Deep #2

The second volume of Stéphane Betbeder and Federico Pietrobon's oceanic thriller sets an ominous tone with a cover that shows a fleet of warships cutting through turbulent, dust-choked seas beneath a brooding sky — delicate butterflies drifting incongruously at the edge of the frame, hinting at the fragility lurking beneath the military might. "Extinction de masse" is a title that promises nothing less than catastrophe, and Pietrobon's dramatic seascape, colored by Marta Martinez in deep amber and rust tones, makes the tension feel genuinely imminent. Published by Soleil in 2013, this middle chapter of the trilogy looks like essential reading for fans of high-stakes maritime science fiction.