Green Lantern #52

The cover of this 1994 issue says it all — the massive, yellow-skinned Mongul has Green Lantern Kyle Rayner locked in a crushing bear hug, green energy crackling desperately from the ring as Kyle's face contorts in pain. Darryl Banks and Romeo Tanghal deliver a genuinely menacing image that makes "In the Deadly Grip of Mongul!" feel less like a tagline and more like an understatement. With Ron Marz writing and a full creative team including Steve Carr, Jamal Igle, and Romeo Tanghal on interiors, Green Lantern #52 looks like a punishing test for the new Lantern.