Heroes for Hire #3

Issue three of this 2011 Marvel series brings the tension to a head, with Doug Braithwaite's cover depicting a helmeted, armored figure and Iron Fist locking into a fierce, point-blank confrontation — a gun pressed between them, energy blazing at the flashpoint. The dynamic composition practically crackles with the threat of an outcome neither man wants. Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, joined by artist Brad Walker and inker Andrew Hennessy, keep "Trace Elements" looking like essential reading for fans of street-level Marvel action.