JLA #43

The cover of JLA #43 sets an unsettling tone right away: a green-robed, dark-haired figure stands center stage with a black crow perched nearby, while the tattered costumes of the Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman hang crucified on wooden posts around him — a grim tableau promising real trouble for Earth's greatest heroes. This is "Tower of Babel Part One of Four," and the tagline "A Dangerous New Direction!" feels well-earned given what Howard Porter and Drew Geraci have laid out here. Mark Waid launches a four-part saga in this July 2000 issue that looks, from its striking cover alone, like a story the Justice League won't soon forget.