Joe Palooka Comics #57

Ham Fisher's Joe Palooka returns in this June 1951 Harvey Comics monthly, and the cover puts the beloved champ in serious trouble — caught out of condition and absorbing punishing blows from a larger opponent right in the ring, while a referee looks on from the corner. The cover copy asks the pressing question "Curtains for the Champ?" as Joe takes a hard shot with sweat flying, making it hard not to grab this one off the rack. A lively, kinetic piece of ring action from Fisher, delivering exactly the kind of underdog tension that kept 50 million fans following Palooka's adventures.