Birds of Prey #71

Superman takes center stage on this October 2004 cover, soaring above a painted twilight sky with a red-haired woman cradled in his arms while a blonde woman in a dark costume reaches up to grasp his hand — a striking image of strength and rescue rendered in moody, painterly style by cover artist Mark Texeira. The story title "High Hopes" is elegantly scripted across the clouds, lending a quietly emotional weight to the scene. Gail Simone's run on Birds of Prey was reliably compelling, and this "Between Dark and Dawn" arc promises the same sharp character dynamics that made her work on the series so well regarded.