Unknown Soldier #22

This Vertigo series continues its unflinching exploration of conflict and humanity with "Beautiful World, Chapter One," and Dave Johnson's cover is a striking contrast to what you might expect from a war comic — a woman in a flowing orange dress and wrapped headscarf stands in profile, holding a bouquet of vivid marigold-like flowers against a serene turquoise sky, while those same blooms along the bottom reveal tiny skulls at their centers. The juxtaposition of beauty and hidden danger is quietly haunting, rendered in a warm, almost painterly style that feels both hopeful and uneasy. With Joshua Dysart writing and Alberto Ponticelli on interior art, this 2010 issue promises the same thoughtful, mature storytelling that has defined this Vertigo title throughout its run.