Crime Does Not Pay #96

Few covers from 1951 capture menace quite like this one: a cool-eyed blonde in a flowing pink gown levels a pistol at a startled man in a suit, while a snarling leopard crouches at the iron gate behind her — all painted with sleek pulp elegance by cover artist Bob Fujitani. The tagline at the bottom promises private eye Chip Gardner tangled up in "The Case of the Movie Star's Double," a setup dripping with noir intrigue. At a full 52 pages for just a dime, this issue of Crime Does Not Pay delivers the kind of polished, tension-soaked storytelling that made Lev Gleason's flagship title one of the most compelling crime comics of its era.