The Bounce #9

Issue nine of Joe Casey and David Messina's mature-readers Image series presents a striking cover — a disheveled man in a blood-spattered white shirt and loosened tie reclines with a drink in hand, his expression cool and guarded, while a small lizard rests near him against the dark backdrop of yet more crimson spatters. The contrast between that casual pose and the obvious signs of violence gives the image a tense, noir-tinged atmosphere that fits the series' tone perfectly. With cover inks by Gaetano Carlucci sharpening every detail, this 2014 installment of The Bounce makes a quietly unsettling impression before you've even cracked the cover.