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National Comics #17
"Peril at the Panama Canal" is a standout tale from National Comics #17 (1941), a rare early appearance of the mythic hero Merlin in a wartime adventure. Written and drawn by Fred Guardineer, the story blends classical legend with wartime urgency as Merlin, aided by the divine Pegasus, races to protect Helena from Nazi forces, fleeing from Greece to Egypt. The dynamic cover by Lou Fine captures the mythic stakes with bold, fluid lines.