The Unwritten #40

Issue 40 of Vertigo's The Unwritten arrives in October 2012 as the concluding chapter of "The Wound," and Yuko Shimizu's cover sets a striking tone — a determined young woman in tactical gear grips a writhing, text-covered tendril that bleeds crimson and dissolves into cascading letters and crimson droplets against a stark white background. The image perfectly captures the series' central tension between the physical world and the living power of words, rendered here as something visceral and dangerous. Mike Carey and Peter Gross bring their signature blend of literary imagination and genuine menace to what promises to be a satisfying payoff to this four-part arc.