Merciless: The Rise of Ming #2

Dynamite's Flash Gordon spin-off continues with this second chapter of Scott Beatty's "The Heart Wants," as Ming's ascent to power unfolds against the vivid, painted cover art of Alex Ross. The cover plunges viewers into a swirling underwater battle: a powerfully built, shirtless man clutching a blade surges upward alongside a green-skinned, red-haired woman adorned with pearl-like jewelry, while blue aquatic creatures close in around them from all sides. Ross's lush, luminous rendering gives the whole scene a mythic, otherworldly pull that makes this 2012 series feel like a genuine companion piece to the Flash Gordon legacy.