Black Diamond Western #24

Charles Biro's cover for this March 1951 issue pulls you straight into the action: the masked Black Diamond reaches from horseback to rescue a blonde woman being seized by a war-bonneted warrior, while a covered wagon and mounted riders surge through the dust behind them. It's a kinetic, eye-catching scene that sets the tone for three full-length "illustories" inside — "The Sand Creek Massacre," "The Astounding Tale of the $20 Gold Piece," and "The Ghost Dance War." At 52 pages for a dime, this Lev Gleason publication offered western adventure readers a genuinely generous haul.