The New Guardians #8

The cover of this April 1989 DC issue says it all with its blunt subtitle — Prisoners of the State — as a blonde, blue-costumed woman strains against heavy chains while a bald, white-suited teammate fights his own shackles beside her; in the background, more teammates including a red-haired woman and a skull-masked figure are similarly restrained and surrounded by armed guards. Joe Staton and Bruce Patterson deliver a composition that crackles with urgency, the bright yellow background throwing every struggling figure into sharp relief. With Cary Bates writing and Joe Staton on interior art, this installment of The New Guardians looks like a tense, high-stakes chapter for a team pushed to its limits.