Batman: The Dark Knight #27

From writer Gregg Hurwitz and cover artist Chris Burnham, this 2014 New 52 installment puts Batman in a tense standoff inside what looks like a dimly lit warehouse corridor. He shields a handcuffed, frightened woman from a trio of skull-masked, heavily armed thugs advancing from the background — a charged composition that makes the threat feel immediate and claustrophobic. Alberto Ponticelli handles the interior art for "Angel of Darkness," promising the same gritty energy that jumps right off the cover.