Mystery in Space #24

Murphy Anderson's cover for this 1955 DC anthology perfectly captures the offbeat charm of mid-century science fiction: a space-helmeted man in everyday clothes sits on a rocky asteroid, suitcase in hand labeled "Jupiter City or Bust!," thumb raised to hitch a ride from a passing rocket — while a roadside signpost nearby cheerfully points the mileage to Saturn and Jupiter. The featured story, "Hitchhiker of Space!," promises the kind of imaginative, light-hearted adventure that made Mystery in Space such a delight in its era. At just a dime, this issue showcases the playful wit that DC's science fiction line brought to readers throughout the 1950s.