Mage, Book Three: The Hero Denied #5

Matt Wagner's Mage: The Hero Denied returns with issue #5, and the cover sets a wonderfully offbeat tone — a bearded, heavyset man in a black lightning-bolt t-shirt stands before towering shelves packed with books on mythology, magic, and world folklore, holding open a volume titled Magic in History and My… while a startled speech bubble declares "It…It's YOU!" The bookshop setting, loaded with titles ranging from Celtic lore to Native American myths, gives the scene a quietly grounded, almost everyday feel that makes the supernatural undertone all the more intriguing. With Matt Wagner handling both writing and art and Brennan Wagner bringing the warm, library-drenched colors to life, this 2018 chapter of "Brave New World" is a compelling addition to this long-awaited trilogy closer.