The Punisher #9

Part of the Marvel Knights line, this 2000 issue pairs Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, and Jimmy Palmiotti on a story titled "From Russia with Love" — a title that promises exactly the kind of cold, purposeful tension radiating from Tim Bradstreet's striking cover. Frank Castle's weathered face fills the foreground, rifle barrel close at hand, while a scarred, battle-damaged figure looms large in the background centered within a sniper's crosshairs — two dangerous men, one frame, zero ambiguity about the stakes. It's a composed, almost cinematic image that makes issue #9 feel like a genuine thriller in the making.