Smith's style evolving (for the better) with the Elric two-part storyline and Sal B. did a great job inking here. Congratulations on the pick-up!
Many thanks, Gene. This is a truly exceptional page and therefore worth trying for. And Sal's inks on this series were always of a really consistently high standard.
Rick W
Member Since 2017
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Happy to see this mighty page land in your collection! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Rick W wrote:
Happy to see this mighty page land in your collection! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Rick, so good to hear this and it is an honor to be the next steward of this wonderful page.
Miki Annamanthadoo
Member Since 2003
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Magnificent page! Some of Barry's best work! Congrats!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Miki Annamanthadoo wrote:
Magnificent page! Some of Barry's best work! Congrats!
Many thanks, Miki. It is an awesome page which has most, if not all, the elements one would like from a BWS Conan page.
Kavi H
Member Since 2018
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
A signifncant piece of comic art history both for the character and for the creators involved, but even if that wasn't the case just a really nice looking piece of art, nuff said! Classic BWS and the Sal B inks are really quite nice. Congrats on this awesome addition to your collection!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Kavi H wrote:
A signifncant piece of comic art history both for the character and for the creators involved, but even if that wasn't the case just a really nice looking piece of art, nuff said! Classic BWS and the Sal B inks are really quite nice. Congrats on this awesome addition to your collection!
Many thanks, Kavi. Exactly my sentiments! It is, above all, just a really great looking page. This is one of my rare indulgences nowadays.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
frank x townsondecker wrote:
Incredible!!!
Many thanks, and very good to hear from you.
John Voytek
Member Since 2008
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Absolute BANGER! I wondered where this would land...and I'm glad it's with you! I've always been a bigger Elric fan than a Conan fan, so this issue meant alot to me....even with BWS giving Elric that pointy pepper hat. Just a killer page....massive Congratulations!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
John Voytek wrote:
Absolute BANGER! I wondered where this would land...and I'm glad it's with you! I've always been a bigger Elric fan than a Conan fan, so this issue meant alot to me....even with BWS giving Elric that pointy pepper hat. Just a killer page....massive Congratulations!
Many thanks, John. And the good thing is this led me to your awesome Enemy Ace page by Joe Kubert; many congrats on landing that wonderful page!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Dan F wrote:
Hits all the buttons!
Many thanks, Dan. Yes, all the elements one would desire from a BWS Conan page are all there!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
John B wrote:
Nicely done, it's a beautiful page.
Many thanks, John. I trust that you are keeping well.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Mark Levy wrote:
Especially love that last panel!
Many thanks, Mark. For me at least, this page has all the elements one would desire for a BWS Conan page - and, yes, not forgetting that last panel!
Peter Roe
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Fab page! I love the second panel with the emerging knight bracketed by Conan and his comrade. Fight panels are explosive. That last one is a killer!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Peter Roe wrote:
Fab page! I love the second panel with the emerging knight bracketed by Conan and his comrade. Fight panels are explosive. That last one is a killer!
Many thanks, Peter. Yes, this page has all the elements of a BWS Conan page - including marvellous perspectives, all beautifully executed.
Tom Coker
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Such a wonderful moment when two of the greatest Pulps and Fantasy characters converge and collide in comic books. Congrats on such a super page!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Tom Coker wrote:
Such a wonderful moment when two of the greatest Pulps and Fantasy characters converge and collide in comic books. Congrats on such a super page!
Many thanks, Tom. Yes, this is so well-put.
Alberto Gonzalez
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Yet another addition to your already amazing collection! Wow!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Alberto Gonzalez wrote:
Yet another addition to your already amazing collection! Wow!
Many thanks, Alberto. As we've all noted, original comic art is so expensive nowadays so, for me at least, pieces such as this are few and far between, and enjoyed all the more for that very reason.
Nick - Barry - Matt - Hal - Namor
Member Since 2015
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
Beautiful, and wise words!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Nick - Barry - Matt - Hal - Namor wrote:
Beautiful, and wise words!
Many thanks, Nick. I truly believe that it's so important to hold on to one's ideals in this hobby.
Aaron N.
