Famed comic book illustrator Jim Lee is set to provide the cover artwork for Gears of War #9, which will be out in July and is said to bring an all-new Gears character into the equation.

If I were the gambling type, I'd probably bet money on this new character being killed off, because when you have a story about constant war, one of the good guys is bound to die eventually. Or else their loved ones, which only further fuels their willingness to fight and prolongs the conflict. These stories are deep, guys.

In case you were wondering, Jim Lee has totally played Gears of War. In fact, he says "it's the most visceral yet elegant game" he's ever played, and is "thrilled to be able to contribute something new to the ever expanding mythos." Dude really loves him some Gears, apparently. Got a problem with that? Good.