Ex Machina #45

Issue #45 of Brian K. Vaughan's acclaimed WildStorm series opens the "Pro-Life" arc with a cover by Tony Harris that's as politically charged as the series itself. A confident, smiling woman in a blazer holds up a ring of keys while four men flanking her are conspicuously gagged with padlocks — all of them looming beneath the imposing goggled visage of the Great Machine rendered in bold red, gold, and blue. It's a striking image that captures Ex Machina's signature blend of superhero spectacle and sharp political commentary, and JD Mettler's vivid color work makes the whole composition pop right off the shelf.