Tarot #4

The fourth and final issue of this Avengers/Defenders crossover event goes out in grand style, with Paul Renaud's ornate, tarot-card-framed cover assembling a remarkable gathering of Marvel heroes — Captain America front and center with shield in hand, Thor mid-lightning strike with Mjolnir raised, the Hulk charging beside him, and a luminous meditating figure above, all flanked by faces including a caped sorcerer, Silver Surfer, a warrior woman, a blonde swordswoman, and a stoic white-haired figure. Stéphane Paitreau's coloring gives the art-nouveau border and storm-lit sky a rich, almost mythic atmosphere that suits the series' mystical tone perfectly. Alan Davis's story, brought to life by Renaud's linework, wraps up what has clearly been an ambitious blend of two of Marvel's greatest super-teams.