The Brave and the Bold #9

This "Star-Studded Spectacular!" issue of The Brave and the Bold packs an impressive roster onto a single cover, with George Pérez illustrating three interlocking panels showcasing Blackhawk and the Boy Commandos in a wartime scramble, the Metal Men alongside Dial H for Hero characters in a tense urban scene, and Hawkman with the All-New Atom soaring dramatically in the foreground — with the Challengers of the Unknown promised as a bonus feature. Writer Mark Waid and Pérez (who both penciled and inked the cover) were clearly swinging for the fences with "Changing Times," bringing together a wonderfully eclectic mix of DC's classic and contemporary heroes in one 2008 package. If you love seeing deep-cut DC characters share the spotlight, this issue wears its ambitions proudly right on its sleeve.