Joe Palooka #99

A complete self-contained adventure from Ham Fisher's beloved boxing champion, this February 1957 Harvey Comics issue promises readers a tense encounter right there on the cover — a wide-eyed blonde woman in an evening gown clutches something in her hand while a dark-haired man with a gun is wrestled from behind by a heavyset thug, all as a grinning, blond Joe Palooka watches the chaotic scene unfold. The partially visible cover text hints at an "international band of smugglers," which fits nicely with the interior story title "The Million Dollar Shoes." With over 60,000,000 readers claimed on the cover, this was clearly one of mid-century comics' most popular series, and this issue delivers its trademark blend of action and colorful characters in one complete story.