Legends of the DC Universe #13

The cover by Dave Johnson makes an immediate impression: a grimacing, larger-than-life Flash dominates the foreground, gritted teeth and all, while Superman, Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow are scattered across a stormy cityscape around him — a Justice League clearly pushed to its limits. This February 1999 issue wraps up the "Critical Mass" two-parter, with writer Christopher Priest, artist Ken Lashley, and inker Ron Boyd delivering the conclusion to whatever tension has been building across the arc. If you want your JLA stories with genuine urgency and a full roster of heavy hitters, this one looks the part.