Joe Palooka Comics #23

Ham Fisher's cover for this August 1948 issue sets a breezy, lighthearted tone as a jubilant emcee announces the "Miss Atomic Blonde of 1948" winner before a lineup of three smiling contestants in swimsuits — the winner beaming as she's presented with a trophy. Billed as the "Big Bathing Beauty Issue," this fun entry in the long-running Joe Palooka Comics series captures the cheerful, good-natured humor that kept the strip boasting over 50,000,000 readers every day. A charming snapshot of 1948 popular culture wrapped in Fisher's warm, expressive cartooning.