Obnoxio the Clown #1

Marvel's 1983 one-shot is one of the more delightfully absurd match-ups the publisher ever put on a newsstand: Obnoxio the Clown — cigar-chomping, polka-dotted, and thoroughly pleased with himself — holds an unconscious X-Man under one arm while the rest of the team (Wolverine with claws out, Storm, Angel, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and others) scrambles through a debris-strewn battlefield around him. Alan Kupperberg handled every creative role on this issue — writing, pencils, inks, colors, and lettering — making it a genuine solo showcase, and the cover's deadpan speech bubble ("Hiya, kids… What's yellow and black and don't breathe no more?") sets the tone perfectly. If you've ever wondered what happens when Marvel's rudest clown squares off against its most popular mutant team, this is exactly the place to find out.