Supergirl #61

Part of the "Casualties of War!" arc, this October 2001 issue finds Supergirl staring up at a massive, grotesque creature looming above her — its gnarled, tentacled form dominating the cover while she holds out a pack of "Minty Cool" breath mints with an almost impossibly hopeful expression. The cover art by Leonard Kirk and Robin Riggs walks a perfect line between genuine menace and dry humor, making it hard not to smile even as the threat feels real. Peter David's signature wit is right there on the surface, and "Mondo Bizarre" promises to deliver exactly that.