Uncanny X-Men #14

Draped in a sweeping crimson cape and clutching both a staff and a grinning skull, a pale, long-haired villain dominates this striking 2012 cover — with a grand fairytale castle and hovering aircraft looming ominously in the misty background. The image, rendered by Stuart Immonen, carries an elegantly sinister mood that feels worlds apart from a typical superhero showdown, fitting neatly into the era's Avengers vs. X-Men crossover banner displayed at the top. With Kieron Gillen writing and Dustin Weaver on interior art, Uncanny X-Men #14 promises a chapter rich in atmosphere and menace.