The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion #7

The penultimate issue of Hotel Oblivion arrives with a cover that trades superhero spectacle for something quietly arresting — a richly detailed sparrow perched on a slender branch, rendered by Gabriel Bá against a warm, geometric wash of amber and brown tones with dark, silhouetted foliage framing the edges. It's an unexpectedly serene image for a series built on chaos, and Bá's linework gives the small bird a surprising weight and presence. Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá continue to prove that The Umbrella Academy operates on its own unmistakable wavelength, and this 2019 issue is a fine example of the series' willingness to be beautifully strange.