Avengers #14

Part of the "Prelude to Infinity" banner, this 2013 Marvel NOW! issue finds the Avengers in rough shape — the cover by Leinil Francis Yu depicts a pile of heroes crashed and crumpled into shattered rubble, their costumes — orange-and-gold, dark tactical black, and the red-accented blue of what appears to be Starhawk — suggesting a team that has just taken a serious beating. Writers Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer, with artist Stefano Caselli and colorist Frank Martin bringing the interior to life, set the stage for the looming Infinity event with a story titled "The Signal" that promises the kind of large-scale tension this creative team does so well.