Venom #157

Part of Marvel's Legacy initiative and the "Lethal Protector" arc, this 2018 issue puts Venom firmly on the back foot — the symbiote-clad figure lies sprawled and seemingly defeated on a rooftop while a leopard-skin-clad hunter looms triumphantly above him, rifle in one hand and knife in the other. The cover by Mark Bagley and John Dell captures the threat with real menace, framing a city skyline under a moonlit sky as a striking backdrop for this predator-versus-predator standoff. Mike Costa's story, brought to life by Bagley's linework, promises the kind of high-stakes tension that the "Lethal Protector" banner was made for.