The Maxx #5

Issue five of Sam Kieth and Bill Messner-Loebs's singular series arrives with a cover that's all mood and shadow — a massive, clawed purple fist rests on the ground as pale light cuts dramatically through what appears to be a barred opening, casting stark streaks across the otherwise pitch-black scene. It's a quietly powerful image that captures The Maxx's blend of raw physicality and brooding atmosphere, with Kieth's cover pencils and inks doing the heavy lifting through contrast alone. A compelling September 1993 entry in one of Image's most distinctly personal titles.