Four Color #817

Dell's long-running Western series puts Little Beaver front and center on this 1957 issue, the young hero standing alert with bow in hand against a dramatic rocky backdrop, a bear crouching at his side. The painted cover — rendered by Sparky Moore — captures a sense of quiet determination as the tagline promises he "fought to guard 'Forbidden Treasure!'" It's a fine example of mid-century Western comics at their most handsomely illustrated.