John BUSCEMA / The Crusty Bunkers; Conan #45, page 31

"Know, O prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. --The Nemedian Chronicles"

Long time Conan readers know the above by heart, the start of every issue, and although the comics rarely instilled gigantic mirth, many of my rainy day, average-sized melancholies growing up were dispelled courtesy of Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

I'm thrilled to finally land a John Buscema Conan page and from "The Last Ballad of Laza-Lanti", a story I remember well from the added bonus of some great inking by The Crusty Bunkers. Neal Adams is on board, of course, most notably in the first tier and panel 9. Also joining in on the ink slinging is a young Bob McLeod, working in panels 5, 6, & 7 and sincere thanks to him for the assistance in identifying inkers.

Shout out to the good folks at Nostalgic Investments for this one.

Oh! and hop on over to Michel Maillot's CAF for two killer pages from this same story.