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The Forbidden Book

    (Renaissance Press, 2001)
™ and © Renaissance

Editor Michael Cohen had a wonderfully simple yet daunting idea: invite some of the best talent in the industry to contribute to the first of a series of trade-size anthologies. The only stipulation? The stories must focus on the creator’s definition of an arguably indefinable concept: magic.

Therein lies the magic of this book: 11 eclectic stories that focus on a single concept, whose results are as varied as the styles of the contributors who provided them. Charles Vess turns in one of the collection’s best efforts, with an adaptation, no less, of the folksong “Alison Gross.” Cohen’s own contribution is also one of the book’s better stories.

As with any diverse anthology, not every effort can be a gem, but none are lumps of coal, either. Marv Wolfman and Craig Taillefer’s emotionless “Generations,” for example, isn’t a bad tale, but fans of either creator probably would expect better. Other contributors include Jeffrey Jones and Rick Veitch, not to mention Colleen Doran, who contributes one of the book’s two full-color stories.

Cohen has set a high standard in this first issue of a planned quarterly title. Hopefully, he can continue to attract enough talent and readers to continue this project. At 128 pages, there should be at least something worthwhile between the covers for fans of fantasy stories. Recommended especially for fans of the old Heavy Metal and the defunct Epic Illustrated.

— Jim Johnson
Jump to issue:
  • 1
    #1
    Jul 2001
    Cover: $9.95
    W: Charles Vess, Dennis Fujitake, Jeffrey Jones, Colleen Doran, Marv Wolfman, Mark Sherman, Jean-Marc Lofficier, R.J.M. Lofficier, David Gaddis, Rick Veitch, Michael Cohen  ·  A: Charles Vess, Dennis Fujitake, Jeffrey Jones, Colleen Doran, Craig A. Taillefer, Dave Hoover, Phil Xavier, David Gaddis, Rick Veitch, Stephen Blue, Michael Cohen
    Journeys into the Mystic
    No copies available
  • 2
    #2
    Dec 2001
    Cover: $9.95
    W: Frank Brunner, Michael Cohen, David Wenzel, Al Davison, Craig A. Taillefer, Eric Shanower, John Workman Jr., Nick Burns, James A. Owen  ·  A: Frank Brunner, David Wenzel, Al Davison, Craig A. Taillefer, Eric Shanower, John Workman Jr., Nick Burns, James A. Owen, Tom Yeates, Al Williamson
    Into the Uncharted Realm
    No copies available