The Dreaming #5

Part of DC's Sandman Universe line, this fifth issue of The Dreaming features a cover by Jae Lee that sets an immediately unsettling tone: a pumpkin-headed figure in a bow tie and suspenders stands boldly atop rubble, dwarfed by a massive, tusked creature looming behind it in shades of teal and rust. The contrast between the figure's almost whimsical appearance and the sheer scale of the beast behind it captures exactly the kind of dreamy unease this series excels at. With Simon Spurrier writing and Bilquis Evely and Abigail Larson on art, "The Balance" promises the rich, atmospheric storytelling that has already earned the series praise — AiPT! called Judge Gallows the scariest villain introduced in 2019.