ROY THOMAS joined Marvel as a writer and editor under Stan Lee, scripting key runs of nearly every Marvel title: The Amazing Spider-Man , The Avengers , Daredevil , Doctor Strange , The Sub-Mariner , Thor , The X-Men and more. He wrote the first ten years of Marvel's Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword of Conan ; and launched the Defenders, Iron Fist, The Invaders and Warlock. At DC, he developed All-Star Squadron , Infinity Inc. and related titles, proving instrumental in reviving the Golden Age Justice Society of America. He co-scripted the sword-and-sorcery films Fire and Ice and Conan the Destroyer . Throughout it all, Thomas has edited the award-winning magazine Alter Ego , contributing heartily to the research and history of the medium. A British expat, BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH took American comics by storm in the late '60s. After initial efforts on The X-Men , Daredevil and Nick Fury, Agent of S.

H.I.E.L.D ., it was Windsor-Smith's turn on Conan the Barbarian that gave him the platform to showcase his prodigious talent. He also turned in memorable work drawing The Avengers and Doctor Strange in Marvel Premiere , after which the artist started his studio, The Gorblimey Press, producing original stories and art prints. Windsor-Smith returned to Marvel in the 1980s and '90s on Machine Man and various X-Men stories, including "Lifedeath" and the character-defining Wolverine tale, "Weapon X.

" He also helped launch the Valiant Comics universe, which included his creation Archer & Armstrong , and broke boundaries with his tabloid-format Barry Windsor-Smith: Storyteller series and Eisner Award-winning graphic novel Monsters .