Detective Comics #743

Dave Johnson's striking cover for Detective Comics #743 (April 2000) sets an unsettling, atmospheric tone — a red-haired woman in tattered clothing reaches forward clutching an ornate dagger, while Batman's silhouette looms large and watchful within a glowing circle behind her. The swirling, flame-like landscape surrounding her adds a sense of dread that pairs perfectly with the story's subtitle, "Whispers in the Dark." With Greg Rucka writing and Shawn Martinbrough on interior art, this issue promises the kind of moody, grounded Batman storytelling that made their run something special.