Sandman #21

A moody, atmospheric still life dominates Dave McKean's cover for this December 1990 issue — an open book crossed by a string of dark beads, resting before a shadowy sculpted figure, all rendered in deep browns and muted golds that perfectly suit the series' tone. This is the prologue chapter of "Season of Mists," with Neil Gaiman writing alongside Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III on interior art. The cover's quiet, contemplative imagery — equal parts altar and study — sets an appropriately weighty mood for what the tagline promises: a family reunion, personal recriminations, and a relationship long thought finished proving surprisingly relevant.