Spider-Man: The Gauntlet #5

Spider-Man swings directly toward the viewer on this striking cover by penciler Chris Bachalo and inker Tim Townsend, surrounded by a pack of savage, reptilian creatures dominated by a massive, snarling lizard looming in the foreground — an image that makes the threat feel immediate and visceral. Collecting the Lizard chapter of "The Gauntlet" storyline, this 2010 Marvel Premiere Edition brings together work from Wells, Bachalo, Rios, Van Lente, Palo, and Peñalta for what promises to be a relentless test of Peter Parker's resolve. At a $19.99 cover price, it's a handsome hardcover package for anyone who loves Spider-Man pushed to his absolute limit against one of his most unsettling foes.