Checkmate #29

The tagline says it all — "Enter the Global Guardians!" — and this October 2008 issue of Checkmate delivers on that promise with a cover that throws a colorful, combative ensemble into the fray: a woman in red unleashing fury, a green-haired fighter airborne in pink, a growling beast-man, and more heroes charging through a swirling backdrop. Looming large in the foreground, a menacing armored figure trains a laser-sighted weapon directly at the reader, making the threat feel immediate and personal. Writer Bruce Jones and artist Manuel Garcia close out their "Chimera" arc with this fourth chapter, and the cover crackles with the kind of tension that makes you want to flip straight to the first page.