Terror, Inc. #1

Marvel's MAX imprint launches this five-issue limited series with a cover that makes an immediate impression — the grotesque, partially decomposed figure of Terror charges forward wielding a bladed weapon in one hand and a firearm in the other, rendered in moody, shadow-drenched tones by Jelena Djurdjevic. Writer David Lapham and artist Patrick Zircher bring their considerable talents to bear on one of Marvel's more unconventional anti-heroes, with colorist June Chung's smoldering oranges and deep browns setting a fittingly grim atmosphere. If you're after something with genuine edge on the mature-readers end of the spectrum, "The Dismemberment Plan" looks like it means business from the very first page.