Ultimate War #3

The third chapter of this 2003 Marvel miniseries pits the Ultimates against the X-Men, and the cover by Chris Bachalo sets the tension perfectly — a steely-eyed Colossus dominates the foreground in his armored human form, while Iron Man's hulking suit looms behind him, arc reactor glowing an icy blue against the dark industrial backdrop. It's a striking face-off image that captures the weight of hero-versus-hero conflict without saying a word. Mark Millar and Chris Bachalo deliver what promises to be a pivotal installment in this Ultimate Universe showdown.