Batman Eternal #14

A battered, cigar-chomping crime boss in a tuxedo and wide-brimmed hat dominates this striking cover, blood streaking down his white shirt while a tiny Batman silhouette stands framed at his chest — a quietly chilling composition by cover artist Dustin Nguyen. Part of DC's ambitious weekly New 52 series Batman Eternal, issue #14 arrives in September 2014 with a deep creative bench that includes Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, John Layman, Ray Fawkes, and Tim Seeley on writing duties, with interior art by Jason Fabok and colors by Brad Anderson. The cover's stark crimson backdrop and raw, bruised energy make "Natural Order" feel like a chapter where Gotham's underworld is very much alive and fighting back.