Black Panther #13

Jae Lee's striking cover for Black Panther #13 (2006) sets an unmistakably eerie, ceremonial tone — a pale, dark-haired woman in flowing white and red robes stands with arms outstretched above a crouching T'Challa, whose own arms spread wide into massive curving claws or tusks that frame the entire composition. The contrast between the ghostly figure above and the Black Panther below creates a haunting sense of power and ritual that feels wholly unique within Marvel's 2006 lineup. With Reginald Hudlin writing and Scot Eaton on interior art, "White Light, Black Heat" promises the kind of layered, atmospheric storytelling this creative team does so well.