Royal City #12

Jeff Lemire's Royal City reaches its twelfth issue with a quietly striking cover — a young woman in a red hoodie stands eyes closed, hands loosely gripping tall leafy vines that rise up on either side of her, the whole image rendered in Lemire's signature loose, expressive linework against soft watercolor blues. There's a meditative, almost mournful stillness to the image that perfectly suits this series' reputation for grounded, emotionally resonant storytelling. If you've been following the Pike family's story, this penultimate chapter promises the same heartfelt intimacy that has defined Royal City from the start.