Batman: Shadow of the Bat #67

That cover by Chris Moeller says everything you need to know about the tone of this October 1997 installment — Batman reels back, mouth open in a raw, visceral cry against a fiery burst of light, his cape and ears cutting sharp silhouettes as something clearly tears at him from within. The tagline "…and the fear inside his skull will soon burst it apart…" perfectly sets the stage for "Illusions Part Three: Thinker and the Cheat," the third chapter of a story that has Batman pushed to his psychological limits. With Alan Grant writing and Norm Breyfogle on interior art, this mid-run Shadow of the Bat entry promises the dark, psychologically charged storytelling the series does so well.