Punisher: War Zone #1

The cover of this first issue in the five-part limited series says everything with striking economy: a silhouetted Punisher looms against a blood-red backdrop, flanked by a striking triptych of battered Avengers icons — Iron Man's bullet-scarred faceplate, Thor's lightning-wreathed hammer, and Captain America's bloodied shield — while below, a scorched figure and a web-slinging Spider-Man round out the wreckage. Marco Checchetto's cover composition makes it immediately clear that Frank Castle has set his sights somewhere the Marvel Universe will feel deeply uncomfortable. With Greg Rucka writing and Carmine Di Giandomenico on interior art, this 2012 series promises a tense, grounded conflict between the Punisher and some very heavy hitters.