Man-Thing #5

The Marvel Muck-Monster has never looked more ferocious — Tyler Crook's cover painting puts Man-Thing front and center in what appears to be a packed colosseum arena, his red eyes blazing as he hoists an enormous battle-axe overhead before a crowd of stunned onlookers. It's a surprisingly gladiatorial image for a creature of the swamp, and it makes the promise of R. L. Stine's finale chapter — cheekily titled "... The Surprise Ending!" — feel genuinely delicious. With Germán Peralta on art and Rachelle Rosenberg's moody colors bringing it all to life, this fifth issue wraps up one of 2017's more entertainingly strange Marvel runs.