Cerebus #142

The "Melmoth" arc takes a quietly atmospheric turn with this January 1991 issue, whose cover — penciled and inked by Dave Sim and Gerhard — foregoes action entirely in favor of a meticulously rendered Victorian streetscape: cobblestones, timber-framed buildings, shuttered windows, and a gas lamp standing sentinel in the shadows. It's a striking artistic choice that signals the contemplative, literary tone Sim and Gerhard were pursuing at this point in Cerebus's long journey. Gerhard's architectural draftsmanship is on full display here, making the empty street feel both lived-in and hushed with anticipation.