Blade of the Immortal #101

Hiroaki Samura's painterly cover for issue #101 — part three of the "Trickster" arc — pulls you straight into a fierce, close-quarters clash between two combatants, a bald, red-robed fighter bearing down with a sword while a blue-clad opponent strains against him, a chain weapon coiling between them. The raw energy of the composition, all flame-tinted reds and deep blues, perfectly captures the brutal intimacy that defines this series. If you've been following the "Trickster" storyline, this penultimate chapter looks like exactly the right moment to hold your breath.