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 9/22/2025
As I commented on the boards, exceptionally desirable piece, even aside from the Elric introduction. Congrats! Pricy, but not out of line, IMHO. And Sal was a great inker on everyone. It's his pencils that are controversial;)
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/22/2025
Aaron N. wrote:
As I commented on the boards, exceptionally desirable piece, even aside from the Elric introduction. Congrats! Pricy, but not out of line, IMHO. And Sal was a great inker on everyone. It's his pencils that are controversial;)
Many thanks, Aaron. It was very pricey but it's such a nice page. And I think you hit the nail on the head about Sal's pencils. His inking, though, on this (and other) series was impeccable.
Ruben DaCollector
Member Since 2008
1 - Posted on 9/23/2025
This is a very strong page from the period during which Smith (He hadn't been credited in print as "Windsor-" at this point, hence why I leave it out) was quickly developing his abilities which would ultimately peak with issue #24 and the Red Nails story. Sal did a very creditable job with the inks indeed and the page exhibits a very nice variety of both Conan and Elric images.
I'm not going to pretend I know who these people are that you often mention are talking about how much you often overpay for art, but I can certainly tell you that most people who opine on such things just want to feel that others see them as knowledgeable, as that makes them feel as if they are "respected" and/or "important" collectors. In reality, most don't even understand how much more nuance there is to evaluating any given piece of comic art. The reality of THIS situation is that art values across the board have been consistently rising rapidly and non-stop since the advent of the World Wide Web. From 2017 to 2020, this page would realistically already have risen and extra $2k to $4k, fairly leaving it settle at around $14k-$15k. From 2020 to 2023 alone, most mainstream art rose anywhere from 2x to 5x. Some even a lot more than that, and some a little bit less. But even if Barry Smith Conan art softened a little bit over the past couple of years, the very first appearance of Elric (in this case, the very first page that birthed him into mainstream comics) would be the exception to the rule and would not soften along with all the other pages. In fact, the key appearance factor would mean it would be expected to continue rising as all important key character appearances have continued to do. Conan not being a superhero, of course, I would not expect THIS piece to have risen by 5x side by side with much Spidey and X-Men related art. But a 2x rise by the time late 2025 rolled around? Of course that should be expected, and if you've been doing the math as I've gone along here, the price you paid is slightly less than $3k short of that 2x price rise. So you paid what is essentially around the FMV for this piece in 2025.
This is not simply a key page because it features the birth of a character, but rather its importance lies in the fact that many readers of comics, both during the early 70's and even still today, were Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery novel readers and Michael Moorcock was and still remains today a very popular writer in that genre. He is the creator of Elric and the character had already been extremely popular in print for a decade by the time he made his appearance on this page.
So, for whatever it's worth, my advice is to just stop listening to or reading the opinions of those who know far less than YOU do about comic art values and who certainly don't have their fingers on the pulse of this hobby/market the way you do. Enjoy this amazing and important piece!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/23/2025
Ruben DaCollector wrote:
This is a very strong page from the period during which Smith (He hadn't been credited in print as "Windsor-" at this point, hence why I leave it out) was quickly developing his abilities which would ultimately peak with issue #24 and the Red Nails story. Sal did a very creditable job with the inks indeed and the page exhibits a very nice variety of both Conan and Elric images.
I'm not going to pretend I know who these people are that you often mention are talking about how much you often overpay for art, but I can certainly tell you that most people who opine on such things just want to feel that others see them as knowledgeable, as that makes them feel as if they are "respected" and/or "important" collectors. In reality, most don't even understand how much more nuance there is to evaluating any given piece of comic art. The reality of THIS situation is that art values across the board have been consistently rising rapidly and non-stop since the advent of the World Wide Web. From 2017 to 2020, this page would realistically already have risen and extra $2k to $4k, fairly leaving it settle at around $14k-$15k. From 2020 to 2023 alone, most mainstream art rose anywhere from 2x to 5x. Some even a lot more than that, and some a little bit less. But even if Barry Smith Conan art softened a little bit over the past couple of years, the very first appearance of Elric (in this case, the very first page that birthed him into mainstream comics) would be the exception to the rule and would not soften along with all the other pages. In fact, the key appearance factor would mean it would be expected to continue rising as all important key character appearances have continued to do. Conan not being a superhero, of course, I would not expect THIS piece to have risen by 5x side by side with much Spidey and X-Men related art. But a 2x rise by the time late 2025 rolled around? Of course that should be expected, and if you've been doing the math as I've gone along here, the price you paid is slightly less than $3k short of that 2x price rise. So you paid what is essentially around the FMV for this piece in 2025.
