Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #4

Part four of the six-part "Death of Spider-Man" crossover event, this 2011 Marvel issue puts the Punisher front and center on a striking cover by Leinil Francis Yu — assault rifle leveled, eye patch firmly in place, flanked by a brooding cast that includes a red-visored figure and a fanged, snarling Blade. The tension radiating off that quartet of hard-edged figures sets the tone perfectly for a story pitting the Ultimate Avengers against the New Ultimates, with Mark Millar and artists Leinil Francis Yu and Stephen Segovia steering the conflict toward its climax.