Balder the Brave #3

The penultimate chapter of this 1986 Marvel limited series puts Balder front and center in a fierce arena clash, his golden-clad figure locked in sword-to-sword combat against a powerful dark-haired opponent while a crowd of imposing onlookers — including a white-bearded elder and a woman suspended by ropes — watches the outcome hang in the balance. Walt Simonson's cover work crackles with kinetic energy, the sparking blades and dynamic poses capturing the spirit of the story title "Balder the Warrior!" perfectly. With Walter Simonson writing and Sal Buscema on interior art, this issue delivers the kind of mythic action that made this series a satisfying showcase for one of Asgard's most underappreciated heroes.