Machine Man #4

Marvel's "The Living Robot" faces his toughest test yet in this 1978 showdown, as the cover promises nothing less than "The Fight of the Century" — Machine Man squaring off against the purple-suited, red-eyed Ten-For amid crumbling buildings and panicked bystanders scrambling for safety on a very busy street. Jack Kirby's cover pencils (inked by Mike Esposito) capture the raw energy of the clash beautifully, with Machine Man's imposing blue form firing what appears to be a beam weapon directly at the charging Ten-For. It's a great snapshot of late-'70s Marvel action at its most direct and kinetic.