Captain Marvel #3

The cover of this February 1996 third issue says it all: Captain Marvel and the bladed, long-haired antagonist X-Treme square off in a burst of cosmic energy before — as the cover cheekily promises — they team up. Ed Benes and Mike Sellers deliver a punchy, kinetic composition, with both figures caught mid-lunge and glowing power crackling between them. Writer Fabian Nicieza's "Bitter Pills" looks to balance hard-hitting action with some welcome wit, making this a solid pick from Marvel's mid-'90s Universe line.