Secret Empire #1

The opening chapter of Marvel's 2017 event series arrives with a striking cover by Mark Brooks that sets the stakes immediately: a dual-faced Captain America — his heroic visage merging into something darker and skeletal — looms large over a sprawling cast of heroes surging forward, including Spider-Man, Thor, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Wolverine, Rocket Raccoon, and a fiery figure in chains, while S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarriers and a monstrous alien threat fill the skies behind them. The composition captures a Marvel universe caught between loyalty and betrayal, with friends and enemies occupying the same charged frame. With Nick Spencer writing and Steve McNiven on interior art alongside inker Jay Leisten and colorist Matthew Wilson, this is a richly assembled creative team launching what promises to be one of 2017's most ambitious Marvel storylines.