Dark Horse Presents #85

Dark Horse Presents #85 showcases a hauntingly beautiful cover by Mike Dringenberg — a dynamic ink-brushed horse and rider rendered in warm sepia tones against a backdrop of aged parchment and Asian script, evoking the feel of classical East Asian painting brought vividly to life. The issue spotlights three stories, including "The Painted Horse" by Kij Johnson and Dringenberg, alongside "Star Riders" (Gagnon and Racine) and "The Eighth Wonder" (Janes and Plunkett), with portrait medallions of characters from each flanking the left margin. It's a mature-readers anthology that, even in 1994, demonstrated Dark Horse's appetite for showcasing bold, eclectic storytelling across a striking range of artistic styles.