Spectacular Spider-Man #21

The story title "Read 'Em an' Weep" sets the tone perfectly for this cleverly composed 2005 issue, whose cover lays out a high-stakes card table scattered with playing cards bearing the faces of Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four — the Thing's rocky fists, the Human Torch's flaming hand, and cards depicting their likenesses alongside Spider-Man poker chips make for a wonderfully inventive tableau. A clawed hand reaches in from above, raking in the pot, while a Joker card and various Marvel-hero-themed chips surround the spread. Penciled and inked by Talent Caldwell and Robert Campanella, it's a sharp, imaginative cover that makes you genuinely curious what's being wagered — and who's going to lose the hand.