Blackhawk #167

From the shores of a mysterious cove, three hulking, lion-maned demons stalk across the water's surface, unleashing billowing clouds of green gas that send two blue-uniformed Blackhawks scrambling and gasping for cover. The cover — penciled by Dick Dillin and inked by Sheldon Moldoff — captures the team's desperate moment with terrific energy, the dialogue balloons ("Fall back!… That gas they're shooting out is overcoming us!") making the threat feel immediate and visceral. This December 1961 DC issue, featuring the story "The Demons of Forbidden Cove," is a fine example of the era's knack for dropping readers straight into the heart of the action.