Supergirl #49

Part of the 2010 "World Against Superman" crossover, this quietly devastating cover by Joshua Middleton says more than any action pose could — Kara Zor-El, still in her full Supergirl costume, sits collapsed on a hospital corridor floor, head bowed before a set of Emergency Room doors. The stark institutional setting and the title "Death & the Family" set a deeply personal, emotionally charged tone that writer Sterling Gates and artist Matt Camp clearly carry into the story within. It's a reminder that even the most powerful hero in the room sometimes has no choice but to wait.