Space War
Charlton · 1959–1979 · 34 issues
About the series
From 1959 to 1979, Charlton Comics published Space War, a 34-issue anthology series that blended science fiction adventure with a unique recurring gimmick: every issue featured a Charles Atlas bodybuilding advertisement, making it a curious intersection of cosmic heroics and physical fitness. The series is most associated with prolific writer Joe Gill and a rotating roster of artists including Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio, Bill Molno, and a young Steve Ditko, whose early work here helped define the eerie, kinetic style he would later bring to Marvel. Though never a flagship title, Space War matters as a snapshot of Charlton's low-budget, high-imagination approach to genre comics during the Silver and Bronze Ages.