John Carter, Warlord of Mars #27

Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' beloved creation, this 1979 Marvel series reaches its twelfth chapter of "The Master Assassin of Mars" with a cover that pulses with planetary adventure. Bob Budiansky and Joe Sinnott deliver a striking scene: John Carter leaps through the air with weapons drawn while a massive, heavily armored villain looms in the foreground, and a dark-haired woman in Martian garb raises her sword defiantly beside him — the tagline "Death Marathon!" making the stakes unmistakably clear. It's a vivid snapshot of Barsoomian action that captures exactly why this series has kept fans invested across two dozen issues.