Hawk and Dove #9

The cover of this February 1990 DC issue makes the threat unmistakably clear: the serpentine villain Copperhead has Hawk crushing in his massive golden coils, while a dazed Dove lies crumpled on the ground below and a small inset panel hints at the duo's usual dynamic. The tagline "In the Coils of… Copperhead!" sets a nicely ominous tone to match the stormy, lightning-streaked backdrop rendered by Greg Guler and Karl Kesel. With B. & K. Kesel also handling the interior script, "Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth" looks like a tense, high-stakes chapter for the Lords of Order's champions.