Captain Marvel Adventures #81

This February 1948 Fawcett publication finds Captain Marvel in a tense standoff against Mr. Atom — a gleaming robotic figure wreathed in flames — while a rocket ship looms against a star-filled night sky and a fiery comet streaks overhead. C. C. Beck's cover art sets the scene with crisp, energetic linework, and the corner caption delivers the tantalizing news flash: "Mr. Atom has been taken out of captivity by men from a comet!" It's a wonderfully pulpy sci-fi setup that captures everything exciting about Golden Age adventure comics in a single striking image.