The Brave and the Bold #199

A looming, spectral giant dominates this June 1983 cover as the Spectre surges forward with one massive fist raised, while a comparatively small Batman and two other figures — a man in green and a woman in red — tumble helplessly below him. Jim Aparo's bold cover art frames the matchup with an irresistible tagline: "Batman versus The Spectre — and the winner is…," which is just enough to make you want to crack the spine immediately. With Mike W. Barr writing and Ross Andru on interior art, The Brave and the Bold #199 delivers the kind of hero-vs.-hero tension this long-running team-up title did so well.