The Shadow Strikes #18

Two figures locked in a deadly close-quarters standoff dominate Eduardo Barreto's moody cover — a gun sparking at point-blank range while blades and clenched fists fill every shadow-drenched corner of the frame. The dark, claustrophobic composition perfectly captures the pulp menace that The Shadow Strikes! delivered so well in 1991, with the title character's silhouetted presence looming over a tense confrontation. Gerard Jones and Mark Badger bring their atmospheric storytelling to "Death Sits Down," and Barreto's cover makes a compelling case that this issue earns its title.