The Transformers #35

Part of IDW's "Days of Deception" arc, this 2014 issue pairs a battered, battle-ready human soldier — weapon in hand and blood on his face — with a towering Autobot looming against a moonlit sky above what appears to be a Japanese cityscape and temple. The contrast between the weary human fighter in the foreground and the massive mechanical presence behind him gives the cover a moody, grounded tension that sets this chapter apart from straightforward robot-vs-robot fare. With work from Barber, Griffith, and Perez, it's a compelling entry in IDW's ongoing Transformers saga.