Captain Marvel Jr. #57

This January 1948 Fawcett issue puts Captain Marvel Jr. front and center in his blue-and-gold uniform, cape streaming behind him as he winds up with a fist raised — the cover's bold "Smashing Sock Action!" burst leaving no doubt about the energy on offer. Kurt Schaffenberger's cover art gives the young hero a determined, focused expression that suits the promise of high-flying adventure inside. The cover also teases "The Strange Story of the Magic Ladder," written by Bill Woolfolk with art by Bud Thompson — a tantalizing title that hints at something a little out of the ordinary waiting on those interior pages.