Defenders #3

Issue three of this 2005 Marvel limited series carries a genuinely unsettling cover by Kevin Maguire: a colossal, flame-wreathed cosmic entity looms over a tiny, vulnerable Earth cradled in its massive clawed hands, its hollow eyes burning with menace. The image does all the work the story title — "The End of the World as We Know It!" — promises, suggesting the stakes couldn't be much higher for the Defenders. With the creative team of Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Maguire reunited, this series was a treat for fans of their legendary collaboration.