Birds of Prey #49

Phil Noto's cover for Birds of Prey #49 sets a quietly unsettling tone: a brooding, suited man stands framed by a glowing clock face while a red-haired woman sits on the ground before him, her back turned, suggesting a tense and unequal confrontation. The muted teal and violet palette gives the scene an eerie, almost dreamlike weight that feels perfectly suited to part three of "The Chaotic Code: Family Matters." With Terry Moore writing and Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti handling interior art, this January 2003 issue promises the sharp character dynamics and emotional tension the series does so well.