Patsy Walker #55

A charming autumn scene sets the stage for teenage romantic rivalry in this 1954 Atlas Comics entry, with Al Jaffee's cover art capturing Patsy Walker cozied up to a handsome fellow beneath a leaf-strewn tree — rake in hand, hearts floating in the air — while a skeptical onlooker quips, "Since when does a girl need instruction on how to rake leaves?" Co-starring Hedy Wolfe, who appears coolly composed alongside a bewildered blond boy in the background, the cover perfectly distills the light, witty jealousy and social sparring that made Patsy Walker such a delight. Jaffee's clean linework and expressive characters make this issue a warm snapshot of mid-fifties teen comedy at its most playful.