Crowded #9

Crowded continues its sharp, gig-economy satire with issue nine, and Ro Stein's cover sets the mood perfectly — a stylish figure in a fur coat clutching a small dog in matching sunglasses stands beside a tall, confident companion, the whole scene bathed in warm amber light while surveillance drones circle overhead against a Los Angeles skyline of towering glass and palm trees. There's an undeniable cool to the composition, equal parts glamour and threat, that captures everything this series does so well. If you've been following Charlie and Vita's wild ride through a world where anyone can be crowdfunded into a target, this one looks like it keeps the tension — and the fashion — dialed up high.