Racket Squad in Action #12

This 1954 Charlton crime title delivers a cover by Steve Ditko that crackles with raw, kinetic energy — a wild-eyed, shirtless figure is caught in a massive explosion that blasts him clean through a wall, sending debris, crates, and scattered goods flying in every direction while a getaway car looms in the rubble-strewn background. It's the kind of visceral, eye-catching image that made crime comics impossible to leave on the rack. Inside, the creative team of Carl Memling, Bill Molno, Ray Osrin, and Jon D'Agostino bring the story "Robbery by Appointment!" to life in fine mid-1950s fashion.