Heroes for Hire #18

Heroes for Hire #18 brings a serious martial-arts energy to December 1998, with a cover by Pascual Ferry and Jaime Mendoza that packs in an impressive roster. Iron Fist surges to the forefront, chi blazing around his fist, while Shang-Chi — Master of Kung Fu — stands ready at his shoulder, and a sword-wielding female warrior flanks them both. Dominating the upper half, a roaring Wolverine tears forward with claws fully extended alongside another armed fighter, making good on the issue's bold guest-star announcement. Writer John Ostrander assembles a formidable team here, and "Danny and the Pirates" sounds like exactly the kind of high-stakes adventure this lineup deserves.