Sonic the Hedgehog #281

Sonic the Hedgehog #281 kicks off "Wings of Fire, Part One: Slow Burn" with a cover that puts the blue blur in full sprint along an ancient stone wall, staff in hand, while a sleek armored enemy explodes with fiery energy just ahead of him — and a serpentine dragon creature looms menacingly in the background against a dramatic Asian-inspired landscape. Tyson Hesse's cover art crackles with kinetic energy, balancing speed and threat in a way that feels genuinely tense. Written by Ian Flynn with interior art by Jamal Peppers, this 2016 Archie Comics entry looks like a thrilling change of scenery for everyone's favorite hedgehog.