Unusual Tales #43

A pharaoh's golden mask — complete with cobra crown and ceremonial collar — dominates this January 1964 Charlton anthology, flanked by two sharp-featured men who eye it with unmistakable greed. The cover copy warns that those who lust after the legendary Mask of Romney had better be prepared to pay the price for misusing its powers, setting an ominous tone that carries through the issue's four stories, including "Moment of Judgement," "Faith in Karno," and "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall." Cover art by Pat Masulli and Dick Giordano gives the ancient relic a brooding, almost hypnotic presence that makes this a fine showcase for Charlton's brand of suspense-tinged storytelling.