Hunter: The Age of Magic #5

From Vertigo's supernatural series, this January 2002 installment of Hunter: The Age of Magic carries the subtitle "The Lake of Fire, Chapter 6: The Hidden House," and John Bolton's painted cover sets a striking tone — a bare-chested young man with glasses raises one hand wreathed in violet flame while the other deflects what appear to be arrows or dart-like projectiles streaking toward him. The image captures someone caught between raw magical power and incoming danger, projecting the sense of a character still finding his footing in a world far beyond ordinary. Written by Dylan Horrocks with interior art by Richard Case and Steve Bird, this Vertigo gem is a compelling piece of early-2000s dark fantasy.