The Spectacular Spider-Man #142

From the dizzying vantage point of a rooftop ledge high above Atlanta's busy streets, this September 1988 issue delivers a striking image: a white-haired, pale-skinned Tombstone looming over a crouching, clearly outmatched Spider-Man, with tiny cars and pedestrians far below emphasizing just how dangerous a fall would be. The cover copy promises "Spidey's Final Showdown" with Tombstone, and that promise feels entirely earned given the menacing confidence radiating from the villain's grinning face. Sal Buscema's art — handling both pencils and inks — frames the confrontation with a wonderful sense of vertigo that makes this one of the more visually compelling covers of the era.