Thor #603

Thor stands front and center on Marko Djurdjević's striking cover, red cape billowing as he raises a crackling bolt of lightning, Mjolnir gripped in his other hand — while looming behind him are two imposing faces: a helmeted Asgardian warrior and a dark-hooded, red-eyed armored figure radiating menace. It's a beautifully atmospheric composition that frames the Thunder God caught between powerful forces, rendered in rich fiery tones by colorists Jelena Kevic Djurdjević and Laura Martin. J. Michael Straczynski's run on Thor was one of 2009's most compelling superhero titles, and issue #603 looks like a worthy chapter in that saga.