The Punisher #16

Greg Rucka's run on The Punisher reaches issue #16 with a cover by Marco Checchetto that is quietly devastating — Frank Castle stands armed and resolute over a kneeling, armored figure surrounded by a spreading pool of blood, while an enormous skull looms in smoky grey tones behind him. The stark white background and Matt Hollingsworth's restrained color palette make that single splash of red all the more striking. It's a 2012 Marvel series that never flinches from its grim premise, and this cover alone makes a compelling case for why this creative team earned such devoted readers.