The Books of Magic #56

Published in 1999 as part of the long-running Vertigo series The Books of Magic, this issue serves as a chapter within the ongoing maturation of Timothy Hunter, a teenager destined to become the world's greatest magician. The series itself originated from Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed 1990 miniseries, which explored the occult corners of the DC Universe and established a template for dark, sophisticated fantasy that became a cornerstone of the Vertigo imprint.

Issue 56 features the work of writer Peter Gross, who served as a primary architect for the series' later years, and artist Ryan Kelly. The creative team aimed to ground the ethereal, high-fantasy concepts of the early issues in the evolving emotional and psychological complexities of Tim’s adolescence. While the series did not reach the same cultural zenith as Gaiman's original run, it maintained a dedicated readership by balancing traditional magical tropes with the gritty, grounded aesthetic that defined Vertigo’s brand during the late 1990s.