Batman Beyond #2

The second chapter of "The Heart of the Matter" pits the future's Dark Knight against a Justice League that clearly means business — the cover by Dustin Nguyen splits the image dramatically, with a looming Batman Beyond shielding two frightened civilians on one side while a determined squad of League members, including a green-ring wielder, a horned white-armored figure, and a fierce dark-haired warrior woman, charges forward on the other. It's a tense, beautifully composed standoff that captures exactly why a Batman-versus-the-League story feels so compelling. Writer Adam Beechen and artist Ryan Benjamin, inked by John Stanisci, bring this futuristic corner of the DC Universe to life with real energy in this April 2011 issue.