Guardians of the Galaxy #16

Part of the "Grounded" storyline, this 2017 Marvel issue puts Groot front and center in a striking cover by Arthur Adams — the beloved Flora Colossus crouches low, gently cradling a single small flower between his clawed hands against a chaotic backdrop of crowds, industrial smokestacks, and the U.S. Capitol building. The quiet tenderness of that tiny bloom set against the surrounding turmoil makes for a genuinely memorable image. Inside, Brian Michael Bendis writes with Valerio Schiti on art and Richard Isanove's vivid colors bringing the Guardians' earthbound adventure to life.