Spawn #279

Spawn #279 delivers one of the more arresting covers of 2017 — a close, painterly portrait of a woman's face rendered in Jason Shawn Alexander's expressive, oil-paint style, her expression taut and her features streaked with blood. Alexander's textured brushwork gives the image a raw, almost gallery-worthy intensity that sets it apart from typical superhero fare. It's a quietly unsettling piece that makes a strong case for why Spawn's covers consistently reward a second look.