Ultimate Secret #3

With Earth looming large in the starfield behind them, this third chapter of Warren Ellis's Ultimate Secret assembles an impressive lineup on Steve McNiven and Mark Morales's cover: Iron Man dominates the foreground in his sleek armored suit, flanked by a silver android-like figure, a woman in a Fantastic Four uniform, a gun-toting operative in dark tactical gear, and two other figures positioned along what appears to be a spacecraft's hull. The composition has a cool, methodical tension — five very different heroes (or allies) bracing for something significant against the vastness of space. Tom Raney and Scott Hanna handle the interior art, making this 2005 Marvel series a satisfying blend of sharp writing and strong visuals throughout.