Superboy #18

Superboy #18 (August 1995) promises a showdown worthy of its title "Battle of the Century," and the cover by Tom Grummett and Karl Kesel delivers the tension immediately — a battered Superboy struggles on the ground, his Superman shield clearly visible, while an ominous silhouetted figure looms over him backlit by a blazing sun, fists clenched with crackling energy. The stark contrast between the fallen hero and the shadowy, seemingly unstoppable opponent makes it impossible not to wonder what force could bring the Boy of Steel to his knees. Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett's creative partnership on this series was consistently strong, and this issue looks to be one of their most dramatically charged entries yet.