Jack of Fables #9

From Vertigo's irreverent Jack of Fables series comes issue #9, dated May 2007, with James Jean's striking cover depicting a serene, diaphanous woman holding a playing card aloft while scattered cards swirl around her — and a battered, bloodied man slumps at her feet, grinning despite his rough condition. The tagline "Women get pregnant just by looking at…" and the story title "Luck Be a Lady" set a tone that's equal parts roguish charm and wry danger. Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges, with interior art by Tony Akins and Andrew Pepoy, this is Vertigo storytelling with a sly, stylish edge that's hard to resist.