Bane: Conquest #4

Graham Nolan's cover for issue four of this twelve-part DC series delivers an immediate jolt: a massively built Bane — venom tubes glowing green, camo pants and all — locks into a fierce clash with Catwoman, who twists acrobatically above him while her whip snaps overhead. The dynamic composition pits raw power against agile cunning in a way that makes "The Challenge, Part One" feel like exactly the right title for what's brewing. With Chuck Dixon and Nolan — the creative team who know Bane as well as anyone — steering this twelve-issue saga in 2017, this is a series that earns every dollar of that cover price.