X Volume 5 Flesh and Blood

X's former accomplice Leigh Ferguson is shocked to learn that her high school friend has become the latest victim of "the Skin Traders," a mysterious gang of surgically modified thugs stealing slices of flesh from their abductees. Only the resilient vigilante X can stand up to the demented plastic surgeon who leads this "patchwork" crew. Scalpels clash with swords in a bloody hospital showdown!

Collecting issues #17 through #20, this latest volume of Dark Horse's edgy superhero series is a perfect starting point for new readers, but it's also packed with Easter-egg references for longtime fans.

Duane Louis Swierczynski is an American crime writer who has written a number of non-fiction books, novels and also writes for comic books. Duane Swierczynski was born and raised in Frankford, a neighborhood in lower Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Swierczynski has written six non-fiction books, including This Here's A Stick-Up: The Big Bad Book Of American Bank Robbery (Alpha, 2002) and The Big Book O' Beer (Quirk, 2004). In September 2011, DC Comics relaunched Birds of Prey with issue #1 as part of their The New 52 publishing initiative. Swierczynski replaced Marc Andreyko as the writer, with Jesus Saiz handling the art. Duane Swierczynski is married and has two children. The author lives in Philadelphia, PA.