Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #8

Issue 8 of 12 in DC's 1983 maxi-series finds Amethyst at a striking moment of raw power — the cover by George Pérez and Ernie Colón depicts the blonde princess at the center of a spectacular explosion of rainbow-colored crystal shards, arms raised and face fierce, while the faces of several supporting characters are scattered and tumbling through the fragmenting gemstone chaos around her. It's a wonderfully dynamic composition that captures the magical stakes and emotional intensity at the heart of Gemworld. With Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn's script and Ernie Colón's interior art, "First Light" arrives at the two-thirds mark of this vivid fantasy saga with plenty of momentum still to come.