JLA #86

The cover of JLA #86 pulls no punches: Superman lies sprawled and apparently defeated at the center of a shattered circular surface — bearing the JLA logo — while Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and at least two other figures are strewn around him, equally incapacitated. Doug Mahnke and Tom Nguyen render the scene with striking clarity, making "Stopped Dead!" feel genuinely earned as a cover blurb. Part three of "Trial by Fire" arrives in 2003 with the Justice League at its lowest, and this image alone makes a compelling case for picking up the issue.