Elephantmen #9

The cover of Elephantmen #9 tells you everything you need to know about this issue's tone: looming in close-up is Kaba, the massive hippo-hybrid, his broad, textured snout and dark eyes filling the frame beneath a battered wide-brimmed hat and a heavy gloved hand — a moody, almost noir composition rendered with striking painterly detail by José Ladrönn and David Lloyd. Subtitled "Your Local Hippo," the story spotlights Kaba squarely in the world of Mystery City that Richard Starkings and Moritat have been crafting throughout this series. If you've been following Image's Tales from Mystery City & the World of Hip Flask, this 2007 chapter is a worthwhile stop.