Negative Burn #9

Negative Burn's ninth volume under the Image/Desperado banner continues its tradition of gathering an impressive range of voices — Eric Adams, Chris Arrant, Shannon Eric Denton, Michael Gaydos, Dean Haspiel, C. Willow Wilson, and many more all contribute to this anthology showcase. The cover sets a quietly haunting tone, rendered in loose, painterly strokes: a solitary figure in a flowing robe holds what appears to be a bare branch, while a small vase with a single red flower rests on a table in the foreground against a moody, storm-dark background. It's a beautifully melancholic image that signals the kind of thoughtful, literary storytelling this series consistently delivers.