Blackguard #5

Volume 5 of Ryo Hanada's Blackguard greets you with an unsettling intimacy — a pale-haired figure with cool, knowing eyes extends one ringed hand directly toward the viewer, as if making you a proposition you'd be unwise to refuse. The muted grey palette and that faint, self-satisfied smile give the cover a quietly dangerous elegance that suits the series beautifully. If you've been following along, this 2022 Kodansha USA release is exactly the kind of confident visual statement that makes you want to crack it open immediately.