Guardians of the Galaxy #24

The 31st-century Marvel Universe gets an electrifying visitor in this 1992 issue, as a silver-skinned, red-caped figure — billed right on the cover as the Silver Surfer — hovers dramatically above a stunned group of Guardians, one hand raised with a gleaming golden gauntlet. The assembled team below, including a flame-headed figure and a lion-faced warrior among others, stares upward in clear astonishment at "The Coming of the Keeper!" Jim Valentino and Ron Lim bring real power to this cover, and the issue's own teaser says it all: "If you read no other magazine this month, you must read…" — hard to argue with that kind of confidence.