Blade of the Immortal #9

Hiroaki Samura's celebrated manga series continues with this oversized 48-page installment — the first part of the "Call of the Worm" arc — rendered in Dark Horse's handsome manga format. The cover presents a striking composition: a battle-worn swordsman standing protectively behind a young woman in a red kimono, his dual hooked blades held at the ready in an atmosphere of quiet, coiled tension. As a bonus, the issue includes pin-up art from an impressive roster of contributors — Jae Lee, Terry Moore, Gary Gianni, and Sergio Aragonés — making it a particularly generous read.