Space Adventures #26

A fleet of gleaming flying saucers descends over a recognizable New York City street corner — Madison Avenue and 46th Street — while a crowd of wide-eyed onlookers cranes their necks skyward in a mix of awe and alarm, with robotic or spacesuited figures visible in the background. Cover artist Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio captures that particular late-1950s dread and wonder perfectly, rooting an extraterrestrial encounter in the thoroughly familiar geography of midtown Manhattan. Inside, writer Joe Gill and artist Steve Ditko bring their own talents to "A Visit to Planet 3," making this December 1958 Charlton issue a fine showcase of the era's science-fiction storytelling.