I.R.$. #14

This 2012 Belgian album from Le Lombard brings us the fourteenth chapter of I.R.$., titled "De overlevenden van Nanking" — a title that immediately conjures mysteries tied to one of history's most haunting events. Bernard Vrancken's cover art draws the eye with a silver-haired, sharp-featured man in the foreground, his steely gaze radiating intensity, while behind him two figures drift through murky underwater depths amid submerged ruins. It's a beautifully composed image that hints at danger lurking beneath the surface — literally and figuratively — with writing duties shared by Stéphen Desberg and Pieter van Oudheusden promising the sharp, financially-charged intrigue the series is known for.