Paradise X #1

The concluding chapter of Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's ambitious Marvel universe trilogy gets underway with this striking 2002 opener, painted by Ross with his characteristic luminous realism. The cover assembles a sweeping cosmic tableau: a massive, angelic winged figure draped in red, white, and blue dominates the composition, while a red-armored hero wielding a bow and arrow, a dark blue figure, and a crystalline or energy-formed character surge dynamically through a star-filled sky. It's a visually grand opening statement — the kind of cover that makes you want to sit down and read slowly.