Iron Man #53

From the cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia, this December 1972 Marvel issue sets up a striking cosmic showdown: Iron Man squares off against Raga, Son of Fire, while an enormous shadowy figure — the Black Lama — looms over them both, cradling three struggling civilians in one massive hand as giant scales hang in the balance. The cover's speech balloon makes the stakes bracingly clear: this battle is being fought to "decide the destiny of man." It's a bold, visually arresting composition that captures Marvel at its most ambitious, with Mike Friedrich, George Tuska, and Jim Starlin bringing the interior drama to life.