Marvel Tales #48

This December 1973 reprint showcase puts Spider-Man front and center in a dramatically dynamic cover by John Romita, depicting the wall-crawler lunging toward the viewer against a brick wall while, behind iron bars, a crowd of armed guards closes in — all under the bold warning "Escape Impossible!" The tension between Spidey's acrobatic freedom and the looming threat of those armed figures makes for a genuinely gripping visual. Inside, Stan Lee, John Romita, Jim Mooney, and letterer Artie Simek contribute to "The Impossible Escape," a story that clearly earns its nerve-wracking title.