Avengers #37

A devastated landscape sets a grim tone on Steve Epting and Al Vey's cover for this 2001 issue, where Captain America stands cruciform against a massive golden structure amid the ruins of Slorenia — fallen teammates scattered across the rubble at his feet. The tagline "From the Ashes of Slorenia… Death!" signals that Kurt Busiek's "Scorched Earth" is anything but a light read, with the header portraits of the team's roster underscoring just how many heroes are caught up in this crisis. Fans of the Busiek era will want this one on their shelf.