Astro City #13

Alex Ross's cover for this 2016 Vertigo release sets an immediately striking tone: two winged heroes — one clad in white and gold, another in a sleek golden bird-mask — soar upward against electric blue light, while a third caped figure ascends below them and a menacing creature with jagged, fiery jaws lurks at the bottom of the frame. A red-tinted banner across the upper half hints at the broader Honor Guard roster, and a cheerful pigtailed figure peeks in from the corner, adding a playful counterpoint to the urgency below. Written by Kurt Busiek with interior art by Jesús Merino, "Sorrowsday" promises the kind of richly layered superhero storytelling that has made Astro City one of comics' most warmly regarded ongoing series.