Captain America #46

Two titans collide in churning ocean surf as Captain America — shield raised, red-gloved fist cocked — clashes with Namor the Sub-Mariner, who looms above him arms raised and ready to strike. The raw, waterlogged energy of this cover by Steve Epting (with colors by Frank D'Armata) perfectly sets the stage for "Old Friends and Enemies Part 1 of 3," with Ed Brubaker at the helm of the script. Whether these two are truly at war or fighting side by side against something worse, this 2009 issue promises the kind of Marvel team-up tension that makes the wait for part two genuinely difficult.