Four Color #1165

Dell's Ellery Queen Detective arrives in moody, atmospheric style with this 1961 issue featuring two mysteries: "The Mummy's Curse" and "The Underwater Clue." The cover, painted in deep greens and shadows, sets an immediately compelling scene — a suited, bespectacled man and a blonde woman in red crouch together examining a string of beads or jewels, all while the massive stone face of an Egyptian pharaoh looms ominously behind them. It's a wonderfully tense image that captures the classic mid-century pulp mystery vibe, with artist Mike Sekowsky delivering a cover that feels equal parts treasure hunt and lurking danger.