The Phantom Stranger #17

A terrified man sprints down railroad tracks toward the viewer, screaming as a phantom train blazes behind him in a burst of supernatural light — while the brooding, ghostly visage of the Phantom Stranger looms large in the shadows to the left, silently watching it all unfold. Neal Adams' cover work gives the scene a raw, visceral energy that perfectly captures the eerie promise of the story title, "Like a Ghost from the Ashes." At 48 pages for just 25 cents, this February 1972 issue is a generous package of DC's supernatural storytelling at its atmospheric best.