The New 52: Futures End #42

As DC's sprawling weekly epic approaches its conclusion, issue #42 delivers a cover that crackles with apocalyptic energy — a lone silhouetted figure stands small against a blinding burst of light, while the massive, skull-faced machine known as Brother Eye looms above amid a swirling montage of DC heroes including Wonder Woman, Batman, and a host of others, all rendered in an eerie pink wash by cover artist Ryan Sook. The composition captures the series' central tension beautifully: one person facing down an overwhelming force while the fates of countless characters hang in the balance. Written by Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens, and Keith Giffen, with interior art by Scot Eaton and Scott Hanna, this penultimate stretch of Futures End feels appropriately urgent.