Book of Death: The Fall of the Valiant Universe #1

Cary Nord's cover art sets a brooding, contemplative tone — a masked, skull-faced warrior in golden-brown armor is pinned against a stone column, two swords crossing his chest like an X while a spear angles in from the side, the whole image radiating a sense of grim finality. This trade paperback collects stories — including Jeff Lemire and Doug Braithwaite's "The Fall of Ninjak" alongside tales by Matt Kindt, Trevor Hairsine, Robert Venditti, Clayton Henry, Joshua Dysart, and Kano — that peer into the possible fates awaiting the heroes of the Valiant Universe. If you've ever wondered how the characters you love might ultimately meet their ends, this 2016 collection is a compelling, sometimes haunting place to find out.