Girl Genius #9

Phil and Kaja Foglio's "Gaslamp Fantasy with Adventure, Romance & Mad Science" hits its ninth installment, and the cover by Phil Foglio puts the spirited, goggle-wearing blonde heroine front and center — whip in hand, fist raised, surrounded by swirling mechanical tentacles and strange steampunk machinery that hints at serious trouble ahead. Laurie E. Smith's rich, atmospheric colors give the scene a vivid, slightly eerie glow that perfectly suits the series' genre-bending charm. If you've been following Airship Entertainment's wild ride through mad science and clockwork chaos, this 2003 issue delivers another beautifully crafted chapter.