JLA #116

Written by Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, this September 2005 installment of the "Crisis of Conscience" arc puts the tension front and center — literally. The cover by Rags Morales and Mark Farmer captures Batman and Hawkman locked in a fierce, point-blank clash, bats swirling through a blood-red sky as a burst of energy erupts between them, with the words "Breaking the Trust!" spelling out exactly the mood inside the League. With interior art by Chris Batista and Farmer, this is a striking snapshot of the JLA at a breaking point, where even its most formidable members can't seem to stay on the same side.