Genius #4

Cover artist Nelson Blake II frames the crowned young woman at the center of an oversized chessboard, rifle in hand, flanked by towering gold pieces — a rook, a knight, and a pawn — that underscore her role as the ultimate strategist. The image is a striking visual statement about power and control, with the crown sitting almost casually atop her head as if she's long since earned it. Writers Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman, with artist Afua Richardson, bring this fourth chapter of Genius to Image Comics and Top Cow, and the cover alone makes clear this series isn't pulling any punches about who's in charge.