diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 2d04801..da7dea9 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -88,7 +88,25 @@ func main() {
 		time.Duration(cfg.Feed.PollIntervalMinutes)*time.Minute,
 	)
 
-	// Start cache rewarming
+	// Generate minimal landing page immediately so server can start serving
+	logger.Info("Generating initial landing page...")
+	initialLandingHTML, err := htmlGenerator.GenerateLandingPage(
+		[]generator.WikiPageInfo{},
+		[]generator.FeedItemInfo{},
+		nil, // newestBlogItem
+		nil, // newestArticleItem
+	)
+	if err == nil {
+		if err := pageCache.Set("/", initialLandingHTML); err != nil {
+			logger.Warnf("Failed to cache initial landing page: %v", err)
+		} else {
+			logger.Info("Initial landing page cached")
+		}
+	} else {
+		logger.Warnf("Failed to generate initial landing page: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Start cache rewarming (runs in background)
 	rewarmer.Start(ctx)
 
 	// Initialize HTTP server
@@ -102,10 +120,7 @@ func main() {
 	}()
 
 	logger.Infof("Server started on port %d", cfg.Server.Port)
-	logger.Info("Waiting for initial cache population...")
-
-	// Wait a bit for initial cache
-	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+	logger.Info("Cache rewarming in progress... (pages will update as they become available)")
 
 	// Wait for shutdown signal
 	httpServer.WaitForShutdown()
diff --git a/internal/generator/html.go b/internal/generator/html.go
index 6a969f1..fdfcecf 100644
--- a/internal/generator/html.go
+++ b/internal/generator/html.go
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ type BlogItemInfo struct {
 	Summary   string
 	Content   template.HTML
 	Author    string
+	Image     string
 	CreatedAt int64
 	Time      string // Formatted time
 	TimeISO   string // ISO time
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ type ArticleItemInfo struct {
 	Summary   string
 	Content   template.HTML
 	Author    string
+	Image     string
 	CreatedAt int64
 	Time      string // Formatted time
 	TimeISO   string // ISO time
@@ -299,7 +301,7 @@ func (g *HTMLGenerator) ProcessMarkdown(markdownContent string) (string, error)
 }
 
 // GenerateLandingPage generates the static landing page
-func (g *HTMLGenerator) GenerateLandingPage(wikiPages []WikiPageInfo, feedItems []FeedItemInfo) (string, error) {
+func (g *HTMLGenerator) GenerateLandingPage(wikiPages []WikiPageInfo, feedItems []FeedItemInfo, newestBlogItem *BlogItemInfo, newestArticleItem *ArticleItemInfo) (string, error) {
 	// Collect pubkeys from feed items
 	pubkeys := make([]string, 0, len(feedItems))
 	for _, item := range feedItems {
@@ -308,7 +310,15 @@ func (g *HTMLGenerator) GenerateLandingPage(wikiPages []WikiPageInfo, feedItems
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Fetch profiles for feed authors
+	// Add blog and article author pubkeys if available
+	if newestBlogItem != nil && newestBlogItem.Author != "" {
+		pubkeys = append(pubkeys, newestBlogItem.Author)
+	}
+	if newestArticleItem != nil && newestArticleItem.Author != "" {
+		pubkeys = append(pubkeys, newestArticleItem.Author)
+	}
+
+	// Fetch profiles for feed authors, blog author, and article author
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	profiles := g.fetchProfilesBatch(ctx, pubkeys)
 
@@ -326,7 +336,39 @@ func (g *HTMLGenerator) GenerateLandingPage(wikiPages []WikiPageInfo, feedItems
 		Profiles:     profiles,
 	}
 
-	return g.renderTemplate("landing.html", data)
+	// Add newest blog and article items to template data
+	type LandingPageData struct {
+		PageData
+		NewestBlogItem    *BlogItemInfo
+		NewestArticleItem *ArticleItemInfo
+	}
+
+	landingData := LandingPageData{
+		PageData:          data,
+		NewestBlogItem:    newestBlogItem,
+		NewestArticleItem: newestArticleItem,
+	}
+
+	// Use renderTemplate but with custom data - need to include base.html for DOCTYPE
+	renderTmpl := template.New("landing-render").Funcs(getTemplateFuncs())
+
+	files := []string{
+		filepath.Join(g.templateDir, "components.html"),
+		filepath.Join(g.templateDir, "base.html"),
+		filepath.Join(g.templateDir, "landing.html"),
+	}
+
+	_, err := renderTmpl.ParseFiles(files...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to parse landing templates: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := renderTmpl.ExecuteTemplate(&buf, "base.html", landingData); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to render landing template: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return buf.String(), nil
 }
 
 // GenerateWikiPage generates a wiki article page
diff --git a/internal/nostr/events.go b/internal/nostr/events.go
index 095de18..4c5ac5e 100644
--- a/internal/nostr/events.go
+++ b/internal/nostr/events.go
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ type BlogEvent struct {
 	Title   string
 	Summary string
 	Content string
+	Image   string
 }
 
