Unknown Soldier #21

Vertigo's Unknown Soldier #21 arrives in August 2010 with a cover by Dave Johnson that layers its imagery with quiet, unsettling power — a uniformed military figure laden with medals dominates the upper half, while the silhouette of the African continent holds a Kalashnikov rifle upright alongside an International Committee of the Red Cross emblem, and a solitary figure stands small against the composition's warm, blood-red palette. The title "Kalashnikov" printed boldly across the top sets the tone for Joshua Dysart's story "A Gun in Africa," illustrated by Rick Veitch — a creative team that consistently grounds this series in the complex realities of war and its human cost. If you've been following this Vertigo title's unflinching look at Uganda and its conflicts, this issue looks to be another deeply considered chapter.