The Witch and the Beast #9

Volume 9 of Kousuke Satake's The Witch and the Beast opens with a strikingly composed cover: a pale, long-haired woman in a black dress stands calmly amid an elegant but clearly disturbed dining room, scattered golden trinkets and blades littering the floor around a crouching dark beast at her feet. The atmosphere — dim light filtering through tall windows, framed pictures crowding the walls, a white-clothed table set with a crucifix and candles — perfectly captures the series' signature blend of gothic menace and quiet, unsettling grace. For fans following this dark fantasy from Kodansha USA, this 2022 installment looks every bit as moody and beautifully crafted as the volumes before it.