The Li'l Depressed Boy #9

The cover of issue nine says it all with quiet eloquence: the Li'l Depressed Boy — rendered in his signature simplified, featureless style and bright orange t-shirt — stands adrift in a crowd of fully detailed, gray-toned people, his downcast expression the emotional anchor of the whole composition. It's a striking visual contrast that captures the series' heart beautifully, with S. Steven Struble and Sina Grace delivering exactly the kind of understated emotional resonance that has made this book a standout from Image Comics in 2012. If you've ever felt invisible in a room full of people, this cover will speak directly to you.