Avengers #4

Part of Marvel's 2010 Heroic Age relaunch, this fourth issue of Bendis's Avengers run presents a striking cover by John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson: an aged, weathered man wearing Iron Man's red-and-gold armor stares out with quiet intensity, his white-streaked hair and beard a sharp contrast to the gleaming suit's arc reactor glowing at his chest. The image raises immediate questions about identity and legacy without saying a word. With Romita Jr.'s bold linework and Dean White's rich colors setting the tone, it's a compelling snapshot of the Heroic Age at its most intriguing.