All-Star Squadron #43

Battle for the Stars!" headlines this March 1985 issue of All-Star Squadron, and the cover by Arvell Jones and Tony DeZuniga wastes no time throwing readers into the thick of it — a fiery, flame-wreathed heroine, a figure clutching the Gravity Rod, a blue-suited hero, and a wild-haired villain clash on a rooftop while a towering, helmeted face looms ghostlike in the background. The dueling speech bubbles ("The Gravity Rod — it's MINE!!" vs. "You'll get gravity, all right — 200 feet straight down!") crackle with tension and give the confrontation a real sense of high-stakes urgency. Written by Roy Thomas and Mike Baron with art by Arvell Jones, this issue also promises a special Golden Age Gallery, making it a fine showcase of DC's wartime superhero ensemble at its energetic 1985 best.