Aquaman #45

The cover of this 2019 issue says it all: Aquaman lies sprawled and seemingly helpless in the churning surf while a towering, terrifying figure looms over him — Namma, Mother of Death, a fearsome sea-goddess armored in dark scales and crowned with jagged black spines, her glowing eyes and cruel grin making her threat unmistakably clear. The cover's bold declaration, "Even kings bow to gods!", sets the stakes for part three of Kelly Sue DeConnick's "Unspoken Water" arc with real menace. Robson Rocha and Daniel Henriques deliver a striking image that makes Namma's introduction feel genuinely dangerous.