Ideal #1

From 1948, this entry in Marvel's "Ideal: A Classical Comic" line brings Shakespeare's timeless tragedy of passion and power to the four-color page. The cover depicts Mark Antony in full Roman armor embracing a richly dressed Cleopatra, her golden headdress and red robes vivid against his green cape, while in the background an enraged warrior raises a dagger and threatens them both with a speech balloon that captures the tension perfectly. Artist C. C. Beck, inked by Pete Costanza, brings the drama of ancient Rome and Egypt to life with confident, expressive linework worthy of Rod Reed's adaptation.