The Brave and the Bold #191

A tense confrontation leaps off this 1982 DC cover as Batman charges forward, accusing the Joker of murdering the Penguin, while the grinning villain holds up a gag pistol with a "BANG!" flag and pleads his innocence. Jim Aparo's clean, expressive linework captures both the Dark Knight's fury and the Clown Prince of Crime's theatrical denial perfectly, with the Penguin's crumpled form visible on the floor between them. The Brave and the Bold was always a treat when it paired Batman with an unlikely co-star, and pitting him against the Joker over a murder accusation — with Joker somehow cast as the wronged party — makes for a deliciously charged setup.