The SA/pre-SA DC books used "shocking" covers as a marketing device. They made you go "This can't be happening! Superman/Batman can't be doing that!"...and then you had to buy the book to see how it turned out. Usually, a clever excuse was made for the hero's seemingly out-of-character behavior. Or, in extreme cases, it was just "an imaginary story". That's why you'll find lots of, ehm, interesting DC covers in that era. (And occasionally later, too.)

Here's my contribution to this thread: http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=41532&zoom=4
It's a 1980s creator-owned book. Not a DC book. Not even any witty text there, just a witty picture. I like it.


imagePray.