The Books of Magic #23

From DC's Vertigo imprint, this 1996 installment of The Books of Magic carries one of the series' most quietly haunting covers — a solitary, pointy-hatted figure perched atop a stone pillar, cradling a faint light in cupped hands while a luminous white bird takes wing nearby against a twilight cityscape. August Hall's cover art perfectly captures the melancholy and wonder at the heart of young Tim Hunter's world, balancing darkness and delicate magic in a single, contemplative image. Written by John Ney Rieber with art by Peter Gross, "Red Rover, Red Rover" promises the same blend of myth, mystery, and emotional depth that made this Vertigo series essential reading in 1996.