Batman: Dark Victory #2

The second chapter of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's thirteen-part noir saga subtitles itself "Secrets," and Tim Sale's cover makes the theme viscerally clear — a shadowy, wide-brimmed figure rendered in stark acid-green and black dominates the image, a bold question mark emblazoned on his hat while piercing eyes stare out from beneath the brim. It's a masterclass in atmospheric minimalism, all deep shadow and implied menace that perfectly captures the brooding tone of this Gotham crime story. If you were following Dark Victory from issue one, this 2000 installment promises the mystery is only deepening.