Batman: Gotham Adventures #15

The Dark Knight faces off against the hulking, masked Bane in a fierce close-quarters struggle — all while two frightened children look on in the background, adding genuine stakes to this 1999 showdown. The animated-style artwork from cover penciler Bob Smith and inker Terry Beatty captures the raw size difference between the two combatants beautifully, with Batman's cape sweeping dramatically as he squares up against his massive opponent. With Scott Peterson writing and Tim Levins on interior art, Batman: Gotham Adventures #15 delivers the kind of kinetic, all-ages energy that made this series a treat for fans of the animated universe.