Contributors

Susan CASEY

"THE LAST DESCENT," P. 62

"The Titan tragedy brought up a lot of emotions because I'd been watching OceanGate's operation, fearing the worst, since 2018," says the best-selling writer, whose book, The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean (Doubleday), takes a deep dive into the world of undersea exploration.

Phil KLAY

"WAR OF THE WORLDS," P. 92

Klay, who explores the US military's foray into preparing for an evolution of war, is an award-winning author, Marine Corps veteran, and professor at Fairfield University. His novel Missionaries was named one of President Barack Obama's favorite books of the year in 2020.

Grace ALDRICH

"FUTURE TENSE," P. 76

The Kansas City-based fine artist and illustrator's work often wrestles with themes of the surreal, seeking to uncover the intrinsic darkness that can be found everywhere. "Whether good or bad, AI can and already has uprooted our lives in many ways," she says.

Nicole CHAPOTEAU

"BAD BUNNY'S YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION," P. 47

"it was such a treat to shoot Benito in Puerto Rico," says VF fashion director Chapoteau, who styled the artist for our cover. "I was able to pull items from a local shop, and the food was delicious—never have I ever had rice and beans on set," she says.

Szilveszter MAKO

"BAD BUNNY'S YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION." P. 47

"I force myself to contradiction in order to avoid confirming my own taste; everybody practices art in his own way," says the Hungarian photographer, who shot Bad Bunny in his native Puerto Rico, using local culture as a rich source of inspiration.

CWHIAASEN

"SWAMP THINGS," P. 40

Hiaasen is a best-selling novelist, former longtime columnist at the Miami Herald, and author of the new book Wrecker (Knopf). The Florida native offers an inside look at the DeSantis-led state: "I'm making a bingo card of all the places in Florida my book gets banned."