Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #99

The concluding chapter of "Steps" arrives in this October 1997 installment of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, with a cover painted by Sean Phillips that immediately commands attention. Batman dominates the foreground in a powerful crouching stance, his cape spread wide and utility belt gleaming, while behind him a panicked civilian in a white shirt reaches out with an expression of real desperation. It's a striking composition that balances the Dark Knight's brooding composure against the raw fear of an ordinary person caught in extraordinary circumstances — a fine setup for Paul Jenkins and Sean Phillips's two-part tale.