Hero for Hire #13

Luke Cage finds himself at the center of a wild, visceral struggle on this September 1973 cover, surrounded by a roaring lion, a leaping tiger, and a snarling leopard while a flame-wielding, red-maned villain closes in — all teasing the story within, "The Claws of Lionfang." Billy Graham and John Romita pack the cover with kinetic energy, the big cats lunging from every direction as Cage stands his ground in the urban sprawl. At just 20 cents, this is a vivid snapshot of Marvel's street-level hero at his most tested.