Action Comics #431

The cover of this January 1974 issue delivers one of the most striking visual hooks in Superman's long run at Action Comics: a costumed Superman and a scaly, brown-suited villain grapple violently in public while a crowd of horrified onlookers watches, speech bubbles shouting that Clark Kent's secret identity has just been blown wide open. Nick Cardy's pencils and inks crackle with kinetic energy, capturing the sheer panic of the moment with real flair. As a bonus, the issue also includes a Green Arrow backup story, making this a genuinely satisfying double feature from 1974 DC.