New Avengers #11

Part of Jonathan Hickman's sweeping "Infinity" crossover, this 2013 issue — "Builders" — finds the New Avengers at a pivotal moment conveyed with striking economy by cover artist Mike Deodato. A row of silhouetted heroes stands together at the bottom of the image, bathed in an eerie green glow cast by an enormous planet looming above them, the combined New Avengers/Omega symbol dominating the sky like a grim banner. It's a moody, atmospheric composition that captures the sense of a small group of people facing something vast and overwhelming — exactly the kind of high-stakes tension Hickman does so well.