Justice League #9

Part of DC's ambitious New 52 relaunch, Justice League #9 arrives in 2012 with a cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams that puts Superman, Cyborg, and Batman shoulder-to-shoulder against a swarm of orange-clad figures in what looks like a prison setting — fists clenched, energy crackling, the trio clearly outnumbered but far from outmatched. Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are on interior duties, with the story kicking off "The Villain's Journey Chapter One: The Call for Adventure," promising a fresh antagonist-driven arc for Earth's greatest heroes. As a bonus, the Shazam backup feature continues inside, giving readers two compelling threads for one cover price.