Azrael #4

Azrael strides forward in his white hood and battle-worn armor, blades at the ready, while a shadowed Batman looms behind him against a backdrop of fire and crackling lightning — Francesco Mattina's painted cover sets an atmosphere of brooding tension that perfectly suits the series' dark tone. Writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Ramón Bachs, inked by John Stanisci, bring "Blood Simple" to life in this March 2010 installment, the fourth chapter of DC's gritty Azrael revival. If you've been following this series, this cover alone promises the kind of high-stakes confrontation that keeps you turning pages.