Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #35

Michael Zulli brings his distinctive painterly sensibility to this March 1991 issue of Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with a wraparound cover that presents a densely packed crowd of hulking, robed mutant figures pressing together in what feels like a stone-walled space — one figure at the back raises a hand dramatically amid the crush. The sheer weight and texture of Zulli's linework gives the assembled mass an almost medieval atmosphere, perfectly suited to the brooding promise of the story title, "Souls Withering…" A compelling entry in the Mirage run for readers who appreciate when the Turtles' world leans into something darker and more contemplative.