Captain Marvel #45

The cover of this July 1976 issue says it all: Rick Jones is caught squarely between a snarling, massive monster and a wild-eyed Captain Marvel bearing down on him with fists flying, all set against a disorienting otherworldly dimension. The cover copy screams that Mar-Vell has become a "mad killer" and Rick Jones is fighting for his life, making for one of the more genuinely tense setups in the series' run. With pencils by Al Milgrom and John Romita and inks by Mike Esposito and John Romita, the composition crackles with energy — a vivid snapshot of cosmic Marvel storytelling at its mid-'70s peak.