Akiko #3

Mark Crilley's *Akiko* Volume Three collects issues 14–18 under the ominous subtitle "The Menace of Alia Rellapor," and the cover sets the tone beautifully — a looming, tentacled stone figure casts its shadow over a plucky band of small, mismatched companions huddled together below. The contrast between that hulking, otherworldly threat and the charmingly quirky crew facing it captures exactly the blend of adventure and whimsy that makes this 2001 collection such a treat for fans of all-ages comics.