Sequart on Twitter Sequart on Facebook SequartTV on YouTube Sequart on Patreon

Books of Magic, The:

Peter Gross Era (1998-2000)

With the departure of John Ney Reiber, artist Peter Gross took over the writing of The Books of Magic Vol. 2. The series would survive another 25 issues, along with one final annual, the three-issue The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale, the four-issue The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story, and the four-issue The Trenchcoat Brigade.

Former series writer John Ney Rieber returned to write The Trenchcoat Brigade, The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story, and a short story in the final The Books of Magic Annual.

The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #51

“A Thousand Worlds of Tim” -- 24 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Peter Gross and Temujin

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Aug 1998
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #52

“Homecoming” -- 24 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Temujin

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Sept 1998
The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale #1

“The Regicide” -- 24 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Vince Locke

first issue; cover by Hermann Mejia; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Aug 1998

The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale #2

“The Pretender” -- 24 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Vince Locke

cover by Hermann Mejia; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Sept 1998
The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale #3

“The Usurper” -- 22 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Vince Locke

final issue; cover by Hermann Mejia; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Oct 1998

The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale

collects The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale #1-3, The Books of Magic Annual #1, and the back-ups from The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #57-58; cover taken from The Books of Faerie: Auberon’s Tale #1; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; 128 pages; $14.95; published 1999

buy from Amazon

The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #53

“Bardsey Boys” -- 24 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Peter Gross and Temujin

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Oct 1998
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #54

“The Exquisite Corpse” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Temujin

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Nov 1998
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #55

“A Fully Articulated Knowing” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross and Linda Medley

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Dec 1998
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #56

“The Last Molly Story” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Jan 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #57

“The Wager” -- 15 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Temujin

“Sturm and the Silver Treasure” -- 7 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; art by Ryan Kelly
  • a Books of Faerie story

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Feb 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #58

“William’s Tale Part 1″ -- 15 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Temujin

“Auberon Finds a Friend” -- 7 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; art by Hermann Mejia
  • a Books of Faerie story

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Mar 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #59

“William’s Tale Part 2″ -- 15 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

“The Kelpje’s Love” -- 7 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; art by Andrew Chju
  • a Books of Faerie story

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Apr 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #60

“In Defense of His Country” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated May 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #61

“All Things Timothy” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated June 1999
The Books of Magic Annual #3

“Snicker Snacker (A Thousand Deaths of Timothy Hunter #1)” -- 9 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Kelley Jones

“Artificial Heart Failure (A Thousand Deaths Of Timothy Hunter #2)” -- 6 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Gary Amaro

“Fish’n'Chips (A Thousand Deaths Of Timothy Hunter #3)” -- 6 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by John Totleben

“Who is Tim Hunter?” -- 8 pages

  • written by Mark Millar; pencils by Phil Jimenez; inks by Barbara Schulz

“The Kite” -- 9 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by Temujin

final issue; also includes a 1-page text piece “Welcome to the Books of Magic” by Stuart Moore with art by Hermann Mejia and Linda Medley; cover by Charles Vess; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $3.95; cover-dated June 1999

The Trenchcoat Brigade #1

“Misery, Book I: Mercy Killer” -- 23 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by John Ridgway
  • the team from The Books of Magic Vol. 1 reunites to save the world from a Lovecraftian Cancer god

first issue; cover by Glenn Fabry; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Mar 1999

The Trenchcoat Brigade #2

“Misery, Book II: The Kindness of the Wolf” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by John Ridgway

cover by Glenn Fabry; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Apr 1999
The Trenchcoat Brigade #3

“Misery, Book III: Eyes of the Blind” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by John Ridgway

cover by Glenn Fabry; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated May 1999
The Trenchcoat Brigade #4

“Misery, Book IV: A Lingering Death” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by John Ridgway

final issue; cover by Glenn Fabry; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated June 1999

The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #62

“Wrong Side of the Tracks” -- 15 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly

“The Scrying Pool” -- 7 pages

  • written by Bronwyn Carlton; art by Linda Medley
  • a Books of Faerie story

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated July 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #63

“The Good Fella” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Hogan; art by Gary Amaro

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Aug 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #64

“Heart of the Storm” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Sept 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #65

“The Arrangement” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Oct 1999
The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story #1

“Molly’s Story, Book 1: Twilight” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by Hermann Mejia

first issue; cover by Charles Vess; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Sept 1999

The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story #2

“Molly’s Story, Book 2: Iron and Thorn” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; art by Hermann Mejia

cover by Charles Vess; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Oct 1999
The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story #3

“Molly’s Story, Book 3: Tearing off Their Wings” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; pencils by Hermann Mejia; inks by Doug Hazlewood

cover by Charles Vess; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Nov 1999
The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story #4

“Molly’s Story, Book 4: The Importance of Being Evil” -- 22 pages

  • written by John Ney Rieber; pencils by Ryan Kelly; inks by Doug Hazlewood

final issue; cover by Charles Vess; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Dec 1999

The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #66

“A Day, a Night & a Dream — Part One” -- 24 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Charles Vess; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Nov 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #67

“A Day, a Night & a Dream — Part Two” -- 24 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Dec 1999
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #68

“Pentimento” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, and Michael Lark (pages 5-8 and 15-19)

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Jan 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #69

“Cauldrons & Kettles” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; breakdowns by Peter Gross; finishes by Vince Locke

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Feb 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #70

“Ashes Time” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Ryan Kelly and Temujin

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Mar 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #71

“The Hunter” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Peter Gross, with assistance from Ryan Kelly and Barbara Schulz

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Apr 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #72

“The Lord of the Hunt” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; art by John Ridgway

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated May 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #73

“The Closing Part One — Chasing Barbatos” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Peter Gross, with assistance from Ryan Kelly and Barbara Schulz

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated June 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #74

“The Closing Part Two — Being Mr. Wrong” -- 23 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Peter Gross, with assistance from Ryan Kelly and Barbara Schulz

cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated July 2000
The Books of Magic Vol. 2 #75

“The Closing Part Three — Inner Child” -- 22 pages

  • written by Peter Gross; pencils by Peter Gross; inks by Peter Gross, with assistance from Ryan Kelly and Barbara Schulz

final issue; cover by Michael William Kaluta; published by DC Comics / Vertigo; $2.50; cover-dated Aug 2000


Tagged , The Books of Faerie, , The Trenchcoat Brigade, .