Howard the Duck #15

Howard the Duck is well and truly in over his head on this August 1977 cover — literally face-down on rocky Mediterranean shores as the imposing, bell-helmeted Dr. Bong looms over him in a sweeping cape, while a terrified red-haired woman struggles nearby. Gene Colan and Tom Palmer deliver a wonderfully dramatic scene that captures the series' signature blend of absurdist menace and genuine peril, with that tagline — "Welcome to the Mediterranean's Last Resort!" — perfectly summing up the dark comedic tone Steve Gerber brought to every issue. If you've ever wanted to see a cigar-chomping duck trapped on a mysterious island facing a villain with a literal bell for a head, this is exactly the issue for you.