John Carter, Warlord of Mars #15

Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' enduring hero, this 1978 Marvel series entry puts John Carter front and center in a breathtaking cover by Gil Kane and Rudy Nebres — the Warlord himself charging forward on a white mount, sword raised high, surrounded by a stampede of fearsome reptilian creatures with gnashing jaws. The tagline promises that "The Prince of Helium Returns to His Home World," hinting at an Earth-set chapter in Carter's saga with the story title "The History Holocaust!" adding real dramatic weight. Interior work from Marv Wolfman, Walt Simonson, and Rudy Nebres makes this an issue where the talent both inside and out is firing on all cylinders.