The Funnies #54

Phantasmo — "Master of the World" — dominates this April 1941 Dell anthology cover, rendered by E. C. Stoner with real kinetic energy: the bare-chested, red-caped hero strides forward through a storm of fire, water, and urban chaos while a fleeing figure scrambles behind him. Stoner's cover art captures the sprawling, anything-goes spirit of the era's anthology comics perfectly. Beyond Phantasmo, the issue also promises adventures from The Black Knight, Rex King of the Deep, Sky Ranger, John Carter, and Speed Martin — a genuinely generous lineup for a 10-cent read.