Spike: Asylum #2

Franco Urru's cover for Spike: Asylum #2 presents a striking lineup of supernatural inmates — Spike at center in his long black coat, flanked by a tattooed demon, a snarling werewolf, a spiky-headed creature in a suit, and a decaying zombie — all posed against a blood-orange floor beneath occult sigils. The "Asylum" setting promises a cast of genuinely unsettling monsters, and Spike's calm, arms-at-his-sides stance among them says everything about where this fan-favorite vampire stands in the pecking order. IDW's 2006 miniseries continues to be a compelling showcase for writer Brian Lynch and artist Franco Urru's darkly imaginative take on the character.