The Funnies #39

That vivid yellow cover of The Funnies #39 (January 1940) pulls you straight into a naval battle scene, with a dark submarine surfacing aggressively alongside a large ship amid churning waves, billowing smoke, and an explosion of orange fire — while a warplane streaks overhead through the clouds. This ten-cent Dell anthology packed real variety, featuring Rex King of the Deep, John Carter of Mars, Capt. Easy, Alley Oop, Mr. District Attorney, Sky Ranger, and more, with Bob Gaylord contributing to the mix. It's a fine snapshot of what a 1940 comics reader got for a dime: high-seas action, interplanetary adventure, and a whole lot more between two covers.