The Spectre #16

DC's supernatural avenger is in serious trouble on this striking July 1988 cover, as the Spectre — his pale white form clad in the familiar green hood and cloak — is engulfed and constricted by a massive, writhing mass of grotesque red tentacles against a fiery yellow-black backdrop. The image radiates a real sense of dread, with the Spirit of Vengeance visibly straining against the creature's crushing grip, fist raised in defiance. Moench, Wozniak, and Farmer bring an effectively visceral energy to this "New Format" issue that makes it hard to put back on the shelf.