I figured I would add this rather cool cover from THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN #41 since it was the first part in the two part series that was continued in #43. I know, it would seem somewhat odd that the Rhino storyline would continue into issue #42. Yet, this is what Stan Lee and John Romita Sr did way back when the issues were first published. What I really like about this particular cover is the way in which The Rhino is so brilliantly featured. He really looks like a force of nature and a total departure from the common foes Spiderman faced. Dr Octopus, The Green Goblin, The Vulture, et al all were “mad genius” types. The Rhino was more of a powerful, super strong monster with Cold War origins. Perhaps this is why the Rhino essentially disappeared from the pages of Spiderman for decades and was transferred to pages of the Incredible Hulk where he remained a Hulk villain from the 1960’s through the 1970’s. (The Rhino did eventually return to the Spiderman books, but his long absence denied us other cool Spidey vs. Rhino tales) Here is the brilliant cover to Spiderman #41. It never fails to impress even after 4+ decades…..

Actually, I am going to throw in a bonus cover. This is from THE INCREDIBLE HULK #104 and it features the great greenskin’s first confrontation with The Rhino. This cover really does provide a lot of intrigue for the issue itself. Ole Hulk is knocked out unconscious and the mean old Rhino is about to charge (nee: clobber) him. Covers like this really made you curious about what was inside the book. That is why they were able to do wonders for selling tons and tons of issues!