The Phantom Stranger #23

The Phantom Stranger #23 arrives in February 1973 with a cover by Jim Aparo that pulls you straight into theatrical chaos — a white-clad figure clutches a heavy chain above an ornate, candle-ringed coffin-like bier as a panicked crowd scatters below, while the Phantom Stranger's brooding silhouette looms in purple shadow to the left, watching it all unfold. The banner across the top announces the beginning of a Frankenstein storyline, promising that DC's supernatural anthology is pushing into even darker territory. With Len Wein writing and Aparo handling both line and ink work throughout, this is one of those mid-run issues where the creative team's confidence is clearly firing on all cylinders.