Dark Avengers: Ares #3

The concluding chapter of this 2010 Marvel limited series arrives with a cover by Ed McGuinness that radiates brutal intensity — Ares dominates the foreground in his skull-emblazoned armor, one fist thrust forward and a massive cleaver in hand, while a wall of skulls looms behind him and fallen soldiers scatter at his feet. It's a fittingly grand image for the God of War, capturing the raw, unstoppable force that defines the character. Kieron Gillen, Manuel Garcia, Stefano Gaudiano, and José Villarrubia bring this three-part story home in a package that delivers on every promise the cover makes.