Iron Man #26

Iron Man tears across this 2000 cover in a battered, battle-worn red-and-gold suit, fists blazing with repulsor energy as crackling blue lightning and explosive bursts erupt all around him — it's a cover that practically hums with kinetic tension. Joe Quesada's pencils and Tim Townsend's inks give the armor a raw, almost organic quality, with torn plating and flame-licked surfaces that suggest Tony Stark has already been through the wringer before the story even begins. "The Mask in the Iron Man Part One: A Boy and His Toys" promises an intense opening chapter, and this cover makes a compelling case for picking it up.