Promethea #3

Promethea #3 arrives subtitled "Misty Magic Land," and J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray's cover design immediately signals something special — a triptych of folding panels that bridges a mundane hospital corridor (complete with a nurse and the "13th Floor" sign) with lush, otherworldly realms of cascading water, giant blossoms, butterflies, and a cloaked figure in a serene garden. Center stage, Promethea herself surges forward in her golden costume and winged headband, staff in hand, trailing ribbons of red energy as she crosses between worlds. Alan Moore's America's Best Comics line was already pushing boundaries in 1999, and this issue's cover alone makes a compelling case for why Promethea stood apart from the superhero crowd.