Superman Adventures #42

Superman hangs bound in heavy chains — upside-down and thoroughly wrapped — while Mister Miracle, the self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Escape Artist," strikes a showman's pose beside an easel announcing his act in this April 2000 issue of Superman Adventures. The animated-style cover by penciller Mike Manley and inker Terry Austin perfectly captures the playful tension of putting the Man of Steel in a situation that calls for a very different kind of hero. With writer Mark Evanier and artist Neil Vokes handling the interior, "Living (Scott) Free" looks like a thoroughly entertaining team-up built around spectacle, showmanship, and maybe a little humility for Metropolis's favorite son.