Today I’m offering two issues of 1950′s Atlas comics that I’m betting you’ve never heard of (I certainly hadn’t) which have great covers that their contents unfortunately can’t fully live up to. First up, Billy Buckskin, Atlas’ 1955 attempt to jump on the still moving Dave Crockett/coonskin cap bandwagon. Three issues of it were published.

Unfortunately instead of featuring work by the always wonderful Joe Maneely the Grand Comic Book Database tells me it’s a collaboration between Mad Magazine’s own Mort Drucker and Maneely. It’s not bad and it’s certainly interesting but it’s just not the same as if Maneely was doing the art on his own.

Today’s second curiosity is Police Badge #479, a single issue of which was published in 1955. What a cover! The huge honking logo, the focus on our hero, rookie policeman Jim Hudson and those three slightly dubious looking wiseguys providing the Greek Chorus who look like they’ve wondered off of the set of Guys and Dolls. Gosh, it’s nice.

The issue features early work (signed!) by Don Heck. It’s pretty good, but I’m afraid it just can’t live up to that cover…