Hawkman #10

The cover by John Byrne sets the stakes immediately: Hawkman surges forward with bow drawn against a star-filled purple sky, while Hawkwoman flies at his side bearing a weapon, and the unmistakable silhouette of Superman looms behind them both. The tagline — "…And these three will decide the fate of the Earth" — frames the "Shadow War: The Final Battle!" arc as something genuinely grand in scope. Written by Barbara Randall and Dan Mishkin with interior art by Richard Howell and Carlos Garzón, this May 1987 issue promises a collision of winged warriors and DC's greatest hero that feels earned rather than merely hyped.