Captain Marvel Adventures #125

There's something endearingly playful about this Fawcett cover from 1951 — the World's Mightiest Mortal himself crouches front and center in his red and gold costume, cheerfully hoisting the bold blue Captain Marvel Adventures title sign and declaring "They're the greatest!" with a confident grin. C. C. Beck's clean, assured linework gives the Big Red Cheese a friendly charisma that perfectly matches the book's promise of "new and exciting adventures." Inside, the story teases a confrontation with "The Ancient Villain," making this an October issue with both charm and a touch of menace waiting on the pages beneath that sunny cover.