Namor: The First Mutant #1

Namor sits in meditative stillness at the center of this striking cover by Jae Lee, his X-Men belt buckle a quiet nod to his allegiances while massive, writhing tentacles coil around him like a throne — serene power meeting something deeply unsettling from the deep. It's a compelling opening image for "Royal Blood: Part One," hinting at the aquatic world Namor rules and the dark forces that may be stirring within it. Stuart Moore and Ariel Olivetti launch this 2010 series with real ambition, and Lee's cover sets an atmospheric, otherworldly tone that makes this first issue genuinely hard to put down.