The Spectre #46

The cover of this October 1996 issue sets a haunting, poetic tone: the Spectre — his pale green skin and hooded cloak unmistakable — is ensnared by a writhing mass of thorned vines that coil around his body, yet he reaches upward to offer a single vivid red rose, its bloom brilliant against the dark, cosmic backdrop. The contrast between that delicate flower and the savage thorns binding DC's Spirit of Vengeance makes for a genuinely arresting image, rendered with real painterly depth by cover artist Arnie Jorgensen. With John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake at the helm for "Gather the Ghosts," this is the kind of issue that reminds you why their run on The Spectre carried such a distinct, brooding power.