The Twelve #9

The penultimate stretch of J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston's twelve-part Marvel series puts the spotlight squarely on the Blue Blade, and Paolo Rivera's painted cover captures the swashbuckling hero in full, exuberant swing — literally, as the bare-chested, feathered-hat-wearing swordsman grips a rope with one hand and flourishes his rapier with the other, grinning with the kind of devil-may-care confidence the cover copy calls "Dashing and Cavalier." The golden-yellow background makes the blue of his cape, hat, and striped stockings pop with real flair, giving the whole image the feel of a vintage adventure pulp brought vividly to life. With only three issues left in the series, this is a fine moment to appreciate how Straczynski, Weston, and Rivera are giving each of their dozen Golden Age heroes their own distinct spotlight.