The Books of Magic #4

The Books of Magic #4 was published by DC Comics under the Vertigo imprint in 1991, concluding the landmark four-issue miniseries written by Neil Gaiman. The series was commissioned by DC editorial to spotlight their library of magical and supernatural characters, tasking Gaiman with synthesizing the history of the DC Universe's occult elements through the perspective of Timothy Hunter, a young boy destined to become the world's most powerful mage. This final issue serves as the emotional and thematic anchor of the story, as Hunter completes his guided tour through various planes of existence.

The visual identity of this issue, and the series as a whole, was defined by the collaboration of four distinct artists: John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Charles Vess, and Paul Johnson. Each artist provided a unique aesthetic to separate chapters of the narrative, with issue four featuring art by Paul Johnson. The series was met with significant critical acclaim for its sophisticated approach to comic storytelling, effectively signaling a shift in the medium toward more literary and mature themes, which paved the way for the formal launch of the Vertigo imprint shortly thereafter.