Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #88

The "Conspiracy" arc reaches its third and final chapter in this November 1996 installment of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, with a cover by J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray that puts Batman in immediate, visceral danger — a powerfully built, bare-chested bald adversary looms over the Dark Knight, swinging a spiked flail while gripping Batman's wrist in what looks like a desperate struggle for control. The composition is framed by a circular red-tinted pattern that gives the confrontation a ritualistic intensity, perfectly setting the stage for a concluding chapter. Doug Moench's script, brought to life inside by Williams and Gray, promises a satisfying resolution to whatever shadowy forces have been closing in on Gotham's protector.