Monstress #26

Sana Takeda's cover for Monstress #26 is a mesmerizing tableau — a regal, horned figure adorned with an elaborate golden headdress and layered jewelry holds a jeweled sword in one hand and a human skull in the other, flanked by sweeping dark wings and writhing tentacles that fill the composition with an air of ancient, commanding power. The delicate linework and muted jewel tones Takeda brings to every issue are on full display here, balancing beauty and dread in equal measure. Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda continue to make Monstress one of Image's most visually and narratively ambitious ongoing series, and issue #26 looks to be no exception.