New X-Men #145

The four-part "Assault on Weapon Plus" arc reaches its conclusion here, and Chris Bachalo and Tim Townsend's cover delivers a fittingly intense sendoff — a snarling, clawed figure in an X-Men uniform bursts upward through crumbling debris, surrounded by crackling lightning against a vivid teal backdrop. Grant Morrison's run on New X-Men had been one of 2003's most talked-about titles, and this final chapter looks every bit as charged as that reputation suggests. Whether you've been following the arc from the start or are catching up now, this cover makes a compelling case for diving in.