The Dragon #1

The green-skinned, fin-headed Dragon dominates this Image #1 from 1996, bursting forward through a shower of rocky debris with fists the size of boulders and a snarl that makes the 99-cent cover price feel like a genuine bargain. Erik Larsen both wrote and drew the issue — and handled his own inks on this striking cover — bringing raw, kinetic energy to every line as the Dragon tears through stone like it's papier-mâché. It's a confident, no-frills superhero showcase that wastes zero time establishing exactly what kind of powerhouse this series is built around.