Superman Adventures #13

Tied to the 1997 WB animated series, Superman Adventures #13 promises "Strange Sports Stories!" — and the cover by Bret Blevins and Terry Austin delivers exactly that, depicting Superman mid-swing with a baseball bat, connecting hard against a massive, snarling green alien villain before a packed stadium crowd. The animated-style artwork gives the whole scene a kinetic, almost cartoonish energy that perfectly suits writer Scott McCloud and artist Rick Burchett's "Grand Slam" — a title that takes the sports theme seriously. It's a genuinely fun, all-ages package that captures exactly what made this series such a treat in its era.