Detective Comics #15

From May 1938, this issue of Detective Comics pulls you straight into a tense street scene rendered by the multi-talented Creig Flessel, who handled writing, pencils, and inks throughout. The cover's foreground is dominated by a menacing man in a top hat and flowing cape, clutching a pearl necklace with a grimly determined expression, while two figures loom watchfully in the background through a doorway. It's a perfectly composed snapshot of pulp-era intrigue that sets the stage for "The Mystery of the Darby Pearls" with atmosphere to spare.