Hear this, ink-slingers: The Savage Sword of Conan is calling for fresh blood.
The first-ever Heroic Pin-Up Contest is open until November 15, 2026. The winning pin-up of the Cimmerian will be printed in Savage Sword #18, the year-ending issue carrying a gargantuan saga from Liam Sharp.
Savage Sword came roaring out of Marvel in 1974 as a black-and-white Conan magazine, and John Buscema spent years carving Robert E. Howard’s barbarian into its pages.
Titan dragged the title back into the light in 2024, and now one page of Issue #18 belongs to whoever draws the fiercest Conan.
What does the winner get?
Your pin-up goes to print beside the pros, with your name in the credits and your social handles too if you want them there.
You also haul away a marvelous pile of plunder: a full year of Conan the Barbarian and The Savage Sword of Conan, plus the four-issue Conan mini-series event published that year.
Who can enter?
Any artist 18 or older, from any corner of the world, may enter.
You get one swing of the sword.
Send more than one entry and you’re disqualified.
No purchase is necessary.
Can I use AI to make my entry?
No!
Conan has no use for sorcery, and neither does this contest.
Your pin-up must be made by your own hand, with no AI or generative tools at any stage.
Any entry that uses them is disqualified.
How is the winner chosen?
The Conan team will crown the piece that best captures the Cimmerian’s raw strength and the brutal mood of the Hyborian Age.
The victor is named within 30 days of the deadline and summoned by email, then has seven days to claim the prize.
How do I enter?
Submit your pin-up through the entry form by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 15, 2026.
Read the full terms before you enter. Every entry can be shared on Conan’s social channels and website, and the winning artist signs ownership of the pin-up over to Conan Properties International. Entering also signs you up for the Conan newsletter.
Watch the Conan the Barbarian Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for word as the deadline nears. Issue #18 still has one empty page. Crom won’t fill it for you.
Submit your information through the entry form and you’ll receive an email with detailed instructions on how to submit your artwork. Final art is due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 15, 2026.
Lo Terry
In his effort to help Heroic Signatures tell legendary stories, Lo Terry does a lot. Sometimes, that means spearheading an innovative, AI-driven tavern adventure. In others it means writing words in the voice of a mischievous merchant for people to chuckle at. It's a fun time.
