Nightcrawler #12

The final issue of this 2006 Marvel series sends Kurt Wagner out on a crowded, atmospheric cover — Nightcrawler charges forward wreathed in glowing teleportation energy, his yellow eyes blazing, while Wolverine crouches snarling with adamantium claws extended at lower right and several other figures — including a blonde woman, a young woman with glowing eyes, and a scowling man in a headband — loom from the shadows around him. Darick Robertson's cover art packs the image with tension and personality, making it a fine capstone to Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's run on the swashbuckling X-Man. The story title, "Happy Birthday, Kurt!", adds a darkly playful note that fits the brooding yet adventurous tone the series wore so well.