Deadman #4

The concluding chapter of DC's 1986 four-part Deadman mini-series arrives with a cover by John Byrne and José Luis García-López that pulls no punches: the ghostly acrobat in his distinctive red costume dives through swirling flames, firing a deadly beam point-blank at a blond figure reeling below, the words "Now — YOU DIE!" hanging in the air between them. Surrounding the action, a corner note cheekily warns that Ambush Bug is coming, adding a dash of the unexpected to an already charged finale. Andrew Helfer and García-López bring "Circle of Fire" to a close, and this cover makes a strong case that the tension has been building to exactly this moment.