Batman #417

Batman swoops dramatically over a golden-lit Gotham cityscape, cape billowing and grappling line in hand, in this striking cover penciled and inked by Mike Zeck. It's the opener of the four-part "Ten Nights of the Beast!" arc, with Jim Starlin writing and Jim Aparo on interior art — a creative team that clearly means business. The vertiginous bird's-eye view of the city streets far below gives the whole image a real sense of urgency, setting an appropriately tense stage for whatever lies ahead.