Uncanny X-Men #8

Colossus and Magik stand back-to-back against a tide of snarling, reptilian creatures on this striking 2012 cover by Greg Land, with Colossus bracing in his armored steel form while Magik raises a gleaming soulsword overhead. The sense of overwhelming odds is palpable — the duo are nearly swallowed by the mass of fanged beasts pressing in from every side. Writer Kieron Gillen's Uncanny X-Men was consistently delivering high-stakes mutant drama this era, and this issue looks to be no exception.