Ex Machina #49

As Ex Machina approaches its conclusion, issue #49 brings a charged, dramatic cover by Tony Harris — a stern, close-cropped man in a suit dominates the center, framed by a circular medallion set against bold red, white, and blue drapery that evokes both political power and unease. To the left lurks a figure in armored, insectoid headgear, while a ghostly hand cradles a skull in the lower right, lending the composition a weighty, foreboding atmosphere. With Brian K. Vaughan writing and Harris and JD Mettler bringing the visuals to life, this penultimate chapter of the Wildstorm series promises the kind of morally complex storytelling the book has delivered throughout its run.