Captain America #22

Part one of "The Drums of War" arrives as the Marvel Universe tears itself apart during Civil War, and Steve Epting's cover sets the tension perfectly — a determined dark-haired woman armed with a high-powered rifle stands over a mass of downed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, their insignia unmistakable even in the chaos. Ed Brubaker and Mike Perkins bring their signature intensity to this three-part arc, and the cover's teal-and-red palette gives the whole scene a striking, almost cinematic weight.