Birds of Prey #16

Part of DC's New 52 initiative, Birds of Prey #16 (March 2013) promises intense action right on its cover — Black Canary crackles with sonic energy in the background while Batgirl and the sword-wielding, black-armored Strix surge forward through an explosion of debris, with a dark-clad figure leaping in behind them. The tagline "Against the Menace of Strix!" sets a suitably dramatic tone for writer Duane Swierczynski's "Lights Out," brought to vivid life by the cover art of penciler Romano Molenaar and inker Vicente Cifuentes. A great pick for fans of team dynamics and hard-hitting superhero action.