Mutopia X #2

Set within Marvel's sweeping 2005 House of M crossover event, this second issue of the five-part Mutopia X limited series brings writer David Hine and artist Lan Medina's mutant street-level world into sharp focus. Andy Park's painted cover sets a compelling tone — a scarred, fedora-wearing figure holds court on an ornate golden throne, flanked by two dark-haired women standing behind him and a pink-haired woman crouched at his side, while two onlookers in the foreground watch the scene unfold against an ethereal, mist-shrouded backdrop. It's a tableau that feels equal parts underworld royalty and quiet menace, making this one of the more atmospherically distinctive tie-in issues of that era.