The Books of Magic #17

The Books of Magic #17, released in 1995, is part of the long-running Vertigo series that spun out of Neil Gaiman's acclaimed 1990 miniseries. By this point in the series, the narrative had transitioned into a monthly ongoing title focused on the protagonist Timothy Hunter, a young boy destined to become the world's most powerful magician. This issue serves as part of the broader creative direction established by writer John Ney Rieber, who sought to blend coming-of-age themes with the dark, surreal fantasy aesthetic that defined the DC Vertigo imprint during the mid-nineties.

The interior artwork for this period was primarily handled by Peter Gross, whose distinct, evocative style helped ground the series' ethereal subject matter. The visual design was intended to contrast the mundane reality of British youth with the encroaching, often unsettling world of occult magic. Upon release, the series was well-regarded for its sophisticated approach to the 'boy wizard' trope, though this specific issue is viewed as a representative chapter in the character's multi-year development rather than a standalone landmark.