Spectacular Spider-Man #12

The Lizard's Tale" continues in part two of this 2004 Marvel series, and the cover sets an immediate tone of raw, close-quarters tension. Spider-Man is rendered in a stunning extreme close-up — red-and-blue suit filling nearly the entire frame — as a darkly scaled reptilian claw grips him from below against a glowing web backdrop. Cover pencils by Damion Scott and inks by Rob Campanella give the confrontation a kinetic, almost tactile energy that makes you want to dive straight into the pages.