Supergirl #13

Part of DC's New 52 initiative, Supergirl #13 arrives in December 2012 with a cover by Sami Basri that pulls no punches — a powerfully built, vein-traced villain looms over a pinned and glowing-eyed Kara, the surrounding chamber lit by crystalline pillars in an ominous amber glow. The tagline says it all: "Meet the New and Improved Tycho!" — and the cover makes clear this upgraded threat has Supergirl in a very bad spot. Written by Mike Johnson with art by Sami Basri, "Sanctuary" looks like exactly the kind of high-stakes confrontation that kept New 52 readers coming back each month.