Fightin' Air Force #30

A sleek USAF X41 jet screams across the cover in a steep dive, its bold markings jumping off the page — while a corner inset pulls us back to WWI-era biplanes exchanging fire in a smoky orange sky, teasing the time-spanning scope of "The Guardian." Charlton's Fightin' Air Force #30 promises a varied lineup, from Korean Action in "Desk Pilot" to the mysterious Guardian who, the cover boldly declares, has been there from WWI to eternity. Cover pencils by Charles Nicholas and inks by Sal Trapani give the aviation hardware a crisp, dynamic energy that makes this 1961 ten-cent issue a satisfying read for any fan of military anthologies.