Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #126

The Joker looms large over a chessboard on this unsettling 2000 cover by Alex Maleev and Wayne Faucher — his wide grin and gloved hands hovering possessively over pieces carved in the likenesses of Batman and an unidentified figure, with Christmas ornaments and garland framing the scene in darkly festive irony. The "No Man's Land" banner and "Endgame: Part 1" tagline set the stage for what promises to be a high-stakes confrontation, with the Clown Prince of Crime clearly fancying himself the one pulling all the strings. Writers Greg Rucka and Devin Grayson, alongside artists Dale Eaglesham and Damian Scott, deliver the opener to what looks like a chilling holiday chapter in Gotham's long nightmare.