Deathstroke, the Terminator #16

Part seven of the sprawling "Total Chaos" crossover event arrives with a gut-punch of a cover: Deathstroke's distinctive orange-and-blue armored form lies limp and battered against a rocky surface, cradled by another figure in a pose that radiates defeat and desperation. Mike Zeck's cover art makes the most of that dramatic blurb — "Not a Hoax — Not a Dream! The Death of Slade Wilson!" — while the banner above promises the Brotherhood of Evil's return for good measure. With Marv Wolfman writing and a tie-in to New Titans #92 teasing Lord Chaos versus everyone, this 1992 issue sits at a genuinely tense moment in the crossover.