Superman: The Man of Steel #72

This October 1997 tie-in to DC's "Genesis" crossover event puts Superman in a tight spot, with the cover — penciled by Jon Bogdanove and inked by Dennis Janke — showing the blue-suited Man of Steel caught in a two-front assault: a hulking green-armored brute bears down from behind while the gleaming, insectoid Mainframe locks him in a fierce grip up front. The bold tagline "Menaced by Mainframe!" says it all, and the crimson background gives the whole confrontation an urgent, almost electric intensity. Written by Louise Simonson with interior art by Scot Eaton and Jimmy Palmiotti, "Altered States" looks like a thrilling chapter in the Superman line's mid-'90s stride.