Halo: Escalation #20

The penultimate chapter of Halo: Escalation arrives with striking intensity — this twentieth issue from Dark Horse features cover art by Isaac Hannaford depicting a Spartan in full MJOLNIR armor bracing against a massive, glowing energy sword wielded by a towering Elite, the two figures locked in a tense standoff amid swirling mist and violet light. Hannaford's painterly rendering gives the confrontation a cinematic weight, with the crackling blue plasma blade dominating the center of the composition. With Duffy Boudreau writing and Ian Richardson on interior art, this is a satisfying chapter for any fan of Halo's expanded universe.