Ultimates 2 #5

Rain-soaked and radiating a cold, eerie energy, the cover of Ultimates 2 #5 presents a towering Thor — drenched, long hair plastered to his face — clutching Captain America's iconic star-spangled shield in one massive fist. The moody teal palette and Bryan Hitch's pencils (inked by Paul Neary) give the image a weight that feels both mythic and unsettling, perfectly suited to a chapter subtitled "The Passion Play." Mark Millar's run with this team was already turning heads in 2005, and this haunting cover image makes it easy to see why.