This is not simply a key page because it features the birth of a character, but rather its importance lies in the fact that many readers of comics, both during the early 70's and even still today, were Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery novel readers and Michael Moorcock was and still remains today a very popular writer in that genre. He is the creator of Elric and the character had already been extremely popular in print for a decade by the time he made his appearance on this page.
So, for whatever it's worth, my advice is to just stop listening to or reading the opinions of those who know far less than YOU do about comic art values and who certainly don't have their fingers on the pulse of this hobby/market the way you do. Enjoy this amazing and important piece!
Many thanks as always, Rubén, for your exceedingly kind and encouraging words, as well as for your characteristically perceptive analyses.
It is also true that I had forgotten that many persons have read as well as enjoyed Michael Moorcock's novels.
At the end of the day, though, I just want to enjoy this hobby, exercising as much financial prudence as is possible, especially during this era of ever rising prices. This may appear to be more than a tad idealistic but, given what is going on in the world today, perhaps a little bit of idealism isn't wholly out of place.
Toni S
Member Since 2019
1 - Posted on 9/23/2025
That's a very beautiful and relevant page indeed! Sal's inking talent preserved prefectly BWS lines and style. BWS art was embellished by a very precisse and respectful inking work. Panels first, forth and sixth are delicious. Huge congrats.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/23/2025
Toni S wrote:
That's a very beautiful and relevant page indeed! Sal's inking talent preserved prefectly BWS lines and style. BWS art was embellished by a very precisse and respectful inking work. Panels first, forth and sixth are delicious. Huge congrats.
Many thanks, Toni. Yes, Sal's inking on this series was truly exceptional indeed!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 9/23/2025
Andy Wurst wrote:
Awesome page!
Many thanks, Andy. This very succinct comment sums it up very well!
Timothy Finney
Member Since 2006
1 - Posted on 9/24/2025
I've said of pieces in my collection that I paid or given too much in trade for them. If memory serves, I still have all those pages in my collection, and, with few regrets, they still give me pleasure to view and hold. As for this page, hell, if I could have gotten it in the past, and it had been in my ability to pay or trade too much for it, I probably would have. Cheers!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/24/2025
Timothy Finney wrote:
I've said of pieces in my collection that I paid or given too much in trade for them. If memory serves, I still have all those pages in my collection, and, with few regrets, they still give me pleasure to view and hold. As for this page, hell, if I could have gotten it in the past, and it had been in my ability to pay or trade too much for it, I probably would have. Cheers!
Many thanks, Timothy, for your very kind and encouraging words. Yes, I am very much like that as well. This pages is a keeper for as long as I am its steward.
Joe Murray
Member Since 2006
1 - Posted on 9/24/2025
BY CROM! that's an amazing Conan versus Elric page, love the Barry/Sal combo, big congrats!
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/24/2025
Joe Murray wrote:
BY CROM! that's an amazing Conan versus Elric page, love the Barry/Sal combo, big congrats!
Many thanks, Joe. I couldn't have put it any better in Cimmerian language!
Peter Sullivan
Member Since 2006
1 - Posted on 9/26/2025
Read your description, like always, and all I say on this matter is that in art if you love it nothing else matters.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
1 - Posted on 9/28/2025
Peter Sullivan wrote:
Read your description, like always, and all I say on this matter is that in art if you love it nothing else matters.
Many thanks, Peter. And as someone reminded me, at least one other person loved it enough to bid me to my maximum bid!
Bill J
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 10/2/2025
Love this Barry Windsor-Smith page for Conan the Barbarian. This is prime BWS material. His skills were still growing and his art style was evolving into a more mature style but the basics of his style were there. You can see elements of his style throughout the page. IMHO, this is a fantastic early work by a future master of the craft. I think it's a fantastic pick-up, congrats.
Comicart Boston
Member Since 2010
Posted on 10/2/2025
Bill J wrote:
Love this Barry Windsor-Smith page for Conan the Barbarian. This is prime BWS material. His skills were still growing and his art style was evolving into a more mature style but the basics of his style were there. You can see elements of his style throughout the page. IMHO, this is a fantastic early work by a future master of the craft. I think it's a fantastic pick-up, congrats.
Many thanks, Bill. I was already impressed by his work at this particular stage of his career. He is a truly gifted artist although I did not, with respect, appreciate his early more Kirbyesque work.
J L
Member Since 2005
Posted on 10/4/2025
The action and the art itself is fantastic! Congrats!!!! 8 )
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