The Amazing Spider-Man #503

Part one of "Chasing a Dark Shadow" opens with a cover that pulls you right into the web — literally. John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna compose a striking scene against a stark black background of shattered webbing, with Spider-Man looming overhead in a dynamic crawling pose while two armed men scramble desperately below him and a purple-cloaked figure ensnares a frightened young woman to the right. With J. Michael Straczynski and Fiona Avery co-writing and Romita Jr. on interiors as well, this 2004 Marvel issue promises the kind of street-level tension the series delivered so well during this era.