Superman / Batman Annual #3

The cover by Bernie Wrightson delivers one of the more unsettling images of 2009 DC publishing: a figure literally stitched together from both Batman and Superman — bat-cowl on one half, Superman's cape and chest symbol on the other — holding what appears to be a needle and thread with a clenched fist raised in opposition. The jagged seam running down the center of this hybrid body sets an eerie, body-horror tone that suits the story title "Compound Fracture!" perfectly. With Len Wein writing and interior art from Chris Batista, Mick Gray, and Jack Jadson, this annual promises a dark and imaginative clash of DC's two greatest heroes.