Thanos Rising #1

Simone Bianchi's cover art pulls you in close — uncomfortably close — to a young Thanos, his purple features crackling with eerie green energy as a golden helmet frames those unsettling luminous eyes, with a shadowy alien cityscape looming in the background. This 2013 Marvel NOW! series pairs writer Jason Aaron with Bianchi to explore the Mad Titan's origins, and that brooding, intimate portrait immediately signals something more psychological than bombastic. If you've ever wondered what shaped one of Marvel's most formidable villains, this opening issue makes a compelling case for finding out.