Cerebus #133

The cover of this April 1990 issue from Aardvark-Vanaheim says plenty with remarkable restraint — a dimly lit stone corridor framed by two heavy wooden doors, one swung open to reveal a small barred window and iron hardware, all bathed in the eerie glow of a single overhead light. Dave Sim and Gerhard's cover art for "Jaka's Story" chapter "Mystery Achievement 3" conveys confinement and unease without showing a single character, letting the cold architecture do all the work. It's a striking reminder of how much atmosphere Sim and Gerhard could pack into a single, quietly unsettling image.