I’m going to miss Dial H. And this issue is a prime example of why. There is magic in this book.

China Miévile has imagination to spare. And a knack for creating characters with heart. Open-Window Man sounds like it should be the stupidest character ever. Yet here in his interaction with a graffitti world (and how cool is that in and of itself?), we not only learn a ton about the dials and dial holders, but as Open-Window Man fills in dial details, we get a glimse of who he is at his core as well.

The art in this issue – from Ponticelli to Green to Horrie and even the lettering by Esposito – all channel Miéville’s concepts and make them real. You get glimpses of worlds that make you want to see more of them. They manage to capture a child-like sense of wonder in their creation of the chalk figure world. It’s true fantasy stuff in a super-hero shell.

It feels like a shame this book is ending – especially with the many sub-par books DC is putting out. But maybe not. Maybe it’s better to get something this much fun, this interesting, this downright comic-book cool and get out on that high note. It has all the makings of a classic and I suspect this title will become one of those gems that lives on in trades for years to come.