Ultimate Comics X-Men #26

Part three of "Natural Resources" arrives with a cover by Dave Johnson that strips the Ultimate X-Men down to something almost painterly — three mutant figures rendered in bold, flat blocks of color crowd the composition in close, unsettling proximity, their forms layered and overlapping against a muted grid backdrop. The minimalist design has real tension to it, suggesting conflict or uneasy alliance without spelling anything out. Brian Wood's run, brought to life inside by Mahmud Asrar with inks by Juan Vlasco and colors by Jordie Bellaire, continues to give the Ultimate universe's mutants a grounded, distinctive look all their own.