Dragon 36’s cover is by one of my faves, Dean Morrissey. This guy does dark like nobody else. This is positively murky. The petrified mage is spooky as all get out and I get pleasantly Grey Mouser vibes from the swordsman.

Morrissey is an interesting cat. He’s self taught and consciously worked to adapt a style in the mode of Howard Pyle and N.C. Wyeth (both of whom I have loved since I was a kid, which probably goes a long way toward explaining my enthusiasm for Morrissey). In recent years, he’s only gotten better and put out a number of lovely, fanciful children’s books. He can also paint one hell of a Santa Claus, if you can believe it.