Excalibur #89

Part two of the "Dream Nails" trilogy arrives in this September 1995 X-Men Deluxe title, with a cover by Bill Sienkiewicz that crackles with tension and intimacy. Nightcrawler — his blue skin and red costume unmistakable — holds a red-haired woman in a yellow suit close while a clawed, monstrous hand drives a blade downward toward them both, the radiating lines behind the figures amplifying the urgency of the moment. Warren Ellis and artist David Williams are steering Excalibur through bold territory, and Sienkiewicz's dynamic cover makes a strong case for jumping on right here.