The Legion of Super-Heroes #271

The Legion faces a genuinely impossible dilemma on this January 1981 cover by Jimmy Janes and Steve Mitchell: a looming, shadowy Dark Man threatens from the background while the Legionnaires argue fiercely among themselves about whether to accept Tharok and Blok — two of their deadliest enemies — as reluctant allies. The cover dialogue crackles with tension, one Legionnaire insisting they fight together or perish, another flatly refusing, with a blue-skinned figure and a red-armored hero caught in the middle of the standoff. It's a smart, character-driven setup that makes "What Is the Dark Man?" feel like a genuine must-read showdown.