Captain Marvel Jr. #25

This November 1944 Fawcett publication captures Captain Marvel Jr. in a stirring wartime image — the young hero scales a flagpole against a blazing yellow sky, hoisting an American flag while a Pacific-theater beach battle unfolds below, with soldiers fighting among palm trees and a vessel visible on the water. Mac Raboy's cover art brings real energy and patriotic conviction to the scene, the banner's stars and stripes billowing dramatically as Cap Jr. reaches the top. Inside, Art Helfant handles the full creative load on "The Crack of Doom," making this a fine snapshot of wartime superhero comics at their most earnest.