Steel #52

Steel's iconic hammer lies crashed into rubble against a vivid, blazing sunset — a striking final image that gives this 1998 issue its unmistakable sense of finality. The tagline "The Hammer Falls!" says it all, and Tom Palmer's cover art (pencils and inks both) renders the weapon with real weight and melancholy beauty. Christopher Priest and Denys Cowan bring their run to a close with "Requiem," and this cover sets the tone perfectly.