Red Mask #51

Red Mask strides front and center in his distinctive blue costume and red cape, sending a villain tumbling head-over-heels while a second outlaw reels from a well-placed punch in the smoky background — it's a wonderfully kinetic cover by Dick Ayers that captures the masked western hero at his most formidable. The banner across the bottom heralds "The Magic of The Presto Kid," promising something a little out of the ordinary alongside the hard-riding action. With interior work from writer Gardner Fox and artist Frank Bolle, this 1955 Magazine Enterprises entry is a fine snapshot of the genre when masked heroes and the wide-open frontier made for irresistible storytelling.