Phantom Lady #2 Cover (Ajax-Farrell, 1955) (Last Pre-Code Issue In Run)

The Phantom Lady was the perfect melding of the main obsessions of Golden Age comic illustrators: action, superheroes, and brazen imagery.

The twist? Socialite and Senator's daughter Sandra Knight was the tough-as-nails hero, nimbly getting herself into suspiciously sultry danger, then getting out of it with cunning, panache, and no shortage of leggy kicks.

Phantom Lady proved popular even after the Wertham-influenced "cleaning up" of the comics industry. Even under the dictates of comic code modesty, our heroine still captivates at center, with her powerful form dominating both the composition and her enemies' doomed figures.

Among the most beloved of cult heroes of the Golden Age, art featuring this titanic character is nearly impossible to find, making this cover a true rarity.

pencils and inks; 1955; 14.5" x 19.5