Spike #5

The five-part "A Dark Place" arc reaches its conclusion with this 2012 Dark Horse installment, and Jenny Frison's cover art makes a strong case for Spike as the brooding center of his own story. The platinum-haired vampire stands cool and self-possessed against a moody twilight backdrop of looming stone formations, his steady gaze carrying the weight of wherever this dark journey has taken him. Victor Gischler and Paul Lee bring the season to a close, with Andy Owens on inks and Joss Whedon serving as executive producer on this Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off series.