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Aquaman #52
Nick Cardy

You knew Cardy had to be in here somewhere. :) One of the most prolific cover artists of the '60s-'70s, he racked up an impressive number of great illustrations, and I could easily fill a top twelve with just his work. It's a straightforward scene -- an unconscious hero being carried away by his enemies -- but Cardy's staging gives it an eerie, haunting quality: the unusual angle, the lack of text, the fact that we can't see any of the faces clearly... the whole thing just exudes a sense of dread. Kudos also to the colorist, who made some bold choices. Pink and white for an underwater scene? But it works, framing the characters and adding to the otherworldly feeling. Note also how the logo has been tilted slightly, to match the swirling shapes in the background; a small touch, but it really adds a lot to the composition. A beautiful piece all around.