Astro City: Silver Agent #2

The second and final issue of this 2010 Wildstorm/DC special closes out the Silver Agent's story under the title "Home to the Hill," with a cover by Alex Ross that speaks volumes before a single page is turned. Ross renders a rain-soaked memorial statue of Alan Craig — the Silver Agent, 1932–1973 — standing stoic on its pedestal, the inscription "To Our Eternal Shame" casting a melancholy weight over the whole image. It's a quietly powerful piece, and with Kurt Busiek writing and Brent Anderson on interior art, the creative team brings the same thoughtful craft that has long defined Astro City at its best.