Mage #8

Two men locked in a fierce arm-wrestling match dominate this cover of Mage: The Hero Defined #8 — one sporting glasses and a tattoo on his forearm, the other bearded and intensely focused, with shards of what appears to be shattered material flying apart behind them. The tension radiating from that single clasped grip is remarkable, making it clear these two are evenly matched in ways that go beyond mere strength. Matt Wagner's linework captures both the physical strain and the personality of each figure beautifully, making this 1998 Image issue one you'll want to pick up just for the cover alone.