Captain America #8

Captain America's shield lies abandoned in a field of rubble, bathed in the hellish orange glow of a burning cityscape — a quietly devastating image that sets the tone for "The Winter Soldier, Part 1 of 6." Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting open this six-part arc with a cover that speaks volumes without showing a single hero, letting the iconic disc do all the storytelling. Frank D'Armata's smoldering color work turns the devastated skyline into something almost elegiac, making this 2005 issue feel both urgent and haunting from the very first glance.