Howard the Duck #22

Promise of a galaxy-spanning duck tale delivered with a wink, this March 1978 issue reunites Howard with the shambling, mossy giant Man-Thing in what the cover cheerfully dubs "May the Farce Be with You!" Cover art by Gene Colan and Frank Giacoia depicts Howard — armed with a tiny sword and dressed for adventure — standing alongside a blonde woman, a sword-wielding green creature, a long-haired warrior, and a horned brute, all facing the looming, claw-extended form of Man-Thing against a dramatic purple sky. The tagline promises "a duck tale that spans the galaxy — and still goes nowhere," which is exactly the kind of gloriously self-aware absurdity that made Steve Gerber's run on this series so distinctive in 1978.