Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (Phase III) #4

The cover by Harvey Tolibao makes an immediate, unsettling impression: the pale, red-eyed Niv Drendow strides forward in a dark longcoat, cradling something sinister in his clawed hands, while a young woman and a feral-looking alien companion flank him against a backdrop of writhing, tentacled darkness. "The Nefarious Niv Drendow!" the cover proclaims — and the imagery more than earns that billing. Daniel José Older and artist Elisa Romboli kick off "Now or Never, Part 1" in this 2024 Dark Horse entry in the High Republic Adventures series, with colors by Michael Atiyeh giving the whole scene a cold, threatening atmosphere that promises real danger ahead.