The Dreaming #39

Dave McKean's cover for this 1999 Vertigo issue presents a striking, otherworldly vision: a mechanical-looking bird with iridescent, spread wings and a horned, mask-like head hovers against a warm wash of amber and red — living flowers bleeding into the background above. The handwritten title "The Lost Language of Flowers" drifts across the composition like a half-remembered dream, perfectly setting the tone for Caitlín R. Kiernan's story within. With interior art from Shawn McManus, Christian Højgaard, and Teddy Kristiansen, The Dreaming #39 is a quietly haunting chapter from one of Vertigo's most atmospheric series.