Aaron and Ahmed #[nn]

A stark, minimalist cover sets an unexpectedly intimate tone for this 2011 DC graphic novel — bold red lettering proclaims "AHMED: a love story" above a brooding cityscape silhouette rendered in black, with expressive brushwork sweeping across the bottom of the image. Writer Jay Cantor and artist James Romberger bring a striking restraint to the design, letting the title's tension between hard-edged typography and the quiet skyline do the emotional heavy lifting. Colorist José Villarrubia keeps the palette to a powerful few tones, making this one of the more visually distinctive covers DC put out that year.