The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #9

The cover of issue #9 frames the Sinister Six as prizes inside a giant claw-machine, with Boomerang front and center clutching a oversized stuffed animal while Shocker, Speed Demon, the Beetle, and Overdrive are crammed in alongside toy trucks and other tchotchkes — all dangling beneath a spider-shaped claw about to make its grab. It's a wonderfully absurd visual gag that captures exactly what makes this Nick Spencer series so entertaining: these are street-level villains whose ambitions perpetually outpace their competence. Steve Lieber's cover art, brought to life with Rachelle Rosenberg's bright, playful colors, makes this 2014 Marvel gem impossible to miss on the shelf.