Spawn #204

Szymon Kudranski's painted-style cover for Spawn #204 delivers an unsettling collision of flesh and hellfire, depicting a terrified, bloodied human face pressed against — or emerging through — a glowing green spectral skull crackling with supernatural energy. The contrast between the man's raw, desperate expression and the eerie luminescent death's-head makes for a genuinely haunting image that captures the dark tension this series does so well. Todd McFarlane leads a three-writer team here, with Kudranski handling both art and inks inside, making this 2011 issue a strong showcase for the title's atmospheric horror sensibility.