Batman Beyond #23

Terry McGinnis's Batman springs into action at the center of a whirlwind of playing cards — including one bearing the unmistakable face of the Royal Flush Gang's King — making this September 2001 issue's "Wild Cards!" cover a striking tease of card-themed trouble ahead. Darwyn Cooke's cover art captures the futuristic Dark Knight in his sleek black-and-red suit, gauntlets crackling with energy as the scattered deck surrounds him on all sides. With Paul Storrie writing and Craig Rousseau on interior art, Batman Beyond #23 looks like a sharp, kinetic entry in this animated-style series.