Adventure Comics #483

Adventure Comics #483 features the "Dial H for Hero" series with a cover by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano that puts the villain Wildebeest front and center, menacingly declaring he wants the new super-heroes dead — and surrounding him are snapshot cards showcasing six reader-created heroes: Echo, Zeep, Ariel, White and Black, Music Master, and Gladiator. That "The Comic YOU Create!" banner captures what made this series such a lively collaboration between DC and its readers, with fan-designed characters stepping into the spotlight against a genuine threat. Written by Marv Wolfman with art by Don Heck, this July 1981 issue is a warm time capsule of an era when fans could see their own imaginative heroes leap off the page.