Captain America #26

Part of Marvel's 2007 "The Initiative" banner, this issue of Ed Brubaker's acclaimed run pairs writer Brubaker with artist Steve Epting and inker Mike Perkins for a cover that radiates cold menace. Dominating the composition is a towering, armored figure with a glowing red eye, flanked by two imposing faces — one bearing a skeletal visage — while three smaller figures, including a blond woman and two armed combatants, are arrayed in the foreground. Colorist Frank D'Armata bathes the whole scene in steely greens and grays, perfectly setting the mood for a story titled "Sharon and the Contessa.