Curse of the Spawn #8

This eighth issue of Image's dark Spawn spinoff announces itself with one of the more arresting covers of 1997 — a close-up of a pale, stitched face with piercing blue eyes, blood dripping from the wounds above, and a deep-red rose held before the mouth like a dark offering. Cover art by Dwayne Turner with inks by Crime Lab Inkworks gives the image a lush, painterly menace that perfectly suits a series titled "Carnival of Souls." If you've been following this corner of the Spawn universe, issue #8 is exactly the kind of unsettling visual treat that keeps you coming back.