The Books of Magic #54

Vertigo's long-running magical coming-of-age series reaches issue #54 with a cover by MW Kaluta that's equal parts whimsical and unsettling — a suited adult hunches over a staircase, wrestling a wheelbarrow in which a young boy tumbles awkwardly, while another child scrambles nearby, all set against a blazing orange sunset. The story title "Class Dismissed" printed boldly on the cover hints that whatever schooling Tim Hunter has been receiving, things may be taking a very different turn. Writer and artist Peter Gross, with inks by Jason Temujin, brings the interior to life in this 1998 Vertigo entry that's sure to reward fans who've been following this thoughtful series.