The Butcher #1

DC's 1990 mature-readers mini-series kicks off with a cover that wastes no time establishing its tone: a heavily armed, tattooed warrior in a blue-and-gold outfit lunges forward clutching an assault rifle and a large blade, his face fierce beneath wild dark hair, while a circular inset portrait looms behind him and a chaotic brawl between caped and suited figures plays out in the background against a snowy, train-yard setting. Shea Anton Pensa's linework — both pencils and inks — delivers kinetic energy throughout, from the foreground figure's aggressive charge to the gunfire and hand-to-hand combat unfolding behind him. Written by Mike Baron, this five-part series announces itself as something grittier and harder-edged than typical DC fare, and issue #1 sets that mood with confidence right from the cover.