Superman: The Man of Steel #121

Superman banks hard through what looks like a bustling city entertainment district — theater marquees blazing behind him — as a large dark car careens through the street below, scattering pedestrians and papers in every direction, while a startled woman in a white dress leaps aside. Geoff Johns and Todd Nauck bring their talents to this February 2002 issue, with a striking cover by Lee Bermejo that captures the Man of Steel mid-flight, fists forward, expression locked in focused urgency. "Diamonds and Steel" promises exactly the kind of grounded, kinetic Superman storytelling that made this era of the series so appealing.