Lazarus #11

Two armored figures close the distance across a snow-covered landscape — a black-cloaked warrior approaching a red-and-gray opponent while armed soldiers fan out among vehicles in the wintry background — and the tension radiating off Owen Freeman's cover perfectly sets the stage for "Conclave Part One." Greg Rucka and Michael Lark's dystopian series continues to deliver sharp, grounded sci-fi, and this 2014 Image issue feels like a cold front moving in fast. If you've been following the world of the Families, issue #11 looks like exactly the right moment to stay very close attention.