John Carter, Warlord of Mars #19

Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' beloved Martian saga, this December 1978 Marvel issue plunges readers into aerial combat as the cover — penciled by Ernie Colón and inked by Rudy Nebres — depicts John Carter locked in a fierce mid-air sword duel with a menacing winged figure, blades crossing amid a clash of raw planetary adventure. A second warrior in blue and gold struggles in the fray below, and the bold tagline "War with the Wing-Men!" makes the stakes of this Barsoomian conflict unmistakably clear. With Chris Claremont scripting and Ernie Colón on interior art, issue #19 delivers the kind of swashbuckling pulp excitement that made this series a standout in Marvel's late-'70s lineup.