Star Wars #27

Marvel's 1979 Star Wars run was firing on all cylinders, and issue #27 — "Return of the Hunter" — delivers a cover that captures the tension perfectly: Luke Skywalker stands weapon drawn alongside C-3PO against a star-filled backdrop dominated by a looming, shadowy face and the ghostly outline of a spacecraft, with the cover copy warning that the duo is being stalked by a sinister cyborg. Carmine Infantino and Bob Wiacek bring a sleek urgency to the composition, Luke's determined stance and Threepio's gleaming gold frame making for an engaging pairing under threat. It's a fine slice of late-'70s Marvel space-fantasy adventure.