Mystery in Space #41

DC's Mystery in Space #41 from 1957 presents a wonderfully strange dilemma on its cover, penciled by Gil Kane and inked by Joe Giella: a long-bearded old miser crouches over a tripod-mounted ray device, aiming it at a blazing gem — the Flame-Jewel — floating in the starry void, torn between adding it to his extraordinary hoard and destroying it outright. Scattered around him lies a treasure trove of gold bars, chests, and alien artifacts that speaks to a lifetime of cosmic collecting. Featuring the story "The Miser of Space!," this issue captures the imaginative, science-fantasy spirit that made this era of DC science fiction so endearing.