Arion, Lord of Atlantis #23

The cover of this September 1984 DC release tells a tense story all on its own: a powerfully built warrior in red, crescent-moon headband and blade raised high, stands triumphant over a fallen figure in blue who looks up helplessly from the ground — a striking image of dominance and peril rendered with real force by Jan Duursema. With "Homecoming!" as the story's title, whatever Arion has returned to clearly isn't a warm welcome. It's the kind of cover composition that pulls you in and makes putting the issue back on the shelf surprisingly difficult.