Jour J #24

In this 2016 entry in Delcourt's alternate-history series Jour J, the subtitle "Stupor Mundi" sets the stage for a pivotal confrontation: the cover tagline tells us that in 1243, Frederick II stands as the last hope of Christendom against the Mongols. Cover artists Manchu and Fred Blanchard conjure that tension beautifully — a lone armored rider on a powerful dark horse pauses against a dusty horizon, the Dome of the Rock visible in the distance behind him, quiver and weapons at the ready. Writers Duval and Pécau, with art by Igor Kordey inside, have built a series renowned for its richly reimagined history, and this volume looks to be no exception.