The Goon #16

Eric Powell's cover for The Goon #16 pulls no punches, filling the entire frame with the gaunt, hollow-eyed face of a pale, white-haired ghoulish figure — one eye socket a gaping, blood-soaked void, crimson streaming down a cadaverous face in vivid, unsettling detail. It's the kind of visceral, up-close horror image that reminds you why Powell's singular vision has made this series such a standout from Dark Horse. As a bonus, this 2006 issue also includes a short story by Powers artist Michael Avon Oeming and Thomas Sniegoski, making it an especially full package for fans of the darker side of comics.