Batman: Shadow of the Bat #32

Part two of the "Prodigal" storyline arrives in this November 1994 installment, with a Brian Stelfreeze cover that layers tension beautifully — a lithe, crouching Batman poised against a blood-red sky, a full moon at his back, while a brooding close-up of a young man's face looms large to the right and two shadowy villainous figures leer from above. The composition quietly asks who truly stands behind the cowl, making this one of the more thoughtfully designed covers of the series. Alan Grant and Bret Blevins helm the interior, promising the kind of gritty Gotham storytelling this title does so well.