Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #9

Paolo Rivera's cover for issue #9 sets an immediately tense scene: the Superior Spider-Man sits at a table between a steely Punisher and a red-suited Daredevil, the three of them surrounded by a spread of scattered villain memorabilia — mechanical tentacles, a pumpkin bomb, a horned mask, and other sinister trophies — suggesting some serious score-settling is on the table. The body language alone, with all three figures leaning in and none of them looking particularly friendly, promises that this unlikely alliance is anything but smooth. With Kevin Shinick writing, Marco Checchetto on art, and Rachelle Rosenberg's moody colors inside, this 2014 Marvel team-up looks like a rewarding pick for fans of street-level tension done right.