Sandman Mystery Theatre #63

This late-1998 Vertigo series continues its noir atmosphere with a photorealistic cover by Gavin Wilson and Richard Bruning, showing a dapperly dressed older gentleman — bowler hat, bow tie, umbrella in hand — standing composed on a city street while blurred figures rush past him. The tagline "He was the perfect gentleman's gentleman… until he was betrayed by his own blood…" sets a quietly ominous tone that suits the series' pulpy, period-soaked sensibility perfectly. Steven T. Seagle and Guy Davis bring readers the third act of "The City" arc, and this cover alone promises the kind of slow-burn urban intrigue that made Sandman Mystery Theatre such a distinctive corner of the DC/Vertigo line.