Invincible Iron Man #522

The chess-board imagery on Salvador Larroca's cover for issue #522 says it all — an unseen hand reaches in to capture a piece while, in the mid-ground, two human figures rendered in the silver of chess pieces stand exposed and vulnerable amid a crowded field of armored, mechanized opponents. It's a striking visual metaphor for manipulation and high-stakes maneuvering that fits "The Future: Part 2" perfectly. Matt Fraction and Larroca were clearly in fine form here, delivering a cover that frames Tony Stark's world as a game where the players may not be who — or what — you expect.