Avengers: The Initiative #2

This 2008 trade paperback collecting *Avengers: The Initiative — Killed in Action* ties into Marvel's Secret Invasion event, and the cover by Jim Cheung (inked by John Dell) wastes no time setting a tense, urgent mood. A group of young Initiative recruits — including a blue-haired young woman in the foreground, a masked hero in red, and a figure sporting an "MVP" insignia — surge forward beneath the looming presence of a massive armored fist and a determined-looking hero dominating the background, while a black-and-gold spider-suited character leaps into the fray at the lower right. It's a striking ensemble shot that captures the high-stakes energy of a new generation of heroes thrust into a world-threatening conflict.