Batman: Gotham County Line #1

Scott Hampton's cover sets an immediate tone of occult unease — Batman looms large against a fiery amber background crawling with arcane symbols, pentagrams, and handwritten notes, while an armed, knife-wielding figure scrambles desperately in his grasp. Writer Steve Niles, the mind behind modern horror comics, teams with Hampton and colorist José Villarrubia for this 2005 three-part prestige series that pushes the Dark Knight well beyond Gotham's familiar streets. "Book One: The Obvious Kill" promises the kind of moody, supernatural thriller that makes this creative team a natural fit for Batman's darker corners.