The Titans #44

Crackin' Up!" declares the cover of this October 2002 installment, and the artwork by José Luis García-López delivers on that tension in full — Nightwing stands at the center of a rubble-strewn, fire-lit cityscape, his expression fierce as he grapples with a dark-haired woman wielding a syringe, while teammates including a red-suited blonde and a pale, crouching figure struggle around him amid a crowd of shadowy onlookers. Part three of "Chemical World" promises mounting pressure on the Titans, and this chaotic cover composition captures a team pushed right to its breaking point. With Tom Peyer writing and Barry Kitson on interior art, fans of this era's DC storytelling will find plenty to appreciate here.