Batwoman #5

Part of DC's New 52 relaunch, this March 2012 issue concludes the "Hydrology" arc with a cover by J. H. Williams III that is genuinely haunting — Batwoman's maskless face floats just above a watery surface, her red hair splayed out around her, while a massive, smoke-like skull looms overhead and a flaming hand reaches toward her from the left. Williams's painterly composition blends dread and beauty in equal measure, making this a striking showcase for the title's distinct visual identity right from its earliest chapters.