Teen Titans #64

Teen Titans #64 (December 2008) hits hard right from its cover, where a horned, armored villain looms over a battered Wonder Girl, his clawed gauntlets firing energy beams that pin her to her knees against a grotesque, fleshy red backdrop — the story arc's title, "The Ties That Bind!", making the threat feel deeply personal. It's a visceral, tension-packed image from cover penciler Eddy Barrows and inker Ruy José that sets the stakes for "Pawns & Kings Part 2: Battle Lines." With Sean McKeever writing and the interior art team of Fernando Dagnino, Raúl Fernández, and colorist Rod Reis bringing the action to life, this is one of those issues where the cover alone tells you the Titans are in serious trouble.