Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #3

The concluding chapter of this 2011 Flashpoint tie-in mini-series puts a ruthless, armored Aquaman front and center, wielding his trident as he dominates a bloodied, dark-haired female opponent who is pinned beneath him — a striking image of brutal imperial power rendered with sharp energy by cover penciler Ardian Syaf and inker Vicente Cifuentes. Writer Tony Bedard and interior artist Vicente Cifuentes (with inks by Diana Egea) bring this alternate-universe Atlantean emperor's story to its close across a tension-filled final issue. If the Flashpoint event's darker, war-torn take on DC's heroes has been on your radar, this three-issue capper delivers exactly the kind of high-stakes confrontation its cover promises.