True Story Swear to God #9

Tom Beland's autobiographical romance series has a great sense of humor about itself, and this ninth issue wears that charm right on its cover. The gag plays out in plain sight: a red-haired woman argues that Savage Dragon shouldn't appear on the cover if he's not in the book, prompting a sheepish Dragon to dismiss both himself and a shambling Walking Dead zombie with a resigned "you can go" — leaving a bald everyman standing awkwardly in the middle. It's a playful, self-aware bit of Image Comics camaraderie that perfectly captures why True Story Swear to God stands out as one of 2007's most genuinely charming ongoing series.