 // ParseBlogEvent parses a blog event
@@ -226,6 +227,14 @@ func ParseBlogEvent(event *nostr.Event, expectedKind int) (*BlogEvent, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Extract image tag (optional)
+	for _, tag := range event.Tags {
+		if len(tag) > 0 && tag[0] == "image" && len(tag) > 1 {
+			blog.Image = tag[1]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
 	return blog, nil
 }
 
@@ -236,6 +245,7 @@ type LongformEvent struct {
 	Title   string
 	Summary string
 	Content string
+	Image   string
 }
 
 // ParseLongformEvent parses a longform article event
@@ -276,6 +286,14 @@ func ParseLongformEvent(event *nostr.Event, expectedKind int) (*LongformEvent, e
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Extract image tag (optional)
+	for _, tag := range event.Tags {
+		if len(tag) > 0 && tag[0] == "image" && len(tag) > 1 {
+			longform.Image = tag[1]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
 	return longform, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/static/css/main.css b/static/css/main.css
index b2d16e6..107646c 100644
--- a/static/css/main.css
+++ b/static/css/main.css
@@ -518,6 +518,47 @@ a:focus {
     align-self: flex-start;
 }
 
+/* Feature Image Container */
+.feature-image-container {
+    margin-bottom: 1rem;
+    width: 100%;
+}
+
+.feature-image-wrapper {
+    position: relative;
+    width: 100%;
+    aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    background: var(--bg-primary);
+}
+
+.feature-image {
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    object-fit: cover;
+    display: block;
+}
+
+.feature-image-overlay {
+    position: absolute;
+    bottom: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    background: linear-gradient(to top, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8) 0%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4) 50%, transparent 100%);
+    padding: 1.5rem 1rem 1rem;
+    color: #ffffff;
+}
+
+.feature-image-title {
+    margin: 0;
+    font-size: 1.1rem;
+    font-weight: 600;
+    color: #ffffff;
+    text-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
+    line-height: 1.3;
+}
+
 /* Articles and Pages */
 article {
     background: var(--bg-secondary);
diff --git a/templates/landing.html b/templates/landing.html
index d91135b..8348578 100644
--- a/templates/landing.html
+++ b/templates/landing.html
@@ -26,12 +26,58 @@
             
             <div class="feature-card">
                 <h3><span class="icon-inline">{{icon "file-text"}}</span> Project Blog</h3>
+                {{if .NewestBlogItem}}
+                <div class="feature-image-container">
+                    {{$item := .NewestBlogItem}}
+                    {{if $item.Image}}
+                    <div class="feature-image-wrapper">
+                        <img src="{{$item.Image}}" alt="{{$item.Title}}" class="feature-image">
+                        <div class="feature-image-overlay">
+                            <h4 class="feature-image-title">{{$item.Title}}</h4>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                    {{else}}
+                        {{$profile := index $.Profiles $item.Author}}
+                        {{if $profile.Picture}}
+                        <div class="feature-image-wrapper">
+                            <img src="{{$profile.Picture}}" alt="{{$item.Title}}" class="feature-image">
+                            <div class="feature-image-overlay">
+                                <h4 class="feature-image-title">{{$item.Title}}</h4>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                        {{end}}
+                    {{end}}
+                </div>
+                {{end}}
                 <p>Read the latest articles and updates from the GitCitadel project blog.</p>
                 <a href="/blog" class="btn"><span class="icon-inline">{{icon "arrow-right"}}</span> View Blog</a>
             </div>
             
             <div class="feature-card">
                 <h3><span class="icon-inline">{{icon "file-text"}}</span> Articles</h3>
+                {{if .NewestArticleItem}}
+                <div class="feature-image-container">
+                    {{$item := .NewestArticleItem}}
+                    {{if $item.Image}}
+                    <div class="feature-image-wrapper">
+                        <img src="{{$item.Image}}" alt="{{$item.Title}}" class="feature-image">
+                        <div class="feature-image-overlay">
+                            <h4 class="feature-image-title">{{$item.Title}}</h4>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                    {{else}}
+                        {{$profile := index $.Profiles $item.Author}}
+                        {{if $profile.Picture}}
+                        <div class="feature-image-wrapper">
+                            <img src="{{$profile.Picture}}" alt="{{$item.Title}}" class="feature-image">
+                            <div class="feature-image-overlay">
+                                <h4 class="feature-image-title">{{$item.Title}}</h4>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                        {{end}}
+                    {{end}}
+                </div>
+                {{end}}
                 <p>Longform markdown articles from the TheForest relay.</p>
                 <a href="/articles" class="btn"><span class="icon-inline">{{icon "arrow-right"}}</span> View Articles</a>
             </div>