Black Widow #3

The tension couldn't be drawn any tighter than it is on Scott Hampton's cover for this Marvel Knights installment — two women in black tactical suits stand face to face, each pressing a pistol directly to the other's temple in a perfect, nerve-wracking standoff. Their shadowy silhouettes loom behind them on a stark yellow background, doubling the sense of mirrored dread. Written by Devin Grayson and Greg Rucka, "Breakdown Part 3" promises the kind of cool, psychological edge that made this 2001 Black Widow series a treat for fans who appreciate spy craft alongside superheroics.