Sad Sack Comics #73

Harvey's long-running army humor series delivers another dose of misfortune with issue #73, and the cover by George Baker says it all — poor Sad Sack has somehow set off a cannon, sending his own helmet rocketing out the barrel amid a glorious explosion of stars and smoke, while he reacts with wide-eyed, open-mouthed horror. The bold "BOOM" splashed across that vivid red background perfectly captures the brand of slapstick bad luck that made this series, as the cover itself declares, "loved by millions." For ten cents in 1957, this was cheerful, relatable comic misery at its finest.