Sandman Mystery Theatre #41

The brooding, gas-masked figure of the Sandman looms on this atmospheric 1996 cover by Gavin Wilson and Richard Bruning — hat pulled low, goggles gleaming, every inch the shadowy pulp avenger. Issue #41 kicks off "Phantom of the Fair," a four-part mystery novel by Wagner, Seagle, and Davis set against the promise and peril of an Exhibition where, as the cover warns, "Death Stalks the Fairgrounds!" It's a genuinely compelling setup for fans of noir-tinged heroics, and the cover's moody photo-realistic style makes it one of the most distinctive on the rack that August.