Modern Comics #82

Against a backdrop of roaring flames engulfing the Proctor Oil facility, Reed Crandall's cover captures Blackhawk and his blue-uniformed squadron in urgent action — one teammate reaching over the side of a small boat to haul a desperate figure from the water while two more squad members rush in from behind. For a dime and 52 pages, this February 1949 issue promises the kind of high-stakes adventure the Blackhawk series did so well, with the cover's blazing inferno and that headline — "Blackhawk Battles a Firebug!" — setting the scene with real punch.