Legion of Super-Heroes #13

The bold "State of the Universe" banner at the center of this November 1990 issue sets the tone perfectly — the cover by Keith Giffen and Al Gordon divides its space into a quartet of unsettling vignettes, each hinting at a galaxy under pressure. A cloaked, skull-faced figure lunges through debris at the top, a blonde woman in red surveys an explosion-scarred landscape at left, an alien with a respirator-like face aims a weapon alongside a blue-haired companion at right, and a hooded, prone figure lies collapsed at the bottom. As a bonus, a free poster is tucked inside — making this a particularly satisfying installment of Giffen and the Bierbaums' ambitious run.