The Books of Magic #42

From the creative partnership of John Ney Rieber and Jill Thompson, this 1997 Vertigo entry presents a cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta that is equal parts whimsical and unsettling: a wide-eyed, bespectacled Tim Hunter grips his head in alarm as he looms over the entire globe, while a tiny figure stands atop the world before him, seagulls wheeling through a dramatic sunburst sky above. The image captures the weight of a boy who holds enormous magical potential — and perhaps the whole world — in trembling hands, perfectly setting the tone for "The Bridge.