Three #3

Three figures sprint desperately across the lower half of this striking cover, one clutching a sword, as an imposing wall of Spartan soldiers — shields locked, spears raised, faces fierce — bears down from above in a tide of burnt orange and black. Ryan Kelly's stark, high-contrast composition makes the power imbalance feel immediate and visceral, with the helmeted phalanx practically spilling off the page. Kieron Gillen, Kelly, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles are crafting one of 2013's most visually compelling takes on the ancient world, and issue #3 suggests the stakes are only getting higher.