Choker #4

Four issues into this six-part Image series, Choker continues to deliver the kind of unsettling noir atmosphere that made it stand out in 2010. Ben Templesmith's cover art presents a deeply disquieting close-up of a heavy-set figure thrown back with one eerie, glowing red eye and blood-tinged teeth, rendered in Templesmith's signature earthy, rust-and-shadow palette. It's the sort of image that lingers — moody, visceral, and a strong reminder of why McCool and Templesmith make such a compelling creative team.