Exiles #16

Hauntingly beautiful, this 2002 Marvel issue centers on Nocturne, rendered in striking blue against a stark black background, her long dark hair falling loosely as she cradles a glowing red rose surrounded by soft, sparkling light — a portrait of quiet vulnerability and grace. The cover pencils by Jim Calafiore and inks by Mark McKenna give her gold-adorned figure an almost ethereal quality, perfectly in keeping with the story's evocative title, "Nocturne And Evensong." Writer Judd Winick and artist Jim Calafiore were crafting some genuinely compelling character work in the Exiles' dimensional adventures at this point, and this intimate, reflective cover suggests something more personal than your average superhero showdown.