Secret Avengers #6

Steve Rogers and Black Widow stand combat-ready against a looming, crimson dragon-like creature that fills the background with menace — it's a striking image that sets an urgent, globe-trotting tone for "Eyes of the Dragon." Ed Brubaker's script and Mike Deodato's interior art bring the covert side of the Marvel Universe to life, while Marko Djurdjević's cover work pairs the two operatives with confident, kinetic energy. At $3.99 in 2010, this opening chapter of a five-part arc looks like exactly the kind of sharp, espionage-flavored superhero storytelling this series was built for.