S.H.I.E.L.D. #8

Two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents dominate this kinetic cover by Julian Totino Tedesco: a dark-haired woman launches a flying kick through the air while a grinning blonde in yellow-tinted goggles wields a baton, both tearing through a crowd of hapless opponents rendered in cool blue-grey tones. The contrast between the full-color agents and their muted surroundings — punctuated by pop-art "POW" lettering and scrawled speech bubbles — gives the whole composition a wonderfully stylized energy. Mark Waid's "No Angel" chapter, brought to life by Paco Medina with inks by Juan Vlasco and colors by David Curiel, promises the same sharp blend of espionage action and personality that's made this TV-inspired series a treat.