U.S. Air Force Comics #27

A Cold War showdown unfolds right on the cover of this 1963 Charlton title, where a U.S. Air Force jet is caught in a tense standoff with two Soviet aircraft bearing red stars, one demanding "Surrender or be destroyed!" The cover text for the story "The Black Box" poses a gripping question — was there a traitor aboard, or would the mysterious black box be enough to save the plane? Dick Giordano's cover art captures the drama with vivid orange skies and aircraft rendered in striking detail, making this a fine snapshot of early-'60s military comics at their most suspenseful.