The Defenders #135

The September 1984 cover of The New Defenders #135 — titled "The Fire at Heaven's Gate!" — sets a scene of raw, chaotic energy, with Bill Sienkiewicz's cover art depicting a fierce clash between what appears to be a powerful feral figure in blue and gold and a massive, straining combatant amid erupting flames and cascading ice or water. Bystanders recoil in the background as fire engulfs the lower half of the image and a fiery explosion bursts at the top, suggesting forces of destruction utterly beyond control. It's a visually striking issue that promises the New Defenders caught in something truly dangerous — exactly the kind of tension that made this team's 1984 run such a compelling read.