Doctor Fate #5

The five-part "The Curse" arc reaches its conclusion in this February 2004 finale, and Paul Rivoche's cover captures the tension perfectly — Dr. Fate, golden helmet gleaming, channels a crackling surge of mystical energy directly into a battered, armored antagonist whose body crackles and fractures under the onslaught. The dynamic composition, all raw power and close-quarters intensity, makes it clear that whatever conflict has been building across this miniseries is reaching its peak. With Christopher Golden writing, Don Kramer on interior art, and Prentis Rollins inking, this is a satisfying capstone to a DC supernatural series that took its sorcery seriously.