Creatures of the Night (Dark Horse Books; Hardcover) - I just want to quickly recommend this book for any fans of Neil Gaiman out there (and I know there are a few), or of artist Michael Zulli. The book is available at your local Barnes & Noble, some comic shops and possibly (at least here in Queens) at your neighborhood library.

Gaiman, know for his work on SANDMAN, AMERICAN GODS and the cult favorite NEVERWHERE, is good form. In the first story, THE PRICE, we learn of a writer and his family who have adopted a number of cats. One in particular, the black cat, mysteriously appears one day and turns out to be something much more than what he appears. The story is touching and any cat fancier will absolutely love it. Zulli, whose work I first encountered back in the 1980s with PUMA BLUES (recommended for fans of fantasy, human interest and works dealing with the environment & nature in a spiritual way), does some wonderful painted work, giving the writer and the cats their own personalities.

The second tale, THE DAUGHTER OF OWLS, reads as if it was an adaptation of a traditional fairy tale or myth. The young baby is found abandoned, holding in her hand the droppings of an owl. Seen as an omen by the women of the village, they demand the infant be killed. Cooler heads prevail and the child is left in the care of an old nun. Years later, the child has become a beautiful woman and the men of the town have become very interested in her. A haunting tale and certainly in keeping with Gaiman's own interest in such legends and stories. Either is certainly worthwhile and more than reason to check out the book if you get the chance.